GOD’S MISSION IN THE WORLD

 

God is on the move in the world and His mission is clear and compelling – to redeem everyone He calls and restore everything He creates to full life in Jesus.

 

Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

 

God has given us an amazing gift: LIFE!  Through His death on the cross, Jesus delivered us from the consequences of our sin – separation from God and eternal death.  This act of deliverance opens a way back into a right relationship with God, offers us the gift of eternal life, and invites us into the vision of Acts 3:21 – God’s grand restoration project of transforming lives, communities and all creation for Christ.

But all this is not just hope for the future; Jesus gives us life today.  Jesus said, “I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).

 

So what does this have to do with joining God in His mission to the world?  Jesus gave His disciples this mission:

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  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 28:18-20).

 

That small group of followers, filled with the Holy Spirit, spread the good news of life in Jesus everywhere they went.  As followers of Jesus today, our mission is still the same: to spread the good news of life in Jesus everywhere we go, so that others may share in this life – for today, and for eternity!

 

 

GOD’S VISION FOR OUR CHURCH

 

In fulfillment of God’s mission in the world, God’s vision for Westwood Church is also clear:

A Christ-centered community inspiring people to find and follow Jesus.

 

God promises that anyone who seeks Him with all their heart will find Him (Deuteronomy 4:29). Jesus invites all who seek after God into a lifelong journey of following Him – becoming disciples who make disciples (Matthew 4:19).

 

Our prayerful desire is to inspire people to become passionate and fully devoted followers of Jesus who love God and all people so that God is glorified and every area of life is transformed for Christ.  Even though we are a community of imperfect people, God, by His grace, has changed our lives through His Spirit and has given us new life in Jesus.

 

The community and ministries at Westwood are built on two profound yet basic biblical concepts –

finding and following Jesus.  We certainly haven’t perfected it, but if you are willing to join us in this journey, welcome!   And along the way, may you discover and experience God’s amazing gift of LIFE!

OUR BELIEFS

 

We hold these beliefs close to us:

The Bible
God
Human Beings
Sin
Jesus Christ
Salvation
The Holy Spirit
The Church
Christian Life
Future

OUR CORE VALUES

 

In our commitment to inspiring people to find and follow Jesus, we value:

Belonging
Knowing
Sharing
Celebrating

 Who Are We and What We Believe

Westwood Church is part of the Christian Reformed Church in North America (“CRC” for short).  We’re like an extended family spread out across the United States and Canada.  Although there are variations and differences among us, we still count ourselves as one.

 

· We call ourselves Christian because we are followers of Jesus Christ.  We believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He is the center of human history.

· We’re called Reformed because we are a branch of the Christian church that emerged from the Protestant Reformation in sixteenth-century Europe.

· We’re a Church because we believe God has called us together to be a people who belong to Him and live for Him.

 

More information on the beliefs, ministries, programs, and its congregations can be found at the Christian Reformed Church in North America's website – www.crcna.org. If you have any questions about our beliefs, we encourage you to contact our pastor at pastor@westwoodcrc.org and he will be able to respond to your questions.  

 

 

Our History

 

The first organizational meeting of the young Westwood Christian Reformed Church was held on January 29, 1952 with a total charter membership of 25 families.  As a church plant, we originally met in a school basement, moving to a new building on Nichols Road in 1954, and finally to our current home on Northampton Road in 1967. Over the years, the church has been blessed to be a part of planting three other churches in the surrounding community as well as supporting many missions bringing people to Christ world-wide. Westwood was founded with a vision for the flourishing of God’s Word in our local community and abroad, and continues to grow in its commitment to inspire all people God graciously places in our path to find and follow Jesus.