our vision
Faith Sugar Land is becoming a multi-generational and multi-ethnic, caring community church, where faith and life connect.
our mission
Faith Sugar Land exists to LOVE God, one another, and our community, so that we KNOW, & FOLLOW Jesus, TOGETHER!
Our values
1. GRACE
Grace is undeserved love and favor from God because of Jesus death and resurrection.
If you are loved as you are, you are open to new growth. Jesus alone does that perfectly, but as Jesus lives through us, we attempt to do the same!
“By grace you have been saved through faith...” Ephesians 2:8
We believe that when grace is lived out we see Holy Spirit empowerment. Many Christians struggle to have joy in their walk with Jesus. We value the presence and person of the Holy Spirit and His empowerment to accomplish more than we ask or imagine. "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8
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We also believe when grace is lived out we see Biblical Faithfulness. God uses the Bible to build faith in Jesus Christ and we trust Him to connect faith and life. We value God’s Word as a tool through which God accomplishes just that. "Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think." Romans 12:2 - New Living Translation
2. COMMUNITY
People weren’t meant to live life alone. At Faith-Sugar Land, we believe in the community of Christ connecting with the community of Sugar Land/ Houston. Life is more fulfilling when lived together!
"All the believers were together and had everything in common." Acts 2:44
When we live in Biblical community, we see growth in discipleship. It’s been said (and rightfully so) if you aren’t growing, you are dying! That’s true personally, as well as corporately (Ephesians 4:16). Even Jesus “grew in wisdom and stature with God and people”! ( Luke 2:52) Growth isn’t an option at Faith, Sugar Land – it's what God intends for us to do! Come grow with us!
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20
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In our community we value diversity in our congregation in every way. At Faith, Sugar Land, diversity means ethnic, social, economic, educational and denominational diversity. While being a Lutheran church, we rejoice that God brings people from a broad spectrum of diverse backgrounds, including those with no religious background at all! Everyone is welcome!
"After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.
" Revelation 7:9
3. STORY
Every life has a story. It’s a story of how God works in their lives. Ask someone around Faith if they have a story, and they’ll likely say yes! We’re interested in your story, too!
"At the Lord’s command Moses recorded the stages in their journey." Numbers 33:2
We value that our stories are marked by our Identity in Christ. Your identity is foundational to who you are. If your identity is in Christ, it shapes and molds how you see every other aspect of your being. Your story is tied to your identity in Christ.
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“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (New Living Translation)
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If your story has Christ, it is also marked by authenticity - There are no strangers here. We are committed to providing a friendly atmosphere where people feel welcome regardless of where they are on the journey.
They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are." Matthew 22:16
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4. HOSPITALITY
Kindness is an expression of the joy that is in our hearts. We commit ourselves to be a welcoming and inviting church. We offer generous and friendly treatment to members and guests. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Romans 12:13 Hospitality means acceptance of people where they are on the journey – Jesus accepted people where they were on the journey of life. His followers should too!
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5. PRACTICALITY
It’s a confusing world, and people need more than intellectual knowledge of God to make it through. Jesus cut through the theology of the day and ministered in a practical and life applicable way. We do the same.
"So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill... 12 When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword." Exodus 17:10,12-13
Practical faith leads to accountability. Because we are practical and clear in our faith, we also are enabled to hold one another accountable for our walk with God and each other.
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We believe in the Triune God—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We acknowledge one God in these three persons. The model of perfect community!
We believe that God the Father created the universe. He is loving, compassionate, just and kind. His deepest desire is to live in an intimate relationship with all people.
We believe that, because of His desire to live in a relationship with us, God became a human being. Jesus Christ, born of a virgin, is fully God and fully man. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus made it possible for all people to live in a relationship with God.
We believe that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Through Him and Him alone can people enter into a relationship with God. He is the Son of God, the Savior of the world and the Leader of the universe.
We believe that the Holy Spirit is the presence of Jesus Christ among us. Through Him God loves us, empowers us and lives in us. The Spirit gives gifts to, and grows fruit in, every believer.
We believe in all the gifts of the Spirit and encourage their use.
We believe that the Bible is the Word of God. Through it, God reveals Himself to us. The entire Bible is God-breathed and God-inspired. The Old and New Testaments are the norm and guide upon which we base our faith.
We believe that the church, be it a local congregation or the worldwide fellowship of believers, is the body of Christ. As His Body, we are called to worship Him, serve Him and be the vehicle through which the Good News in its fullness is shared with the world.
We believe in and practice the Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion. We believe that through the waters of Baptism, God comes to us to adopt us as His children. Through Baptism, God gives the gift of new life. We affirm the baptism of infants and also acknowledge differences in understanding of baptism amongst our own people. We offer baptism by full immersion or washing, depending upon the new Christian’s preference. We believe that through the Holy Communion, Jesus comes to love us and forgive us. It is a meal of renewal. Jesus is truly present in the meal, which remains a mystery to us all!
We believe in the worth and value of every human being. Created in God’s image, humans have dignity. Their worth is dependent not on accomplishments, but on God’s love. Because God sees humanity as worth dying for, we affirm and acknowledge the dignity of all humans, including the unborn and those at the end of life.
However, we also acknowledge that humanity is separated from God because of sin. Without a Savior, all humanity is destined for an eternity in hell apart from God. We joyfully proclaim the Good News that because of Jesus Christ, forgiveness and eternal life is a possibility for all people. It is that forgiveness that restores fallen humanity’s worth in relation to God.
We believe in and anticipate the return of Jesus Christ. Though we don’t know the day or hour, we joyfully proclaim His soon return to inspire all people to make the most of life today.
We fully believe the Apostles, Nicene and Athanasian Creeds.
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Our affiliation. We are a congregation of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. What that means is we have been around a while. Lutherans trace their roots back to the reformation period of the 1500’s when Martin Luther was used by God to rediscover the concept of grace. Our particular branch of the Lutheran church started when families went searching for a land where they could worship freely, and left Europe for the United States, landing in Missouri. Today there are over 5,000 congregations of our denomination throughout the United States and with many other church bodies in fellowship with us across the globe.
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What is special about being “Lutheran”. First of all, there are some special aspects of the Lutheran denomination that are deeply meaningful.​​
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BIBLE. We understand that the good news about Jesus comes from one source – the Bible. It alone is our source and guideline for how we live as God’s kids. In a confusing world where everyone has an opinion and nothing seems authoritative, it’s good to know there is a foundation that we can stand on.
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FAITH. It’s more than our church name. It means “trust”. God’s love for us as we are enables us to have faith in Him and trust Him. It also means we have some help in trusting others. You aren’t perfect? Neither are we! But through faith in Jesus, we have the guarantee of eternal life and a power source to love and serve others in a new and different way.
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GRACE. Grace is undeserved and unmerited love. We know that we humans could never measure up to God’s holiness. We also know that is why Jesus became one of us. Jesus is God who became human, lived a perfect human life, and died as the sacrifice for human sin. Jesus offers us a trade – He takes our sin, we get His forgiveness. Deal! That’s grace!
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For more information about our denomination, click here. www.lcms.org.
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