Three Streams, One River

Throughout history there appear to be three primary streams of expression within the Church. One has focused on the Word of God, another the Spirit of God, and the other the sacraments. The tendency of church bodies through the ages has been to build on one of these to the exclusion and, at times, suspicion of the others. Some churches would be strong in the proclamation of the Word while neglecting the sacraments. Others would celebrate the Spirit and His gifts while neglecting the proper teaching of the Word. And others would faithfully offer the sacraments while neglecting to train their members in the necessity for every believer to study the Bible. But at certain times and in certain places there have been church families that have sought what we have come to see as the deepest place in God's heart. They have endeavored to see all three streams present and merged into one mighty river. It is a Church such as this that we dream of becoming.

Saint Andrews Church is built upon the clear teaching of the Bible. We encourage people to seek daily time with God in prayer and Bible study where they are instructed and formed by the Scriptures. The nucleus of Saint Andrews is the small groups where members and friends gather regularly for further study of the Bible and for mutual encouragement, prayer, support and ministry. In corporate worship, truth is preached in a relevant and applicable way so that everyone, young and old, committed and curious, seasoned disciple and new follower of Christ are taught the undiluted Word of God.

Saint Andrews Church celebrates the presence of the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ and not only welcomes the gifts that He gives, but seeks to minister according to the giftedness of the individual believers. Corporate worship is celebratory and demonstrative. Biblical choruses accompany great hymns as a musical expression of the hearts of the faithful who gather regularly to worship God. While a predetermined order is used for the form of public worship, it is but a guideline that is readily adjusted to conform to whatever the leadership discerns God to be doing on a particular occasion. In keeping with the Reformed tradition, worship is done by the people and not for the people. It is a church where everyone is a minister, a priest before the Lord; and this not only on Sundays but all through the week as well.

We also celebrate Baptism and the Lord's Supper. These two sacraments that Jesus commanded the Church to offer are tangible reminders of His great promises that He would make a way for us to belong to Him and that He would provide everything that we need to grow in Him. As a result, these are not offered sparingly or privately but repeatedly and openly. In baptism there is the reminder for believers that we have been chosen by God to belong to Him. It also serves as a reminder that, in response, we have chosen to identify with the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. There is also the reminder to go into the entire world and tell of His gracious love and redeeming work on the cross. In the Lord's Supper we remember the great offering that Jesus made for the world in giving His perfect life as a sacrifice for our sinful lives. We celebrate His promise to be with us forever and find in the bread and wine a picture of His nourishing, healing, empowering presence. It, too, focuses us upon the command and need to tell the world of Jesus' redeeming love. As a result, while faithful to minister to the needs of her members, this church is always to be ready and eager to reach out to the world that He loves and for which He gave His life.

Three streams, one river.

That is the picture that we see of the kind of church that God desires. That is the kind of church that, by His grace and in His strength, Saint Andrews Church will be.