Church of the Open Door
We are a God and people-loving church that seeks community with God and one another. We are in the middle of a neighborood in Maple Grove, MN, and desire to reach out to those around us and serve those in our body.
Our Purpose
We are a church community that seeks to know and love God?Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?and
respond obediently to His leading in healing, serving and growing together in Christ?s love until
Christ is formed in us individually and corporately.
Our Vision
1. Love Relationship with God
?to know the love of Christ? that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God? Ephesians 3:14-21
Our highest priority is that we will live as the beloved of God?redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ
to experience the love and grace of the Father and to walk in the life and power of the Holy Spirit,
responsive to His leading.
2. Kingdom Influence
?The Lord has anointed me and sent me? to bring good news to the afflicted... to bind up the
brokenhearted... to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners... to comfort those who mourn??
Isaiah 61:1-4 (Luke 4:18-19)
As we seek and follow Christ individually and together, we will join him as He lovingly calls those
around us to be reconciled to Him and each other.
Life as Ministry ? Others will be attracted to Christ through the grace, freedom and loving
acceptance they experience from us as we are living examples of the Gospel, reflecting and
ministering the Life of God in our everyday activities.
Reaching Out ? In and through Christ, we will bring the Kingdom of God to human need, especially
among people who are poor, oppressed or overlooked, actively caring for body, mind and spirit.
3. Formation
?until Christ is formed in you?? Galatians 4:19
In the context of all our relationships, we are transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit to become
more like Him.
Spiritual Formation ? In community, we will grow in Christlikeness through a process of
participation with the Spirit and the Word in the practice of spiritual disciplines.
Experienced Together ? We will participate in transformational relationships characterized by
personal authenticity, graceful acceptance, support and encouragement in our spiritual journey.
Evidenced by Changed Lives ? We will be characterized by Kingdom living within a community of
love, manifesting Christ-centered values.
4. Equipping the Coming Generations
?the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off ?? Acts 2:38-39
We will mentor the coming generations of Open Door through discovering and developing their
giftedness, assisting in their formation in Christ, and releasing to them the vision of Open Door.
Our desire is to raise up leadership from within our congregation to shape the church?s vision in the
future as God leads.
Values: the ?Be? Statement
Be Filled: Dependency
We are utterly dependent on God and need His presence to indwell us in order to experience His
grace and mercy and to glorify Him.
Be Real: Authenticity
The amazing grace of God frees us to live honest, loving, and fearless lives.
Belong: Community
The amazing grace of God requires and enables us to live connected with Him, and with others in
on-going relationships, knowing, accepting, and challenging each other to grow.
Become: Transformation
The amazing grace of God compels and empowers us to pursue change and growth in the character
of Jesus ? the best possible life.
Be Called: Partnership
The amazing grace of God invites and equips us to serve with Him and others in doing His wonderful works.
Statement of Faith
We believe?
In the inspiration and authority of the Bible.
In one God who is equal Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ is fully God and fully human; was
crucified, died, buried and bodily resurrected to
reconcile the world to God and give new life to
those who by faith participate in His death and resurrection.
The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, reveals Jesus Christ, gives
the life of Christ to those who repent of sin and trust in Jesus and
sanctifies and empowers those who believe.
All persons are created in the image of God,
designed for fellowship with God but are separated from
God by sin and in need of salvation.
All who receive the message of Jesus Christ are
participants in His eternal life. Water baptism
and communion are powerful and active symbols
of His life, message and our life-change.
There is one universal Christian Church consisting
of all who receive the good news of Jesus Christ.
Christ will return and all humans will be judged on the basis of their
acceptance or rejection of God?s salvation through Christ.
