ABOUT CITY CHURCH

MISSION

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VALUES

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BELIEFS

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MISSION 🌵 VALUES 😁 BELIEFS 🏜

OUR MISSION

To Influence Every Person We Meet Towards Christ’s Kingdom!

OUR STORY

  • City Church is a vibrant community of Christ followers meeting in the central heart of Surprise Arizona. We gather at the Ottawa University Campus and are determined to reach a multi-generational community with a vision to influence every person we meet towards Christ Kingdom.

  • City Church was started in 2016 by a small group of families in Surprise under the leadership of Pastors Russ and Traci Smith. We come from all different backgrounds, cultures, and faiths. Originally from Missoula, Montana, the Smiths moved to Arizona in 2015 to lead an extension campus of New Life Church in Surprise. A few months later, the main campus of the New Life community chose to close the extension campus, suddenly leaving behind a group of passionate believers with fearless faith. A few months later, City Church was born. Pastor Russ and Traci have been in ministry for over thirty years. They have 6 adult children who all love the Lord and are engaged in their local church, and some are in full-time ministry! Russ and Traci have 12 grandchildren that they thoroughly enjoy spoiling.

  • City Church hopes to be a voice in our community that speaks love and truth in all things and ignites a passion for knowing Christ. We strive to be a church that loves the unlovable, encourages the broken, and equips believers with solid biblical truth. We desire to be a church that provides for the needy, honors and serves the elderly, and raises strong leaders among the youth. We hope to be a church that will bring life changing faith positively impacting our community physically, emotionally and spiritually.

  • You are valued and loved at City Church. We are honored to come along side you, wherever you are in your faith, to strengthen and encourage you in your journey to knowing Jesus. We believe in a God who's mercy is new every morning because our humanity is weak. We believe in a God who draws us, changes our hearts, and uses each of us to show the love of God to others. This love crosses cultures, politics, and generations it is the evidence of a living God who's Spirit moves through people. This means that no one is unimportant. Each of us has a role and divine purpose in the body of Christ. We want to see you grow in your purpose and love others like Christ.

OUR VALUES

  • We prioritize building meaningful relationships over strictly following rules.

  • We take personal responsibility for the mission of City Church, not just being passive members.

  • We are committed to reaching diverse groups by taking new and different risks, regardless of economic, racial, gender, or ethnic boundaries.

  • We willingly give above and beyond our tithes and re-prioritize our resources to fulfill God’s plan.

  • We embrace innovation and experimentation, unafraid to try new things or stop what doesn’t work.

  • We integrate prayer into every aspect of our lives and start every meeting with prayer.

  • We connect people into small groups and build relationships with guests after each service.

  • We focus on reaching those who need God.

  • We prioritize raising people up to use their gifts over merely running programs.

  • We welcome everyone, valuing a diverse communiity where ALL feel at home and are invited to experience God, connect relationally, and lead others.

OUR BELIEFS

  • Jesus Christ is at the center of everything. We believe that Jesus is the only one who can reconcile us to God. He lived a sinless and exemplary life, died on the cross in our place, and rose again to prove His victory and empower us for life. We believe that Jesus Christ is coming back again as He promised.

  • We believe in one eternal God who is the Creator of all things. He exists in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. He is completely loving and completely holy.

  • We believe that the Bible is God’s Word. It is accurate, authoritative, and applicable to our everyday lives.

  • We believe that sin has separated each of us from God and His purpose for our lives.

  • We believe that in order to receive forgiveness and a fresh start with God, we must repent of our sins, believe in Jesus, and commit to His will for our lives.

  • We believe in the baptism in the Holy Spirit as an essential for the believer. We believe in the operation of the gifts of Holy Spirit and the gifts of Christ need to be active in the Church today. Holy Spirit has the power to transform individuals at the deepest level. Through the work of the Spirit, spiritual rebirth or regeneration, is becoming a new creation in Christ. This transformation involves a change of heart, mind, and character, enabling believers to live in accordance with God's will.

  • We believe in the power and significance of the Church and the necessity of believers to meet regularly together.