What We Believe

The following is from the page called "Core Beliefs" on the website of Mars Hill. I've read this before, and maybe even posted something about it. But it's worth reading once a day. They touch on most of the main mythic realities that I love to write about. My comments are in [brackets]...

Mars Hill is devoted to joining the God of the oppressed in the restoration of all creation. [mythic reality: captivity and restoration]

We believe the Bible to be the voices of many who have come before us, inspired by God to continue to speak to us today [mythic reality: the purpose of scripture is to tell us the stories of God's interventions]. God calls us to immerse ourselves in this authoritative narrative [mythic reality: life is a story] and to continue to faithfully live out that story today [mythic reality: we are modern day bible characters] as we are led by the Spirit.

God, the author of all things good, created humans in his image to live in fellowship with him, others, our inner self, and creation [mythic reality: fellowship with each other, communion with God]. God is in a communal relationship with himself and his creation and he created us to be relational as well. Sin entered the world and our relationships with God, others, ourselves, and creation were broken and distorted [mythic reality: sin defined in terms of how it compromises communion with God or fellowship with each other].

We believe that God did not abandon his creation to destruction and decay, rather he promised to restore this broken world. God chose a people to represent Him in the world [mythic reality: the image of God in man]. This people started with Abraham and his descendants. God promised to make them into a mighty nation. In time they became enslaved in Egypt. They cried out to God because of their oppression and God heard their cry. He brought them out with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. He brought them to Sinai where he gave them an identity as his treasured possession, a Kingdom of priests, a holy people [mythic reality: identity]. The story continues, revealing God's refusal to give up on his people through their frequent acts of unfaithfulness to him.

God brought his people into the Promised Land. They were blessed to be a blessing and called to put God on display to the nations. They made movement toward this missional calling, yet they disobeyed and allowed foreign gods into the land. In Israel's disobedience they became indifferent and in turn irrelevant to the purposes God had called them to. They were sent into exile, yet a remnant looks ahead with longing and hope to a new reign like David's where peace and justice would prevail.

We believe these longings found their fulfillment in Messiah Jesus, born of a virgin, mysteriously God in the flesh [mythic reality: the mystery of Jesus]. Jesus came to preach good news to the poor, to bind up the broken hearted and set captives free. He lived a perfect life proclaiming the arrival of the Kingdom. He was rejected by many, crucified, buried, and rose again. His death and resurrection bring hope to all creation. Through Jesus we have been forgiven and God is reconciling us to himself, each other, ourselves, and creation. Jesus is the only mediator between God and humans. For all who accept his sacrifice he gives the Holy Spirit who leads us into all truth through a communal life of worship and a missional expression of our faith. The church is called to put the resurrected Christ who lives in and through us on display to a broken and hurting world.

We believe the day is coming when Jesus will return and reclaim this world, the earth's groaning will cease and God will dwell with us on a new and restored creation [mythic reality: we were created to walk on this soil].