The Mission of The Painted Door can be summarized in three phrases: Love Jesus. Love People. Change the City.
We want to be a church of disciples who live for the glory and greatness of Jesus. When people hear about us and our church we want people to say, "They love Jesus." Everything we say, do, and plan for is all about Jesus.
In Matthew 22, Jesus is having a discussion with some of the leading religious people of the time. They were more concerned with their status in society and their authority than they were with Jesus and his kingdom. One of them in an attempt to trick Jesus asks Jesus what God wants his followers to do most. Jesus' response is that the most important thing a person can do is to love God with everything they are. We believe that Jesus is God and therefore we believe that the most important thing a person can do with their life is to love Jesus Christ with everything they are (Matthew 22:34-40).
We are a church that exists to be a place where people can grow in their faith in Jesus, their love for Jesus, and where they can feel comfortable asking questions and wrestling with doubts.
During his encounter with the local religious leaders, Jesus said that the second most important thing a person could do with their life is to love other people with everything they are too (Matthew 22:34-40; John 15:12-13).
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus confronts religious leaders over and over again because they care more about prestige, power, and traditions rather than loving the poor and hurting. The last thing we would want is for Jesus to say the same things to our church (Matthew 23:1-28).
We want to be a church known for its love for people and a place for healing and hope.
As a church, we exist to love people in our words and in our actions.
Many of the problems and much of the brokenness in the world is due to the fact the church has failed to be what it was always meant to be. Instead of existing for the good of others and the glory of Jesus many churches have turned inward and isolated themselves from the rest of the world.
Throughout Scripture, followers of Jesus are called to be a blessing to the cultures in which they live and work. The prophet Jeremiah declares to God's people that they are to seek the blessing of the city in which God was sending them to (Jeremiah 29:1-7). Jesus tells those who follow him to be a blessing to people through their words and acts of kindness (Matthew 5:13-16).
The reason we want to be a church that changes the city of Bowie, Maryland is because we believe that the Gospel changes lives and we want our city to be a place where glory is given to Jesus by all.
Through our love for Jesus, our love for people, and our desire to change the city of Bowie, Maryland through the Gospel, we are working to be a church that brings glory to Jesus.