OUR HISTORY
Valley Simsbury is a congregation of Valley Community Baptist Church that was launched in fall 2017 with a passion to bless the churchless populations in Simsbury and the surrounding towns. With more people in America never going to church, we were sent out to pilot a different form of ministry. Rather than attracting people to a church building, we decentralize and offer opportunities to connect with Jesus and discipleship where we live, work, and play.
OUR MOTTO
Life Together
The Christian life was never meant to live alone. As God’s children, we are brothers and sisters who gather together for real-life care and connection, discipleship, biblical teaching, and to worship and celebrate the goodness and Glory of God.
We believe that we can do more together than apart. We believe that church is people more than place. We believe that our worship together prepares us for a life of worship when apart.
In shifting times, we remain rooted in the eternal truths of God, the Gospel, and the church found in the Scriptures. These truths never change, but the places we gather together and disciple one another do. We need to position ourselves to reach those far from God with the grace and mercy of God.
On Mission
We’re called to live with a missionary mindset in the natural rhythms of everyday life. Since many people have no intention of going to church, we represent the church where they are.
At Valley Simsbury, we build meaningful friendships with people far from God, and we walk with people in the everyday issues and questions of life. This provides our best opportunity to share the Gospel as we live the Great Commission in the spaces people work, live, and play.
We celebrate community involvement, neighborhood friendships, serving in town organizations, and building workplace relationships. We design evangelistic and discipleship environments in homes or in spaces well-known to the unchurched, and we plan our worship gatherings with the unchurched in mind.
For God’s Glory
God is unmatched in all of history, and Jesus incarnate perfectly revealed the goodness and glory of God. For this reason, there is no one greater who we can know, and no one more important for us to point people to. Our power for mission and life comes from the Holy Spirit, for no one else has the power to transform lives or raise people from the dead.
We elevate Him to the highest place in our lives and we live to put Him on display by worshipping Him and Him alone.
OUR PRIORITIES
- Spirit Filled Worship – 1 Corinthians 2:9-16
- Tight-knit Family – 1 Thessalonians 2:7-12
- Life Transforming Discipleship – Ephesians 4:11-16
- Community Focused Mission - John 20:20-22
- World Reaching Multiplication - Acts 13:2-3
OUR BELIEFS
THE WORD OF GOD
We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.
(John 17:17; Rom. 15:14; II Tim. 3:16-17; II Pet. 1:19-21)
THE TRINITY
We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons; that these are equal in every divine perfection; and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence and redemption.
(Matt 28:19; John 1:1-4; I John 5:7)
GOD THE FATHER
We believe in God, the Father, an infinite personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.
(I Tim. 2:3-5; I John 5:11-15)
GOD THE SON-JESUS CHRIST
We believe in Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles and teachings. We believe in His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal visible return to earth.
(Isa. 7:14; John 1:14; Phil 2:5-11; Heb. 1:2, 3; I John 1:7)
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe in the Holy Spirit, who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, and that He is our abiding helper, teacher and guide.
(John 14:26; John 16:7-15; Rom. 8:14-17; Eph. 1:13,14)
REGENERATION
We believe that all people are sinners by nature and by choice and are, therefore, under condemnation. We believe that those who repent of their sins and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit.
(John 1:12,13; John 3:3,16,17; Acts 20:21; Eph. 2:1-9; Titus 3:5)
THE CHURCH
We believe in the universal Church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all regenerated persons are members. We believe in the local Church, consisting of a company of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on a credible profession of faith, and associated for worship, work and fellowship. We believe that God has laid upon the members of the local Church the primary task of giving the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world.
(Matt. 16:16-18; Acts 2:38-41; Eph. 2:19-22; Eph. 5:25-27)
CHRISTIAN CONDUCT
We believe that each Christian should live for the glory of God and the well-being of their fellowmen; that their conduct should be blameless before the world; that they should be faithful stewards of their possessions and that they should seek to realize for themselves and others, the full stature of maturity in Christ.
(II Cor. 9:6-8; Eph. 4:11-16; Phil. 2:14-16; Col. 3:17-23; I Thess. 5:17,18)
THE ORDINANCES
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local Church: Baptism and the Lord's Supper. We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water into the name of the triune God. We believe that the Lord's Supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His death. We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
(Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 2:41;Rom. 6:3-5; I Cor. 11:23-32)
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
We believe that every human being has direct relations with God, and is responsible to God alone in all matters of faith; that each Church is independent and must be free from interference by anyone.
(Deut. 10:12-22; Eph. 3:10-12)
CHURCH COOPERATION
We believe that local Churches can best promote the cause of Jesus Christ by cooperating with one another in a denominational organization. Such an organization, whether regional or district conference, exists and functions by the will of the Churches. Cooperation in a conference is voluntary and may be terminated at any time. Churches may likewise cooperate with inter-denominational fellowships on a voluntary independent basis.
(Eph. 4:4-6; I Cor. 1:10)
THE LAST THINGS
We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His Kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal felicity of the righteous, and the endless suffering of the wicked.
(John 5:28,29; Rev. 20:1-15; II Cor. 5:10; Matt. 25:31-46)