The ministry of Bar.Church has been developed around several key aspects:

1) Authenticity: Being true to yourself, expressing genuine thoughts, emotions, and beliefs without pretense. This means not conforming to external pressures or societal expectations that conflict with the Truth.

2) Honesty: Consistently seeking and expressing Truth in interactions with others. This involves transparency, sincerity, and integrity in your actions and words.

3) Self-awareness: Understanding your strengths, weaknesses, motivations, and desires. Self-awareness allows you to make decisions that are in harmony with your true self and avoid self-deception.

4) Personal Growth: Embracing continuous learning and self-improvement based on truthful self-assessment and feedback. This includes acknowledging your mistakes, learning from them, and striving to improve.

5) Healthy Relationships: Building and maintaining relationships based on mutual respect, trust, and honesty. Being in these types of relationships involves open communication and genuine connections.

6) Resilience: The ability to face and overcome challenges by staying true to your values and beliefs, requires courage to confront difficulties and remain steadfast in your principles even in the face of adversity.

Our Beliefs:

The Bible

Our belief is that the Bible is the authoritative word of God, divinely inspired and trustworthy, the ultimate guide for faith and conduct, and contains all necessary teachings for salvation and holy living. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrews 4:12, 2 Peter 1:20-21, Psalm 119:160, Psalm 119:105, Matthew 4:4, Romans 10:17, John 17:17, James 1:21)

Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus is fully God and fully human, becoming human through the virgin birth. We believe that Jesus lived a sinless life, teaching and performing miracles and that his death on the cross reconciled humanity with God. We believe that Jesus physically rose from the dead, defeating sin and death, and that he ascended to heaven and intercedes for believers. We believe that Jesus' redemptive work is for all people, offering salvation to all who believe. (John 1:1, 14, Philippians 2:6-7, Matthew 1:18, 20, Luke 1:34-35, Hebrews 4:15, Matthew 4:23, 2 Corinthians 5:18-19, 1 Peter 2:24, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Acts 1:9, Romans 8:34, John 3:16, 1 John 2:2)

The Trinity

We believe in one God who exists in three persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person is distinct but shares the same divine essence. We believe that the three persons work harmoniously in creation, redemption, and sanctification. We believe that the Trinity is a divine mystery accepted by faith and informed by Scripture.

  1. The Father: Creator and sustainer, characterized by love, holiness, and justice.

  2. The Son: Eternally begotten, incarnate as Jesus, died and rose for humanity’s salvation, and intercedes for believers.

  3. The Holy Spirit: Proceeds from the Father and the Son, indwells and empowers believers, and guides them into truth.

    (Matthew 28:19, 2 Corinthians 13:14, Genesis 1:1, 1 John 4:8, Psalm 145:17, John 1:1, 14, John 3:16, Romans 8:34, John 14:16-17, Acts 1:8, John 16:13, Deuteronomy 29:29, 1 Timothy 3:16)

Sin

We believe that all humans inherit a sinful nature due to Adam and Eve's fall and that every part of human nature is affected by sin, making self-salvation impossible without divine grace.

We believe that sin causes spiritual and physical death and separation from God. It is God's grace that awakens individuals to their sinful state and enables them to respond to His salvation offer. Through faith in Jesus, individuals are declared righteous and born again, restoring their relationship with God.

We believe that it is a process to become more Christ-like, overcoming sin, and growing in holiness. We believe that regular practices are essential for spiritual growth and maintaining a right relationship with God. Practices like prayer, scripture reading, fasting, and sacraments will help resist sin and promote holiness.

(Romans 5:12, Psalm 51:5, Romans 3:23, Jeremiah 17:9, Ephesians 2:1-3, Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:8-9, John 6:44, 2 Corinthians 5:21, John 3:3, Philippians 2:12-13, 1 Peter 1:15-16, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Matthew 6:16, Acts 2:42)

The Church

We believe that the church has a role as the body of Christ on earth, fostering community, spiritual growth, and mission. We believe that the church represents Jesus on earth and includes all believers and that it provides fellowship, worship, and support for spiritual growth. (1 Corinthians 12:27, Ephesians 1:22-23, Acts 2:42-47, Hebrews 10:24-25, Ephesians 4:11-13, Colossians 3:16, Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:8, 1 John 1:7, Acts 2:46-47)

Our Core Values:

The Church

The differences between the church today and the early church primarily revolve around practices, structure, and sometimes theological emphasis.

As with the early church, Bar.Church will have a simpler organizational structure, typically met in public spaces rather than dedicated church buildings, and will have a simpler and more informal worship style, focusing on prayer, teaching, fellowship, and the breaking of bread (communion). (Acts 14:23, Philippians 1:1, Acts 2:46, Acts 20:20, Romans 16:5, Acts 2:42, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, Colossians 3:16)

Community

The Bible emphasizes the importance of living in community, highlighting various principles and practices that foster unity, support, and spiritual growth among believers.

Fellowship and Unity

Acts 2:42-47 - This passage highlights the community's commitment to spiritual practices, mutual support, unity, worship, and evangelism.

Psalm 133:1 – This verse celebrates the goodness and pleasantness of living in unity among God's people. It emphasizes the beauty and value of harmonious relationships within the community of believers

Mutual Support and Care

Galatians 6:2 – This verse encourages believers to support and help each other with their burdens, fulfilling the law of Christ, which is centered on love and mutual care.

1 Corinthians 12:26 – This verse emphasizes the interconnectedness of believers, stating that if one member suffers, all suffer together, and if one member is honored, all rejoice together. It highlights the unity and empathy within the body of Christ.

Love and Encouragement

John 13:34-35 – This passage records Jesus giving His disciples a new command: to love one another as He has loved them. This love will show everyone that they are His disciples.

Hebrews 10:24-25 – These verses encourage believers to motivate each other toward love and good deeds, to meet together regularly, and to encourage one another, especially as the Day of Christ’s return approaches.

Accountability and Discipleship

Proverbs 27:17 – This verse illustrates the idea that people sharpen and improve each other through interaction and relationships, much like iron sharpens iron.

Matthew 18:15-17 – This passage provides a process for addressing sin within the community. If someone sins, approach them privately to discuss the issue. If they don't listen, bring one or two others to help. If they still don't listen, bring it before the church. If they refuse to listen to the church, treat them as an outsider.

Spiritual Gifts and Service

1 Corinthians 12:4-7 -These verses explain that there are different spiritual gifts, but they all come from the same Spirit. Each gift is given for the common good, and every believer's gift contributes to the overall functioning and edification of the church.

1 Peter 4:10 – This verse advises believers to use their gifts to serve others as faithful stewards of God's grace, contributing to the well-being and growth of the Christian community.

Prayer and Worship

Matthew 18:20 – This verse states that where two or three gather in Jesus' name, He is present among them. This emphasizes the promise of Christ's presence and blessing in communal gatherings of believers.

Colossians 3:16 – This verse encourages believers to let the message of Christ dwell richly in them. They should teach and admonish one another with wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, expressing gratitude to God.

Hospitality

Romans 12:13 – This verse instructs believers to share with those in need and practice hospitality, demonstrating love and support within the Christian community.

Hebrews 13:2 – This verse advises believers to show hospitality to strangers, as doing so may result in unknowingly entertaining angels.

Peace and Reconciliation

Ephesians 4:2-3 – These verses call believers to live with humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another in love. It emphasizes making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Colossians 3:13 – This verse instructs believers to bear with one another and forgive grievances, just as the Lord has forgiven them.

These teachings underscore the Bible's emphasis on the importance of living in a loving, supportive, and accountable community, where believers grow together in faith and service.

Holy Living

We believe and are committed to living a holy lifestyle. Living a life, where one's heart is fully purified from sin and filled with love for God and others. Holiness involves a continuous process of growth and transformation, where believers progressively become more like Christ. Holiness is achieved through the work of the Holy Spirit, who empowers believers to live a life of righteousness and love. Emphasizes living out holiness in everyday life, demonstrating love, justice, and compassion in actions and relationships. While holiness is a personal journey, it also affects and is nurtured within the context of Christian community and fellowship. (Matthew 5:48, 1 John 4:17, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Philippians 2:12, Galatians 5:15, Romans 8:13, James 2:14-17, Galatians 5:22-23, Hebrews 10:24-25, Acts 2:42-47)

Generosity

We believe we are called to generosity as a reflection of God's love and grace. We believe we are stewards of God’s resources, entrusted to manage our finances, time, and talents in ways that honor Him and benefit others. We see generosity as an act of love and selflessness, where individuals give not just out of abundance but sacrificially, following Christ’s example. We will emphasize supporting those in need within the Christian community and beyond. We believe that generosity is grounded in Scripture, with teachings encouraging believers to give freely and cheerfully, recognizing that all resources ultimately belong to God. We consider generosity to be a tangible expression of one's faith and commitment to God's kingdom, demonstrating trust in God's provision and a heart aligned with His values. (1 Peter 4:10, 2 Corinthians 9:7, Acts 2:44-45, Proverbs 11:25, Luke 6:38, Matthew 6:19-21)