When it comes to faith communities, as in many other spheres of life, labels such as "liberal," "conservative,” "mainline," "evangelical," and so on are often as problematic as they are helpful. Each term carries different associations to different people, and there are no clear consensuses for exactly who fits where. Rather than define ourselves by which categorical label we might fall into, we'll tell you a few more things about our approach to following Jesus that help make us distinctively Haven.  

Open-Minded Orthodoxy

As followers of Jesus, we are immensely grateful for the many centuries of Jesus-followers who have come before us and the heritage we receive from them. Along with Christians throughout history, we affirm the articulation of faith found in the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed. But we also understand that much of meaning is contextual and that different cultural contexts have led to differences in interpretation and understanding. We encourage folks at Haven to hold their beliefs sincerely but humbly, knowing our knowledge is limited as we grasp at infinite truths with finite perception.

We care deeply about the Bible for the story it communicates of God's interaction with humanity, and we find ourselves within that unfolding story.  But we also care about science and what it tells us about the universe we inhabit. We do not find these sources of truth to work against each other. Together they can take us into fuller knowledge and wisdom.  We want to think about God and His creation with deep curiosity, always wanting to grow in our understanding, and willing to change our minds when necessary.

LGBTQ Inclusion

Our desire is to be a safe spiritual community for people from all walks of life to encounter Jesus, including those who self-identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer. We fully welcome LGBTQIA+ individuals, couples, and families of all iterations into every arena of church life. We recognize ways in which the church has all too often marginalized the LGBTQIA+ community and we long to be a place where Jesus extends his healing to those who have been pushed to the margins through welcome and inclusion.

Emotional Health and Maturity

We are not only concerned with "spiritual" beliefs or experiences. Rather, we believe the journey of faith engages all areas of our life, including our emotional life. We're not trying to be holier than anyone.  We are trying to grow into healthy, mature people who can have healthy, mutually-loving relationships that honor God and one another. We think our faith should help us grow as parents, as friends, as life-partners. We emphasize wholeness and the whole person, honoring and respecting people’s choices. We resist pretense as we acknowledge the difficulties, pain, and challenges of life — grieving as we must, while always seeking joy. 

Sometimes being healthy and mature also means having the freedom to laugh and to not take yourself too seriously.  We're not afraid to be silly, self-depracating, even a bit irreverent when needed. We're pretty sure Jesus is with us in that.