We Are
Tampa Community
church of the nazarene
We're Part of the Global Church of the Nazarene
As part of the COTN, we hold true to the essence of our identity as a denomination. This is summed up in three ways. We are:
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A Christian People
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A Holiness People
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A Missional People
To learn more about the COTN, click HERE.
What We Believe
We Believe...
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in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
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that the Old and New Testament Scriptures are inspired by God and contain all the truth necessary to faith and Christian living.
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that man is born with a fallen nature.
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that all who fail to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior are hopelessly and eternally lost.
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That the atonement through Jesus Christ is for the whole human race and that whoever believes on the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved.
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believers are sanctified wholly, subsequent to salvation, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
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that the Holy Spirit bears witness to a new birth, and also to the entire sanctification of believers.
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that our Lord will return, the dead will be raised, and the final judgement will take place.
If you would like more information about these, a full description of our Articles of Faith can be found here.
Our Core Values
What's listed below is a description of what we believe God has called us to do and be as followers of Christ. We are...
CHRIST-CENTERED
When we become followers of Christ, our focus in life shifts from being self-focused and self-centered to Christ-focused and Christ-centered.
Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. (Col. 3:1-3 NLT)
SCRIPTURE LED
A person becomes more Christ-centered as they spend intentional time in God's word. As we do, the Holy Spirit guides us as we read, study, obey, and live according to God's word.
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
(1 Tim. 3:16-17 NLT)
A BIBLICAL COMMUNITY
We're not meant to be on this journey alone. We need each other and are stronger together! So, as followers of Christ, we live in biblical community as part of the Church by gathering, loving, serving, submitting, honoring, and forgiving one another.
There is one body, but it has many parts. But all its many parts make up one body. It is the same with Christ. We were all baptized by one Holy Spirit. And so we are formed into one body. It didn’t matter whether we were Jews or Gentiles, slaves or free people. We were all given the same Spirit to drink. So the body is not made up of just one part. It has many parts.
(1 Cor. 12:12-14 NIRV)
PRAYER DEPENDENT
God has invited us into a beautiful conversation with Him and we count it a joy and privilege to experience intimacy with God through prayer. We believe God is with us and hears and answers our prayers and we depend on Him every moment of every day as we always pray and never lose heart.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
(Phil. 4:6-7 NLT)
LIVING GENEROUSLY
We believe that following Jesus compels His followers to give generously of themselves as an act of worship. This includes their time, energy and resources, all so that others may know Jesus, grow in His grace and serve Him faithfully.
And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
(Acts 20:35 NLT)
OUTWARD-FOCUSED
As followers of Christ who have experienced the love and forgiveness of God through Jesus, we desire to see all people have the opportunity to experience the same. So, we take the gospel message outside the walls of the church building to reach the lost and serve the "least of these".
And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.
(Mark 16:15 NLT)
MULTIPLYING DISCIPLES
Disciples are basically those who desire to live and love like Jesus. We take very seriously the command of Jesus to make disciples who make disciples who make disciples. So we continually ask the question, "Who are you discipling and who is discipling you?"
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.
(Matt. 28:19-20 NLT)