Mission Statement
Jacob's Well is a Christian community which exists for the glory of God and the good of the city by extending hope through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
GLORY OF GOD
Scripture teaches us that we are made in the image and likeness of God, unique in all creation. Our purpose is to know him, love him and worship him and to reflect his glory in the world. This means we exist first and foremost to display the exceeding power, goodness and mercy of God and we orient our individual lives and our shared life together as a church toward this aim.
Relevant Passages: Isaiah 43:6-7, John 17:1-25, 2 Corinthians 4:1-18, Matthew 22:37-38
GOOD OF THE CITY
We desire to love and serve our community in a way that reflects the love of God. Jesus said that the two great commandments are to love God and to love neighbor. Jesus suggests that the two are deeply related, such that there is no true love of God without the love of one’s neighbor. We pray that those who do not follow Jesus will see the reality of his kingdom through the life and love present in and through Jacob's Well.
Relevant Passages: Jeremiah 29:4-7, Isaiah 61:1-4, Matthew 22:36-40
HOPE THROUGH THE GOSPEL
We believe that hope is birthed in our world by the gracious intervention of God. God has offered forgiveness and reconciliation with Himself through Jesus. This good news, the gospel, brings us into a life changing relationship with God that satisfies our hearts and provides hope and renewal. We are restored to God by the gospel, are transformed by the gospel, love others through the gospel and our eternal hope is made possible through the gospel. This is the greatest gift we’ve been given and the extending of this
gift to others is our greatest joy.
Relevant Passages: John 4:1-44, Matthew 28:18-20
Core Identities
Jacob's Well has five core identities that are central to our church. They are values which guide us in the mission to which God has called us. We desire them to shape both who we become and how we live.
GOSPEL CENTERED
We believe that the truth of the gospel is central to everything we do. The gospel is the good news of the story of God told in Scripture. God has made the world good (Creation). Humanity has turned away from God bringing sin and brokenness into the world (Fall). God pursues humanity, ultimately through his son Jesus who rescues us through his death and resurrection (Redemption). And one day all will be made new (Restoration). This is the true story of the world that drives everything we do.
THOUGHTFULLY ENGAGED
We commit to engage with the world around us in the way that God calls us to. Instead of thoughtful disengagement- ignoring the world around us, or thoughtless engagement- shouting the truth from a distance, we want to thoughtfully engage with the world around us in a way that brings the truth of Jesus to a world in need. This means we are a community that will “talk about stuff” as we consider what it means to be a follower of Jesus in every area of our lives. We are confident that the God’s truth is more than capable of engaging with every complexity of life and the culture around us.
LIFE IN MULTIETHNIC COMMUNITY
We are a community of believers built from and called to the beauty and diversity of central Jersey. This joyful reality invites us into intentional life together- sharing stories, celebrating culture, and learning from one another so that we might be a community marked by unity in love. The vertical reconciliation with God achieved in Christ’s sacrificial death, also creates - horizontally - a new, reconciled people across ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic barriers.
SEEKING JUSTICE AND MERCY
Humanity is unique from all creation by being made in the imago Dei - the image of God. This means that every person is worthy of dignity and compassion. Followers of Jesus must be those who pursue and protect the dignity of others, especially the marginalized and voiceless. As we participate in this Kingdom work, we look forward to the day when God, who is perfect justice and mercy, makes all things new.
JOY AND GENEROSITY IN MISSION
We are a church that believes God has generously given to us, so we are to live generously to those around us. Our community will have open hands to give to the mission of God and to provide for the needs of others. We will also be a church committed to serve our brothers and sisters in our community of faith, and the communities around us.
