e3's Vision
Our vision is to see people encounter God, experience Community, and engage Culture So, we often refer to ourselves as e3.
e3's Core Values
JOYFULNESS: We will not always be happy, but we will strive to be joyful. The joy of the Lord is our strength.
SERVICE: Jesus came to serve, not to be served. We will strive to serve this community in ways that show the love of Christ.
DIVERSITY: God desires for His church to reflect the diversity of His creation. We will seek to welcome people from all backgrounds to join us in being His church.
FAMILY: We will relate to one another as a spiritual family – brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus.
RELEVANCE: Our desire is to engage the culture around us without embracing the ways of this world. We want to represent our Lord and Savior in a 21st century manner to those who don’t yet know Him.
REPRODUCING: God has chosen us and appointed us to bear fruit. It will be our desire to reproduce Christ-followers, small groups of believers, and churches in Missoula, in Montana, in North America, and beyond.
e3’s Beliefs
GOD: God created, sustains, and rules the universe and all creation. There is one God who eternally and perfectly exists in three Persons: Father, Son, and Spirit. All three are equal and are one God. God is all knowing, all powerful, all loving, and all wise. Man should give Him the highest love, reverence, and obedience. - Genesis 1:1, 26, 27; Psalms 90:2; Proverbs 3:19-20; Romans 5:81; Peter 1:15-16
JESUS CHRIST: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is co-equal with the Father as God, yet fully man; the incarnated God-Man. He was born of the virgin Mary, lived a perfect, sinless life, was willingly crucified and sacrificially died on a cross, rose physically from the dead, and ascended into heaven. Through His sacrificial death and resurrection, Jesus Christ redeemed sinful man and reunites those who believe on him to be reunited with God. Jesus will return to earth to judge all people, both living and dead - Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:22-23; John 1:1-5; Acts 1:9-11; Romans 1:3-4, 5:1; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Hebrews 4:14-15
HOLY SPIRIT: The Holy Spirit is wholly equal in divinity with the Father God and Son, Jesus Christ. He brings man to see his sin and shows us our need for redemption through Jesus Christ. The moment a person receives salvation, the Holy Spirit dwells within them to provide power for living, comfort them, guide them, and transform them in Christ-likeness. - Genesis 1:2; I Samuel 10:6; John 16:7-13; 14:16, 17; 1 Corinthians 2:12; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 5:18.
BIBLE: The sixty-six books composing the Bible are God’s words to all mankind. It was written by man under the divine, supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Bible is the absolute authority of Christian beliefs and practices. Since it is inspired by God, it is complete truth with no error. - Psalm 12:6; 119:105, 160; Proverbs 30:5; 2 Timothy 1:13, 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20, 21
MAN: All people are created in the image of God as the pinnacle of God’s creation. We have a great potential for good, but because of sin [an attitude of rebellion and disobedience toward God] we are born separated from God, unable to help ourselves be reunited with God. - Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6a; Romans 3:23; and Isaiah 59:1, 2.
SALVATION: Salvation is the process of being made right with God, beginning with faith [the acceptance of Jesus Christ and commitment of one’s self to Him as Lord and Savior] and repentance [a genuine turning from sin toward God]. Salvation comes from grace alone and faith alone; there is nothing man can do to bring himself salvation. - Mark 1:15; John 1:12; Romans 5:1, 6:23; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:8, 9; 14:6; Titus 3:5
ETERNITY: Man was created to exist forever. After a physical death, they will be eternally separated from God in Hell because of sin or united with God in Heaven through salvation. Once people are redeemed, true believers are secure in their salvation; it is maintained by the grace and power of God, not man’s efforts. - John 3:16, 10:29; Romans 8:17-18; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25; 10:10, 14; and 1 Peter 1:3-5; Revelation 20:15
CHURCH: The spiritual community of all believers from all times is the true, universal church. It is expressed through a local body of baptized believers, united by their common faith in Jesus Christ and mission to share the Gospel with all people. Ultimately, Jesus Christ is the head of the church, but local churches are autonomous of external authority and control. The church has two ordinances, Believer’s Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. - Matthew 28:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-24, 12:12-14; 1 Peter 5:1-4
