About Creekside
The town of Cottonwood was founded beside a sprawling creek, known as Cottonwood Creek. The Creek in fact is one of the defining features of our town. While the church property is not physically beside the creek, the whole town is, and that’s really the point. For us, our community IS the town. It’s the people who live here and work here and raise their families here. It’s our mission field—our friends and neighbors and coworkers who live and play among us. Whether we gather at the worship center downtown, or meet up in homes or parks or cafés, we meet Creekside. We live here, we fight for the the people here, and we pray for the powerful work of Jesus to bring about curse-reversing, life-giving transformation.
Jesus didn’t discriminate when it came to who ought to hear the gospel of grace. Neither do we.
Our mission:
We strive to point people to Jesus as we practice the way of Jesus.
Following Jesus means practicing the way of Jesus. It means in the smallest, most insignificant moments of tomorrow, you choose following him over following something else. The more you trust him, the more you surrender. The more you believe that in him you will find life, the more you surrender. Your five-plan is his, your hobbies are his, your dreams for your children are his, every dollar you make is his. What breaks his heart begins to break yours, and what he came to do, you desire to finish.
We believe that following Jesus is a way of life, because the way of Jesus leads to life, and joy, and peace. We are seeking to follow Jesus with everything that we are, and everything that we have, and we invite others to do the same.
Our values:
Every member
is a minister.
We value the contribution of every person in the church. All followers of Jesus are uniquely and specially gifted and directed by the Spirit to serve others, to bring comfort and healing, to provide spiritual care and nourishment, to teach, evangelize, shepherd, and encourage. These ministries are not relegated to elders or pastors; rather, leaders work to equip and prepare the community for the work of ministry.
Our lifestyle
is our liturgy.
Our walk with Jesus is not limited to Sunday mornings at a church gathering. Because the Spirit is present with us all the time, wherever we go, in our work and play, and in our friendships, we are committed to a culture of transformation.
Families learn together and love together.
The church is not an educational institution, but a multi-generational, multi-cultural family united in Jesus. We want to receive and reproduce the gospel together as often as we can. While we regularly provide age-appropriate opportunities for learning and ministry, the church is at its best when the whole community loves as one.
We invite
and invest.
We are farmers, not builders. Instead of busying ourselves with programs and events, we focus on inviting others to participate in the spiritual rhythm of life, and invest our time, money, and energy into loving others as Jesus would. Our role is to cultivate, and we trust in the Spirit to bring about transformation and growth.
Our beliefs
In essentials, unity.
In non-essentials, charity.
In all things, Jesus Christ.