Refuge Church

We love Jesus. We believe the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection is the hope of the world. We want to make Jesus known in everything we do and say.

Our Values

So what makes Refuge unique? The following five values shape who we are and what we do:

1. Going and not just gathering

We believe the message of Jesus is good news. Through his life, death, and resurrection, he has done for us what we could never do for ourselves. He is the one who saves us, sanctifies us, satisfies us, and sends us out on mission with this good news (gospel). At Refuge, we believe following Jesus means so much more than just gathering for a weekly service. Jesus has commanded us to “Go!” Whatever we do, we want to live intentionally on mission for Jesus. Following Jesus takes priority over our preferences, comfort, and safety. We are deeply committed to reaching out to our neighbors, co-workers, friends, and family with the best news there is.

2. Knowing the Story to enter the Story

The Bible tells us that “in the beginning,” God spoke. He has, and still does, reveal himself to us through his Word. We are a community that delights in studying God’s reliable, sufficient, and authoritative Word together. The Bible tells a Story of God’s redemption and restoration through Jesus. God’s Word isn’t just about what has happened, but also, what is happening. We are committed to knowing God’s Story through his Word so that we can enter the Story. We believe the Bible is not an end in itself, but a means to knowing Jesus, loving one another, and finding our place in God’s unfolding Story.

3. Growing small while growing big

We want to grow - The more people that come to Refuge and meet Jesus the better. But while we grow big, we also want to purposely grow small. At Refuge, we accomplish this through Home Groups. We think following Jesus is best accomplished in community. So we are intentional about using homes as the primary place for church to happen. Our Home Groups are a lot like little churches where people share a meal, grow spiritually, care for one another, enjoy being together, and live on mission together. It’s easy to get lost in life. It’s even possible to get lost at church. We believe that church should and can feel like family.


4. Simplicity for the sake of generosity

When you visit you’ll notice we are not terribly flashy. No fog machines, twirling lights, or comfy seats. While we’re not opposed to doing things well, we try to keep it simple. Why? We intentionally do less in the way of programming so that we can do more as a people. Give more. Serve more. Bless more. Keeping it simple enables us to be more generous.

5. Every member ministry

We believe that doing ministry isn’t just for the “professionals.” Jesus has given everyone gifts that are meant to bless, encourage, and strengthen others. Everyone counts and everyone contributes. We strive to be selfless, sacrificial, humble, and hungry servants of Jesus. We value being people-centered and not pastor-centered. Because everyone counts and everyone contributes, we do our best to equip and empower everyone for ministry.