- Unity is not something that merely happens; it is something developed and constantly protected. God’s grace must be at the foundation of this unity. At CTK we strongly believe we are called to be grace-based pastors of grace-based churches.
While this is a concept many adhere to philosophically, we are committed to walking through this in practice, daily. Grace-based unity is a powerful blow to the kingdom of darkness, and it does not come easily. In the face of this reality we desire to clarify the beliefs, behaviors, and brand that makes CTK a unique expression of the body of Christ.
By no means do we believe that we have the corner market on the right way to do church. These statements are a reflection of where the Holy Spirit has brought us this far as a group of Christ followers. If you agree with who we are, what we are working on, and the direction we are headed, we invite you to join us in this journey.
At CTK we do not view our titles as our right but rather as an indicator to what our responsibilities and gifts are within the body of Christ. We view the pastorate as a calling from God. And within that calling we see that a core trait or characteristic that must be present and active in the role of a CTK pastor is to be grace-based.
Below is a video of some of our pastors explaining what it means to them to be a grace-based pastor at CTK.At CTK we strongly believe we are called to be grace-based pastors of grace-based churches.
Our example in being grace-based, of course, is Jesus. Jesus was and is grace based. In John 1:14 the gospel writer points to this being a clear characteristic of Jesus towards others. So this is our launching point, our beginning attitude - longing that all would come to the truth (of who Jesus is and who they are truly in light of that).
The term “grace based” it is an intentional attitude and approach for us to go about things in the same order that Jesus did. This should also be understood with the clarification of our two final CTK values:
Grace: Committed to treating every person like Christ has treated us–much better than we deserve.
Truth: Unapologetically committed to the truth of Scripture and Bible-based teaching.
So we are “grace-based” in our approach, that we are "committed to treating every person like Christ has treated us–much better than we deserve” and as Jesus was, we are “unapologetically committed to the truth of Scripture”.
- For many people, Christ the King is a different type of church experience. What kind of church is CTK? In short we are: A MISSION DRIVEN CHURCH
Every church is driven by something. Some of the organizing principles that a church may adopt include tradition, personalities, finances, programs, buildings and events.
At CTK we are driven by our mission:To create an authentic Christian community that effectively reaches out to unchurched people with love, acceptance and forgiveness so that they may experience the joy of salvation and a purposeful life of discipleship.
CTK is a simple church. Deliberate Simplicity describes how we carry out our mission. Jesus said you could summarize the essence of Christianity as loving God with all your heart, and loving your neighbor as yourself. To the extent that churches have become political, institutional or programmatic we have made it more complicated than it needs to be. In our effort to keep it simple we have chosen to focus our efforts in areas that are life-changing and life-giving. We are minimalists in doctrine and practice.
CTK is not a part of a denomination, nor is it a denomination itself. CTK is a church – one church – that meets in many locations. The name of our church – Christ the King – signifies our ultimate allegiance. Our loyalty is to Christ. We find our historical roots in the church of the first century, when followers of Christ met in homes for fellowship and then convened in public spaces for worship, teaching, and prayer.
CTK is a network of churches. Christ The King Community Church is a multi-location church...one church that is a relational network of leaders, Community Groups and Worship Centers. The expanding CTK network now involves participants from around the world. We are “small pieces loosely joined,” held together by common mission, vision, and values.
Below is a list of our values and priorities that are important to us. They are comprised of language that we use and things we hold closely to in our practice.OUR VALUESOUR PRIORITIESSimplicity Keeping the main thing the main thing.
Authenticity Real people having a genuine relationship with God.
Community Loving God and loving people.
Empowerment Saying yes to what God wants to do in our lives.
Entrepreneurial Spirit Reaching as many people as possible as quickly as possible and in as many ways as possible.
Truth Unapologetically committed to the truth of Scripture and Bible-based teaching.
Grace Committed to treating every person like Christ has treated us–much better than we deserve.Worship We are devoted to worshiping God as a lifestyle.
Community We are diligent in caring for each other through community groups.
Outreach We are dedicated to reaching people who do not know Christ.
Discipleship We are determined to mature in relationships with God and others.
CTK is a church of Groups. Community Groups are the basic building block of our church, and the primary way that we care for each other. Ministry Teams also function in all of our Worship Centers as ways to work together for the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom.
We believe in a real God who has real grace for real people who have real problems.
We have a culture of recovery and redemption. We believe there is hope for the future and forgiveness for the past. We are free to come as we are, without pretense. God loves us, not because of how great we are, but because of how great He is.
At our Worship Centers you will find a casual atmosphere, heartfelt music and Bible-based messages you can understand. But is church a place you go to, or a place you go from? When you are a part of an outreach church like Christ the King, church is a place you go from.
