Cove Values

Discipleship to Jesus is not only informative; it is transformative!  When a disciple is fully trained, he will become like his master (Luke 6:40) The church should embody the values of God’s kingdom that are distinct (and often opposed) to how the surrounding culture and empire operate (through power, consumerism, competitiveness, nationalism and coercion.)  These values are derived purely from scripture are simply expressions the person and teachings of Jesus found in scripture and can be summed up as loving God and loving others (Mark 12:31)

Stylized crown of thorns with sharp, pointy edges, depicted in light gray on black background.

  • The object of our faith is not simply a set of believes but rather the person and work of Jesus Christ

    Jesus uniquely reveals the full character of God  

    Jesus' identity, teachings + example frame everything we do 

    Jesus reveals what it means to be fully human

Close-up of a cracked, light-colored marble surface with gray veining.

  • God’s strength is made manifest in weakness

    We are honest about our struggles and doubts 

    We do not hide our suffering 

    We believe in the power of lament 

    We humanize the de-humanized 

    We listen to and make room for those on the margins 

    We believe the gospel reverses the social ordering of our world so that those that are “least” are to be considered the “greatest”

A black background with a white, textured silhouette of a dove holding an olive branch.

  • We seek to help people untangle Jesus from the harm experienced in the church

    Jesus never added burdens on people, He alleviated them 

    Jesus valued mercy over religious observance and healed those wounded by heartless religion 

    We create space for people to heal 

    We allow people to process at their own pace 

    We make room for questions and doubts 

    We value the process of unlearning/relearning as part of discipleship 

    We resist all fear-based motivations for following Christ 

Illustration of two hands reaching towards each other, one larger and one smaller, representing assistance or connection.

  • We cultivate a community of belonging

    We value participation, belonging, and engagement, so questions, dialogue and discussion are welcome. 

    We value long-term health and spiritual growth over immediate results or metrics 

    We foster a culture of hospitality, where we sit with each other and listen to each other as siblings

    We allow people to belong before they believe, knowing that growth takes time and patience 

    We resist the litmus tests and theological boundaries so commonly attached to participation in evangelical churches

    We prioritize caring for and making every effort to meet the physical,emotional, and practical needs in our community

Leadership