We are a gospel-centered people seeking Christ's formation in us and the flourishing of our neighbor.
We are a people who center their lives around the gospel of Jesus Christ as described in ancient creeds like the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed. This means we strive for the gospel to work itself out in every area of our lives. We are motivated by the unconditional love of God because we know we are saved by grace through faith in Christ. It also means we seek to be a diverse people who share a common faith in Christ and allow our differences to show the beauty of Christ. We believe the gospel, revealed in the Holy Scriptures, promises that Jesus Christ is bringing in the Kingdom of God "on earth as it is in heaven." We live for and long for that day.
"Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth..." - Colossians 1:5b-6
We are a people who desire to seek first Jesus Christ in our lives. We cooperate with the Holy Spirit in us to become more like Jesus every day. We want our faith to shape us holistically so that we can love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love our neighbor as we would love ourselves. We seek to die to the ways we hurt God and others, and grow in ways that bring joy to God and life to others. Our whole-life worship is informed by a Reformed liturgical tradition that brings gospel rhythms to our lives. We believe that as we explore our own stories that the gospel story will form us more and more.
"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. - Ephesians 5:1-2
We are a people who seek the flourishing of our neighbor. This means we seek the well-being of all people around us and in our city. We love others because Christ first loved us. We love others by seeking the flourishing of their lives, their work, their families, and their communities. We love others by sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with them through our words and our actions. For us, living out the gospel means connecting our faith to our vocations and caring for the broken and the vulnerable. We believe that God has been at work from the beginning to bring about the flourishing of this world. The hope of this flourishing is grounded in the biblical truth that God created all things good, that sin and brokenness entered into this world, that sin and death were defeated through Christ's death and resurrection, and that the Triune God is redeeming and re-creating this world.
"But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare." - Jeremiah 29:7
Though our church’s work is focused on Iowa City, we desire to cultivate a community that promotes the work of sharing the good news of the Kingdom of God around our nation and the world. Here are the local and overseas partners we currently support.
Reformed University Fellowship (RUF)
Arklie Hooten (MNA Disaster Response) works with Mission to North America, coordinating the PCA’s Disaster Relief efforts. MNA Disaster Response recruits and mobilizes volunteers, receives and distributes supplies and equipment, brings awareness of specific needs, channels recovery funds, focuses prayer and provides spiritual encouragement to our PCA churches and their communities impacted by disasters. Arklie worked with Pastor Michael during the early days of One Ancient Hope when we hosted disaster relief teams during the flood of 2008. Natural disasters in 2017 within the US caused significant damage and Arklie’s ministry helped lead our denomination in meeting very tangible needs and bringing spiritual comfort.
Jason & Liz Polk (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) serve with the AIDS Care and Treatment(ACT) project. The ACT project cares for the profound physical spiritual and social needs of the HIV-positive urban poor, while laying groundwork for a church-planting movement. Jason works with Ethiopian leadership to develop gospel-centered urban house churches and Liz works with the project’s social workers to develop mental health services.
Geneva Campus Ministry Geneva’s vision is to help guide a Christian educational exploration at the University of Iowa, engaging learning and life with the good news of Jesus Christ. Geneva has been known on campus for the Geneva Lecture Series that has been bringing accomplished Christian scholars to speak on a variety of topics since 1976. Two of Geneva’s regular gatherings are it’s “Exploring the Bible” groups for seekers (many visiting international scholars) and it’s “Core Fellowship Program” for students who are interested in exploring what Christian vocation looks like for their chosen career paths.