WHO WE ARE
If you are new to Mercy Road Church, we are glad to have you here! Whether you have been a Christian a long time, you are new to faith, or you are searching for answers to life’s biggest questions, we started this church with you in mind.
A HOSPITAL FOR SINNERS,
NOT A MUSEUM FOR SAINTS
If you feel like your hair might catch fire for walking into a church building because of your past… you’ve come to the right place!
NO ONE IS TOO FAR FROM GOD TO EXPERIENCE LIFE CHANGE THROUGH JESUS
The Apostle Paul wrote much of the New Testament in the Bible and started churches throughout the Roman Empire in the first century; however, at one time his name was Saul and he actually oversaw the killing of Christians! He was literally a religious terrorist and yet one authentic encounter with the risen Jesus so dramatically changed His life He went on to lead thousands to faith. We believe there are many sleeping giants of the faith being awakened to Christ in our lifetime, just like this!
UP = WORSHIP
Jesus often withdrew from the crowds to worship the Father. It was in these intimate times with the Father that Jesus found his identity, grew closer to His Father, and was empowered to live out His mission.
At Mercy Road, we offer weekend worship services designed to meet with the Father, grow closer to Him, and to empower each person to live out their mission.
IN = DISCIPLESHIP
Jesus had many relationships in life but there were a few that he called to be His disciples. In this smaller group of disciples, Jesus shared His life openly. He gave of himself to serve and teach them to become like Him and to know the Father.
Mercy Road places a high emphasis on discipleship offering both closed and open groups. Huddles are invite-only discipleship groups that meet for 12-18 months to learn to live like Jesus. Rooted is offered several times a year at the church and is a 10-week intro to discipleship course that fosters building new relationships and personal growth.
OUT = MISSION
Mercy Road is missional at its core. Each of our outposts, groups of 20-30 people that meet around the city, has their own unique mission projects they work on throughout the year. The church offers several local and global mission trips throughout the year. We have started a church planting organizations called Multiply Indiana that is helping start new churches throughout the state of Indiana. And finally, we are currently giving 50% of our income outside walls of our church to help further the mission of the Kingdom in our world.
WHAT WE BELIEVE
God wrote a book – The Bible, composed of the Old and New Testaments, is the divinely inspired Word of God, the final and trustworthy authority for faith and practice. The Bible is a direct connection with God in which He reveals Who He is and what His expectations are for our lives. It was written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. Because it was inspired by God, the Bible is truth without error and is found today exactly as God intended it to be. It is to be interpreted responsibly under the guidance of the Holy Spirit within the community of faith. The Bible clearly reveals the essentials necessary for Salvation and the basics of how to conduct our lives. It is the supreme standard by which human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried.
(Deut. 4:1-2; II Timothy 2:15, 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21)
God: Three in One – God has existed in relationship with Himself for all eternity. He exists as one God in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Although each member of the Trinity serves different functions, they each possess equal power and authority.
(Gen. 1:1; Deut. 6:4; John 4:24, 14; Gal. 4:6; 2 Pet. 1:17; Psalm 2:7ff; Isaiah 7:14; John 1:1-18; Hebrews 1:8; Psalm 51:11; 1 John 4:13; Acts 5:3-4)
God is great, God is good – God is great: He is all powerful, all knowing, ever present, unchanging, completely worthy of our trust, and above all, holy. Because He is righteous, we can trust Him as the ultimate judge of moral authority and He deserves our reverence. It is in Him that we live, move, and exist. God is good: He is our Father. He is loving, compassionate, and faithful to His people and His promises. He genuinely cares and is concerned with each of His creations.
(Exodus 3:14; Numbers 23:19; Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2; Psalm 11:4-6; Malachi 3:6; John 3:16, 4:24, 5:26, 14:1; Acts 17:28; Romans 3:3-4)
God became human – Jesus Christ is the Son of God, begotten of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, fully divine and fully human, the eternal and pre-existent Word. By His death Christ made full atonement for our sins, and by His resurrection He showed Himself to be the Lord and giver of life to all who believe. He is the only plan for bringing people who are enemies of God back into a right relationship with God. He lived a perfect life, so that He could be a substitution for us in reconciling us with God, Who is perfect. He received punishment for our sins when He died on the cross to satisfy God’s wrath. He defeated death in His resurrection so that we could have life. He overcame sin, death, and evil to set the world right. He ushered in the Kingdom of God here and now and for eternity.
(Isaiah 7:14; 53; Matthew 1:18-23, 3:17, 8:29, 14:33, 16:16, 28:5-6; Luke 1:34-35; 22:70; 24:46-47; John 1:1-3, 14; 10:30; 11:25-27; 17:1-5; Acts 1:9; 2:22-24; 7:55-56; Romans 1:3-4; 3:23-26; 8; 10:4, 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; Galatians 4:4-5; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:15; 2:9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 3:16; Hebrews 1:1-3, Hebrews 4:14-15, 12:2, 13:8; 1 John 4:14-15)
God is always present – His presence assures us of our relationship with Christ. He guides believers into all truth, and exalts Christ. He convicts people of their sin, God’s righteousness, and the coming judgment. He comforts us, gives us spiritual gifts, and makes us more like Christ.
(Genesis 1:2; Psalms 51:11, 139:7 ff.; Isaiah 6:1:1-3; Joel 2:28-32; Mark 1:10; Luke 1:35, 4:1, 11:13, 12:12; John 15:26, 16:7-14; Acts 1:8, 2:1-4, 13:2; Romans 8:9-11, 14-16, 26-27; 1 Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 1:13-14; 2 Peter 1:21; Revelation 22:17)
Somewhere forever – Humans were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or in union with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God and given over to Satan for eternity is Hell. To be eternally in union with God is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are places of eternal existence. Jesus Christ will return visibly, at which time He will raise the dead and judge all people. Believers will enjoy eternal fellowship with God as they participate in the fullness of His eternal reign, while unbelievers will suffer eternal separation from God in Hell.
(Matthew 24:29-31; Matthew 25:31-46; John 3:16, 36; Romans 6:23; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; 1 John 2:25, 5:11-13; Rev. 20:4-6, 11-15)
God’s image bearers – Humans are made in the image of God and are the supreme object of God’s creation. Humanity was created to have fellowship with God, but became separated in that relationship through sinful disobedience. As a result, human beings cannot attain a right relationship with God through our own effort. Every human personality is uniquely created, possesses dignity, and is worthy of respect and Godly love.
(Genesis 1:26-30; 2:7, 18-19; 3; Psalms 8:3-6; 32:1-5; 51:5; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:19-32; 3:10-18, 23; 5:6, 12-21; 6:6; 7:14-25; 1 Corinthians 1:21-31; 15:19, 21-22; Ephesians 2; Colossians 1:21; 3:9-11)
God’s only way – The blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross, provides the only way of salvation through the forgiveness of sin. Salvation occurs when people place their faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus as sufficient payment for their sin and as a redeeming of the created order of God. Salvation is a gift from God and it cannot be earned through our own efforts. Through Christ the believer becomes a new creation whose mind and will are transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit from loving sin, to loving the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind, and loving all people as we love ourselves.
(Isaiah 1:18; 53:5-6; 55:7; Matthew 1:21; 22:37-38; 27:22-28:6; 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; 2:21; 4:12; 16:30-31; 17:30-31; Romans 1:16-18; 3:23-25; 5:8-10; 6; 8; 10:9-10; 13; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20; Galatians 2:20; 3:13; Ephesians 2:8-22; Philippians 2:12-13; Hebrews 9:24-28; 1 John 1:6-2:11; Revelation 3:20)
God’s design for community – The church is a local community of regenerated believers unified through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord. It is committed to the teachings of Christ, to obeying all of His commands, and it seeks to bring the gospel to the world. The Church works together in love and unity, intent on the ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ. Such believers claim a personal relationship to God through Jesus Christ, are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, follow the Lord in believer’s baptism by immersion, share in the Lord’s Supper, gather regularly for worship, and covenant for mutual edification and care-giving. That the Church is called to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ and God’s reconciling grace in the power of the Holy Spirit, inviting persons to receive salvation and follow Christ as His disciples. As disciples, we seek justice for all persons and the reform of society.
(Matthew 16:15-19; 28:18-20 Rom. 10:9-10; Acts 1:8; 16:30-33; I Corinthians 6:19; 11:23-26; Galatians 3:26-28; Eph. 1:22-23; Hebrews 10:23-25; James 1:27; 2:8)