Beliefs
The Apostles Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.
Mission
Fulfillment of the Great Commission through the evangelism and apologetics.
Great Commission: After his resurrection, Jesus gave His disciples The Great Commission: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. And behold, i am with you always, to the end of the age."
Evangelism: Jesus said, “It is written...that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations..." We bring the Gospel to the public square to preach repentance for the forgiveness of sins to fulfill what is written. The Gospel is that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and raised up on the third day. We want to share this Gospel with everyone.
Apologetics: Plato wrote Socrates’ Apology. This is not Socrates apologizing, but his defense before the Athen’s rulers for introducing new gods. Similarly, in our increasingly post-christian culture, evangelism will entail an apology, giving a defense for introducing a “new God.” We must give clear reasons for why men and women should commitment themselves to Jesus. To fulfill the Great Commission and our work of evangelism, we seek to give an apology for Jesus.
Why Open-Air Preaching?
Three reasons:
It’s Biblical: Public preaching is found from Genesis to Revelation, but we are especially shaped by Paul in Athens. In Acts 17, Paul is provoked because the city is wholly given over to idolatry, so he publicly reasons in the synagogue and the marketplace with the Jews and the devout persons. Paul preached and reasoned with the Athenians and the foreigners in the open-air/public square. It is because it is biblical that we open-air preach.
It’s Historical: It is easy to list names from Noah to Church Fathers to the Middle Ages, the Reformation and Modern Times to demonstrate the historicity of open-air preaching. Charles Spurgeon, the great 19th c. preacher, said, "It can be argued, with small fear of refutation, that open-air preaching is as old as preaching itself." It is because it is historical that we open-air preach.
It’s Practical: A couple pastors said to me one time, "Well, you can defend it biblically and historically, but is it relevant?" That might be what you're asking. Is there an Athens (Acts 17) or Hall of Tyrannus (Acts 19.9) today? Yes, the university and college campus is that place. It's here that Americans and foreigners gather to hear and tell the latest ideas. Public preaching is not for everyplace and everyone, but the university is a practical place for open debate and exchange of ideas. It is because it is practical that we open-air preach.