Beliefs & Distinctives
Vista is an experiment – a Jesus-centered, people-intensive, action-oriented experiment. It is an experiment hoping to demonstrate that normal Christians believing and following Jesus can powerfully influence the world for God.
We dream of an association of local churches in central Ohio that are worshipful (God-oriented and rooted in the gospel), relational (others-caring, unified by the Spirit), missional (outward-focused, being Jesus to the world)
We imagine multiple church gatherings in various communities around Columbus, Ohio, sharing values, pastors, staff, systems, finances and a common culture of authenticity and simplicity.
Beliefs
God Is
We believe there is one almighty, perfect and triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, eternally coexistent personalities of the same essence.
Jesus Lives
We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, His sinless life, His substitutionary death, His bodily resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of the Father and His personal return in power and glory.
The Bible Speaks
We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.
The Spirit Empowers
We believe in the personality of the Holy Spirit, and in His ministry of convicting and regenerating sinful people, and indwelling, sealing and empowering believers.
Man Sins
We believe in the fall of humankind from the state of innocence in which they were created to one of total depravity in which they are devoid of spiritual life, and incapable, apart from divine power, of pleasing God.
Grace Alone
We believe in the justification of the sinner by grace alone through faith in Jesus.
The Church Is Vital
We believe that the church universal is composed of all true believers and that its members should assemble themselves together in local churches for worship, prayer, fellowship and teaching with a view to being equipped to fulfill the Great Commission.
Eternity Exists
We believe in the bodily resurrection of the saved to immortality, and in the conscious, eternal suffering of the lost.
Distinctives
Carrying the DNA infused by our parent church, Heritage Christian Church, here are some words that sound like us, or at least sound like what we hope we are…
worshipful, relational, missional
authenticity
learning
transformation
simple church and language
multi-generational
communion
practical theology
ministry partnerships
prayer
transparency
kids, kids, kids
missions
young life
community involved
music
fun and humor
energy
creativity
changing
