We believe you are not reading this by accident. God is at work in our lives in more ways than we see. So, whether He has you reading this as a part of your own search for a church home, or just to find out what we're about, we welcome your interest and your effort. May God bless you this day!
What's up with Windwood?
Windwood is a community of Christians seeking to be a faithful part of God's historic Church throughout the ages. As a result, we affirm what we believe are the faithful confessions of the Church throughout the ages. We have summarized them in our Statement of Faith. These are the foundations of the church and all that we do.
Our Statement of Faith
We affirm
... the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the inspired Word of God, the authoritative, and infallible rule of our faith and practice.
... the historic actuality of the virgin birth of our Lord Jesus Christ and his divine/human nature.
... the historic actuality of the miracles of our Lord Jesus Christ as conveyed to us in the pages of Holy Scripture.
... the efficacy of the substitutionary atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ for our sins.
... the historic actuality of the bodily resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and his coming again.
We believe these to be the historic understandings of the Christian Faith, embraced by believers throughout the centuries, and expressed faithfully in the confessional standards of the Presbyterian Church (USA).
What are we doing?
Jesus himself has given the direction for his Church in the Great Commission and the Great Commandments. We approach them in three ways:
- Worship: We are called to worship God with all our lives, not just on Sunday mornings, but with everything we say and do throughout the week. Worship is more than just a Sunday morning experience -- it is an exciting encounter with the living God.
- Evangelism: God has entrusted to us the Good News of the Gospel, eternal life through Jesus Christ. We are called to share this message with all who do not know it, not just with our lips, but with our lives.
- Discipleship: We are called to grow up in every way to be like Jesus, whose life of service to God and to others sets the standard for responding to the love of God. Coming to understand God's grace and living lives of grateful response is what being a disciple is all about.
These are not unique to our congregation, but we believe God calls each congregation to be equipped with special people and special gifts to carry the Gospel to their community. Therefore, we believe God has uniquely called us together to be a Church with special characteristics. We seek to be a people known by certain commitments.
- We are committed to Joy: Joy, not duty or guilt is the motivation for all we do as Christians. God has saved us by His grace -- we cannot earn or deserve that unmerited favor. Therefore, doing good things is not a payment for God's forgiveness, but a response to the freedom we find in Jesus.
- We are committed to the full participation of women in ministry: Spirituality (knowing and expressing love, joy, peace, faith, etc.) is not related to gender. We believe God has gifted men and women to lead others in growing spiritually and we recognize those who have been given those gifts, without regard to gender.
- We are committed to being one people together: There is only one race -- human, and only one generation -- the one living. We do not divide the Body of Christ artificially, by our tastes or preferences in music or culture, nor by our ethnic origins. All are one in Christ and we need to learn to appreciate our differences in styles as the gift of variety God has blessed us with.
- We are committed to living with God, not for God: God has created us with a purpose, not for a purpose. We are not a means to an end for Him, and He did not create us in order to get something done. He can do anything we can do -- and better! But because He loves us, He has given each of us a purpose, for this life and for an eternity, that our lives would be filled with meaningful activity, not for Him to watch and see how we do, but to work with Him in a day-to-day, living relationship.
- We are committed to changing the culture for Christ: The culture in which we were raised shaped and influenced us, yet culture is not fixed, but is changing all the time. God has called us, not to follow along after the changes in culture, but to transform our culture into one that reflects the laws and values of God. We have not given up on our culture, but seek to renew and reshape it with the Gospel.
The 21st Century world needs a Church committed to the historic faith that does not change, but one that can speak the language of the current culture, to reach the hearts and minds of those who do not yet know the love of God through Jesus Christ. Windwood is committed to being that kind of Church. If God so calls you, we welcome you in joining us on this adventure of faith.
For more information (or clarification), please feel free to call our church office at 281-378-4040. We would be happy to speak with you!
