Welcome Guests
What to Expect

FAQ

  • Where do we gather?

Churches always begin by gathering in all sorts of creative spaces and places, and in the affluent west almost always move towards owning a "House of Worship". Part of our vision is to plant the gathered community of Jesus Christ to intentionally function indefinitely in various creative spaces and places all over our city and regions beyond where Church Centers are hubs for the release of Kingdom Activity and not the caskets for where local churches die.

One of the most common places these life-giving environments for the Church exist is in the home of a devoted Christ-follower, but we can truly gather anywhere the Presence of Christ makes His home. The covenantal partnership of the community, the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, and the missional purpose of the people of God are the essential aspects of any of these bodies of believers.

So we intentionally gather together every Sunday, but our location and the intent for our various gatherings fluxes throughout the month so that we fulfill the vision and purpose God has given us. (More on this below...)

  • What about my kids?

Every week we are intentionally investing in all our Kids to prepare them in following Jesus all their days. So regardless of the place where we are gathering, there is something specifically for them that will cultivate and nurture them as functional God-loving people during their life's journey. 

We believe our kids are an important part of the Church, so we don't provide "childcare", Instead, we purposefully commit to them in such a way with opportunities like our Family 5 movement and our kids' disciple-making environment & pathway courses.

LeeAnn is our Kids' Disciple-making Specialist, and she works with parents and other covenant partners to create, collect, and supply high-quality opportunities and resources that don't require an advanced degree to operate. These resources are then utilized on Sundays and during the week to cultivate their worship, attention, growth, and spiritual formation. 

Sometimes this means the kids are released to another space and opportunity just for them, or because they are a part of the Church, they remain with the adults and we engage together. 

  • What about my pre-teen or teenager?

We encourage your teenagers to begin to see themselves as participants and partners in the Kingdom. We want them to know they are seen, valued, and appreciated as part of the community. They can worship, serve, grow, develop and lead as part of the community. (See Below)

In addition to this, we have a specific disciple-making pathway and gatherings for them on Sunday evenings at 6 PM and various other times throughout the year. (For Specific Opportunities see the Youth page)

  • What are your weekend gatherings like?

On the 1st and 3rd Sunday | we gather as HOPE Communities in a Neighborhood Home near you. (24 Weeks each year)

Because we are a Fresh Start Church Community, we are gathering all together either at the Healing House (next door to The Alliance Center) or in the Stonehaven Neighborhood in Southeast Charlotte. 

    • We gather to Enact the Kingdom by practicing our Core Values – Welcome Home (Embrace Community), Orient to Christ (Encounter Jesus), Progress Together (Engage the Scriptures & Next Steps) and Extend Life Everlasting (Establish Connections to Enjoy Gospel Presence, Conversations & Work). 
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    • At each Hope Community gathering, we enjoy brunch together, scripture meditations through Lectio Divina, an Equipping Resource to Engage & Respond, and prayer with each other and for our neighbors. 

On the 2nd, 4th, and 5th Sundays | we gather at the Alliance Center at 3242 Ridge Rd. (28 weeks)

    • The Second Sunday is our Presence Gathering. We are intentional about attending to God's Revealed Presence, holding space for Relational Presence, and to cultivate Gospel Presence in our City. Some months this means an Encounter Weekend of Prayer, Worship & Sacraments. In the months that have 5th Sundays this means we have a REACH Op to invest in our neighborhoods. 
    • The Fourth Sunday is our Worship & Service Gathering. (See the Worship Movement tab for more info) 
    • On 5 Holiday weekends a year regardless of where they fall, we invest in our church community with a special meal together, a few words of encouragement, and by making space for relationships to grow. (Remembrance Sunday (Memorial Day), Freedom Sunday (4th), Rest Sunday (Labor Day), Gratitude Sunday, and Promise Sunday (New Year's).

There will be some acceptions to this gathering rhythm due to special days and holidays but generally, you can depend on this rhythm over the course of 2023. 

  • Do I need to bring anything? 

If you have a Bible and/or journal bring those with you. (If you need one, we will be happy to help you acquire them). As you have a sense of belonging in the community, we would love for you to contribute to our brunches, and discover your passion & purpose to engage in serving opportunities where you will see you are always a blessing in the community. 

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  • What do I wear?

We do ask that you dress modestly in your "best", whatever that might be to you. This isn't about meeting certain criteria for maintaining self-image or status, but about the inner qualities of humility, honesty, honor, and dignity. This can mean wearing blue jeans and a T-shirt, or shorts and sandals in the hot summers. For some, this means a dress or suit and tie, but we don't have an expected dress code. What you wear might be the most comfortable you find yourself on a Sunday morning when you are a guest within a new community. 

  • How can I get connected?

One of the best ways to get connected is through our Friday Night Gatherings

    • Family Fun Nights
    • Partnering and Parenting Dinner Club (Twice Monthly in 2023)
    • Welcome to the Neighborhood (especially for new residents to Charlotte, but all are welcome)

Join us when we gather for HOPE Community or join a LIFEGroup Fellowship (Starting in February 2023 in the Winter/Spring, Summer, and Fall trimesters)

    • LIFEGroups will practice our 5E Rhythms and 5M Markers, gather anywhere in the City for 1-2 hours at least once or twice a month and have from 4-12 participants. (Check back in late January to see if there are any gathering near you).

 

  • Who is welcome?

Truly we welcome all people, but that doesn't mean everyone will be comfortable with us. The Christian Church has struggled with being more of a club than a clinic over the last couple of centuries. Who is IN and who is OUT? In a culture that is so concerned with pronouns, we often miss the most important One, because it's not mine, ours, or theirs, but His

Jesus said He didn't come for the healthy or the righteous, but for the sick, weak and broken. This has led some people to justify themselves as to why they don't need God or a Church that will only act in condemnation toward them. This is actually a sign of being and acting like an orphan.

Because a healthy Church is actually a messy Church when she knows beyond a doubt that we, the gathered community, belong to Him. We are like a building project in the works, there is always a mess on the way to healing, improvement, and growth. The goal of our existence is the movement towards God and developing in God's goodness and unfailing LOVE, becoming full of His abundant LIFE, and LIGHT. If we're honest with ourselves, that means He came for all of us. 

This does not mean we are an "affirming community". This would be to say that any lifestyles that are contrary to what is God's expressed design which is clearly explained in the Scriptures. Only His Way to life will always result in more LIFE. Any other lifestyle can only lead to theft, dishonesty, death, and destruction. 

We are, however, affirming of the image of God in all people, providing them dignity and acceptance, without accepting rebellious, destructive, and self-centered beliefs, practices, and behaviors. There is no end to these because of each of us has ties to the pervasive and corrupting orphan mentalities in our world of self-righteousness, scarcity, poverty, consumerism, revenge, or rivalry. These things are just symptoms of larger concerns.

As a community that belongs to Jesus, we also don't make a habit of "fixing" people. What is true of all people, is we are all in process. Whatever label you've been burdened with, it is more about fear and seeking approval than it actually is about receiving His acceptance.

Pause and think with me for a moment... whatever the reality behind the label, it is often more about control (either yours or someone else's) to make your existence more livable; rather than about engagement in a life-giving connection to God. 

However you have chosen to identify yourself or you've succumbed to being identified by others, only one identity ultimately matters... belonging to Jesus. All other identities are secondary. He is slow to anger and abounds in compassionate love. Believe that is real life! John the Apostle said of Jesus that "to all who believe on His Name, He has given the right to become the Children of God". We are all made in His image, but we have to receive what He is offering to us through Jesus, the right and ability to be and call ourselves the Children of Father God.   

So, we do welcome you and invite you to come and encounter the Love of the heavenly Father and to surrender to His hope and healing as He makes your real need known to you. And let's be honest... all humanity has a real need. We are all born a certain way. No one is perfect, nor do we need to aspire to perfection or appearances of such. We don't need to defend or justify ourselves. What we all do need is a restored Soul so that we can delight in the fullness of who we truly are as we dwell in Jesus' Presence together. It's not where life begins, but how we get to where it ends that means the most. 

So whether you are wondering about yourself, a friend, or a loved one, you are truly welcome here. We hope you will choose to engage in an authentic relationship with the One who has made you. He knows who you truly are, and we want to know you as well. 

Even as all are welcome, there are 7 kinds of people that we know will want to join us on the Journey. 

  1. Spiritually Hungry and Searching
  2. Diverse People of all Races and Ethnicities
  3. Those who feel Marginalized
  4. Those who feel like Prodigals
  5. Families with Kids & Youth
  6. Young Adults & Professionals
  7. Wise & Discerning Spiritual Parents