Gospel Dreams
Our “big dream” is to see the Gospel make a significant impact. Our dream is for Kansas City to look more and more like the “City of God,” a place in which the renewing presence of Jesus permeates every segment of society. We envision training professionals of all sorts – homemakers, teachers, doctors, lawyers, business people, artists, students, street cleaners and ditch diggers, to bring the Gospel into their spheres of influence. Our responsibility is to “remember the poor,” meaning both the physically and spiritually poor. Our mission to Kansas City will be incomplete if we do not proactively seek to embody the Gospel among the weak, the guilt ridden, the helplessly selfish, the poor, the immoral, and other people groups typically marginalized by religious subcultures. We are called to bring the merciful presence of Jesus to people whether or not they recognize him as Lord.
We also dream of being a catalyst in the formation of several new churches throughout Kansas City who share a like-minded vision and dream for the metropolitan area.
Captured by Grace
Our hearts connect deeply with the teaching of Scripture that each person, in his or her own way, is broken. Because of sin, we have become alienated from God, other people, and our true selves. At Oak Hills, we want to create a place where it is safe and natural to be authentic…where people enjoy the freedom to be honest about themselves, their weaknesses, and their struggles with God and other people. We believe it is only in this context that a true, grace-centered community can occur.
We also embrace the biblical God, who is a God of grace. It is this God who delights to meet us in those places where we are touched by sin and weakness, and to re-shape us into the kind of people He has created us to be. The basic message of Christianity is that if we belong to Jesus, God is not angry with us! He loves us as His own children, even to the point of delighting in us and singing over us! (Zephaniah 3:17) Because of this, He wants us to experience His lavish love in a way that will ultimately change us and set our hearts free.
