Connect Church Plano is a non-denominational Christian church. We believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again, and we worship God as the creator of the universe.
Through our relationship with Christ, we believe that we are forgiven and redeemed. It is our mission to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ and share this faith with the world.
Traditionally when someone finds a “what we believe” link on a church website they find an abbreviated; “canned” commentary on various doctrines that church adheres to. We, at Connect Church, are not very good at being “canned.” Instead, we value being original, creative and, above all, honest. Read on to discover what we believe and who we honestly strive to be.
God-Hearted
It all begins with God. We believe He is the Creator of all. That He is unlimited, unchanging and that He needs for nothing. And yet in needing nothing, He chooses US. Personally and individually He seeks out His creation – You and me. In His pursuit He shows Himself compassionate and merciful, though sometimes our view of this is clouded because our world is broken – A result of our choices not His. But even in the midst of our failed choices, He chooses redemption. He is Active. Involved. The sum of which is unconditional, unrelenting LOVE.
Christ-Focused
Jesus Christ is the heartbeat of all we do at Connect Church. He is the most extraordinary and exciting presence to ever walk our planet. This is amazingly profound because for 2000 years He has wonderfully, radically and eternally changed people’s lives. And…He used a cross to do it. A cross where He died in order to pay the price for my brokenness and yours. Simply put – He paid what we owed. But it didn’t end there. He was resurrected and eternally lives to bridge the chasm between God and us. Though He walked the earth over 2000 years ago, He still desires to have relationship with the people of today. He is God’s Son and He IS God. Virgin born. God with skin on. Savior to anyone who believes His message. We view His full humanity and full God-ness as gloriously mysterious, yet simple enough for anyone who says, “I want to know YOU”.
Spiritual Citizens
You and I suffer from a spiritual disease called sin. Minimize it, excuse it, deny it; it’s real and it’s a big deal in the eyes of a just God. Yes, humankind is made in God’s image and is filled with potential, but we are also simultaneously flawed beyond the point of being able to fix ourselves (anyone who has tried, knows). Given this irreparable problem of sin – apart from God – we are in a hopeless state. Appraised in a divine economy, it’s spiritual treason. You and I are rebels. Depressing, huh? Sounds hopeless? It is…except for the fact that this same God has a soft spot for rebels. He sent us The Holy Spirit… Our goal is to become all that we can be by adhering to that still small voice also known as The Holy Sprit.
His purpose is to make man aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He provides Christians with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth and guidance in doing what is right.
Living WORD
Finding God is not something we initiate; it is Someone we respond to. Though we were unaware, He loved us first. He sought US out. We know this because He has given us an entirely trustworthy revelation, a divine book – HIS BOOK. The Bible. His words tell us of His original love. Though written by human authors, its ultimate author is God Himself. He supernaturally inspired every word from beginning to end using the pens of different authors from different generations in different cultures. Through all of this, it is the most current and relevant book the world has known and will ever know. It is perfect in its truth. It is wholly consistent in its theme. It has stood the test of time. It is a book for the nations, yet simultaneously a personal love letter to you. In a word, it is our standard.
Heaven Conscious
The single and the most important goal of every believer must be to make heaven. Connect Church thrives on this truth by accepting the free gift of Salvation from God to man. Because man can never make up for his sin by doing good works, accepting and trusting Jesus Christ’s death, burial and resurrection as a substitute for sin is the only way man can be saved from sin’s penalty. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith. And because eternal life is through Jesus Christ, the believer is secure in that salvation for eternity. Just as salvation cannot be obtained by good works, neither can it be maintained by good works. Salvation is maintained by the grace of God.
We understand this truth and our goal is to tell the world that JESUS SAVES. We believe every believer must be found doing something for Christ. The key to becoming heaven conscious is by starting to channel our resources to things of the kingdom e.g. evangelism, feeding the poor, taking care of the widow e.t.c.
Relevant Church
Though possessing the ultimate truth, the Church is often guilty of dumbing down and dulling down the life-altering message of Jesus Christ. Lost in confusing jargon, bogged down in doctrinal minutia – simply said – the church has not stayed current. Though not perfect, we seek to be authentic. We desire creative community that presents God-truth in uncompromising but culturally relevant ways. We seek to promote spirituality and acceptance without the trappings and pretense of organized religion. We adjust to what morphs – styles and methods. We fiercely cling to the sacred and unchanging – our God and His Gospel. To stay relevant we remember: “God is; Church evolves.”
All members of the universal church are to be fully engaged in a local church where they can be nurtured and equipped for the work of the ministry.