Jesus Christ only Lord and Savior
Christianity rooted in the life, teachings, ministry, and values of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the personal revelation of God -- God Incarnate.

Grace -- God’s Unmerited Favor
The Good News is good news for both the churched and unchurched because it is a free gift rather than reward for human performance. Unique to Christianity.

Agape Love
God is love. Whoever loves is born of God and knows God (I.Jn. 4:7-8). The defining characteristic of Christianity (Jn. 13:35). Our greatest and most difficult challenge!

Balanced View of Humanity
EVERY person is of infinite worth, beloved by God above all creation with potential for great good; innately self-centered sinners with potential for horrific evil.

Authority and Role of Scripture
The Bible is the unique, authoritative, written revelation of God, revealing God’s character and purpose most perfectly revealed in Jesus Christ. Purpose is to point us to Christ, the Lord and Savior.

Humility and Servanthood
The Lord Jesus washed feet. Greatness found in humility. God glorified in humble servanthood. Needs of others over our own. Humility also in faith. We see through glass dimly. We’re all in process.

Core beliefs and core values represent who we are in the deepest sense, which the stated mission is an expression of what we do and why. Unlike ministries and programs, core ideology is not subject to change due to changing contexts, potential growth opportunities or possible negative repercussions. Core ideology is not "created." It simply exists. It is intrinsic to the very nature of the organization.

The central importance of core ideology for any church or Christian organization cannot be overstated! Core ideology is the basis of "unity of mind, spirit, purpose, and love." It allows people of widely diverse cultures, backgrounds, personalities, gifts and abilities to work together and learn from each other. Core ideology is what makes the organization distinct. Indeed, in a very real sense, people join the core ideology more than the church or organization.

Anyone considering attending and/or getting involved with Sanctuary Christian Ministries -- starting a Sanctuary Group, becoming a PAL, planting postmodern missional churches, etc. -- need look no further than the core ideology to discern for themselves their compatibility.

What Core Ideology is NOT

Core beliefs and values are just that: CORE. They are not a complete set of doctrinal statements on every facet of Christian theology. Indeed, there are a great many other deeply help values and beliefs within the Sanctuary community and its leadership, not all of them equally shared or, in some cases, shared at all. We have people on both sides of many "hot" theological issues that continue to divide the church. However, we all share a common passion about what is CORE, that is, what matters most.