what is our vision?

While our mission is the fuel that moves us forward, our vision is the vehicle in which we accomplish what God is calling FUMC to do here in Crawfordsville. Our vision is best summed up in four key phrases:


Abide in Christ

This is the foundation of everything. If we are not abiding in Christ, we are missing the point of Jesus' work to reconnect us with the Father. Our first priority in FUMC is to be a congregation that abides in the wonderful presence of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit.


Pray and Obey

We keep it pretty simple. Pray, and then do what the Holy Spirit directs you to do. If you are truly abiding in Christ, you will listen for His direction in your life and simply follow the sound of His voice.


Family Strong

We believe that God has called us to be a family of believers. Whether you are a single person, married couple, functional or dysfunctional family, we believe that we can be your family.


Kingdom Mindset

It doesn't matter what you are doing, if you are doing it from our old, earthly mindset it never turns out very well. However, we believe that we are called to live right now in the mindset of the God's Kingdom. It's amazing how are being and doing change when we ask the Spirit to teach us to think like Jesus. After all, we do have the mind of Christ.

we believe:

In the essentials, we have unity.

In the non-essentials, we have liberty.

In all things, we have charity.


God

We believe in the one true, holy and living God, Eternal Spirit, who is Creator, Sovereign and Preserver of all things visible and invisible. He is infinite in power, wisdom, justice, goodness and love, and rules with gracious regard for the well-being and salvation of men, to the glory of his name. We believe the one God reveals himself as the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, distinct but inseparable, eternally one in essence and power.


Jesus

We believe in Jesus Christ, truly God and truly man, in whom the divine and human natures are perfectly and inseparably united. He is the eternal Word made flesh, the only begotten Son of the Father, born of the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. As ministering Servant he lived, suffered and died on the cross. He was buried, rose from the dead and ascended into heaven to be with the Father, from whence he shall return. He is eternal Savior and Mediator, who intercedes for us, and by him all men will be judged.


Holy Spirit

We believe in the Holy Spirit who proceeds from and is one in being with the Father and the Son. He convinces the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment. He leads men through faithful response to the gospel into the fellowship of the Church. He comforts, sustains and empowers the faithful and guides them into all truth.


The Bible

We believe the Holy Bible, Old and New Testaments, reveals the Word of God so far as it is necessary for our salvation. It is to be received through the Holy Spirit as the true rule and guide for faith and practice. Whatever is not revealed in or established by the Holy Scriptures is not to be made an article of faith nor is it to be taught as essential to salvation.


The Church

We believe the Christian Church is the community of all true believers under the Lordship of Christ. We believe it is one, holy, apostolic and catholic. It is the redemptive fellowship in which the Word of God is preached by men divinely called, and the sacraments are duly administered according to Christ's own appointment. Under the discipline of the Holy Spirit the Church exists for the maintenance of worship, the edification of believers and the redemption of the world.


Sin and Free Will

We believe people have fallen from righteousness and, apart from the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, is destitute of holiness and inclined to evil. Except a person be born again, they cannot see the Kingdom of God. In their own strength, without divine grace, people cannot do good works pleasing and acceptable to God. We believe, however, people influenced and empowered by the Holy Spirit is responsible in freedom to exercise their will for good.


Reconciliation Through Christ

We believe God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself. The offering Christ freely made on the cross is the perfect and sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, redeeming people from all sin, so that no other satisfaction is required.


Justification and Regeneration

We believe we are never accounted righteous before God through our works or merit, but that penitent sinners are justified or accounted righteous before God only by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.


We believe regeneration is the renewal of man in righteousness through Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, whereby we are made partakers of the divine nature and experience newness of life. By this new birth the believer becomes reconciled to God and is enabled to serve him with the will and the affections.