About Us
Our Story
We are a non-denominational, local church
In 2021, there were two local churches reeling from the pandemic and trying to make sense of a very different reality.
GVF (Grace Valley Fellowship) was a growing congregation, with strong leadership, but they were meeting in a field.
CBC (Calvary Bible Church) was without a pastor but had this beautiful corner property that they prayed about filling to the brim.
God was beginning a work…
In March 2022, CBC and GVF voted to merge their congregations and move into CBC’s building. The two congregations began meeting together on March 27, 2022.
In order to reflect the new work God was doing in our midst; and to step into this new season of unity, we decided to change our name.
On January 6, 2023, we became New Story Church. It is fresh, and it is going to take a while to get used to, and a while to roll out in its entirety, but we are excited about this new work and look forward to living into this new name and new story.
Our Beliefs
At New Story, our aim is to be
‘merely Christian‘
We believe:
The Bible is inspired by God and the final authority in faith and life.
There is one God who exists in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man.
All of humanity is spiritually lost and without hope apart from God's special intervention.
The only solution for our spiritually lost state is to be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ, whose death and bodily resurrection make a relationship with God possible.
This new relationship with God is a free gift, by grace, and it is offered to all who put their faith in Jesus Christ. It cannot be achieved by good works nor is it given according to race, status, or ability—salvation is through faith alone and by grace alone for all eternity.
Jesus Christ will physically return to judge both the living and the dead and to establish his kingdom forever.
If you would like a copy of our full statement of faith, click here.
While there are a lot of different views within the church on a lot of different and important issues, our desire is to major on what's most important. And what's most important to us, bar none, is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
When it comes to what we believe, the last thing we want to be is on the cutting edge or innovative. Our core beliefs reflect the foundational beliefs of the historic Christian church.
Our Mission
To make disciples who make disciples
‘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.’ Matthew 28:19-20a
Our Vision
To be a church where life transformation is normal
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2
In order to fulfill our vision we have three different focus areas (facilities, pathways and a rule of life), but the root of it all is spiritual formation. We know that our culture is formed by our habits, our relationships, the stories we tell ourselves plus our experiences over time. Our vision hinges on helping people see where their story intersects with God’s and inviting them into a whole new story.
Our Values
At New Story, we have 8 ‘house rules’:
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We know that God’s kingdom is SO MUCH GREATER than our little church. We want to partner with (not compete with) other churches, ministries, and organizations to serve Kingdom purposes.
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At the very heart of what we believe is not a list of rules or systems or ideals of perfection. It’s a relationship with a person: Jesus.
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There should be a direct relationship between the quality of relational commitment and your right to speak hard truths into someone’s life (confrontation). If your willingness to confront exceeds your level of relational commitment, you are a jerk. If your level of relational commitment exceeds your willingness to confront, you are a coward.
Speaking the truth in love. Ephesians 4:15
A guide to how we live this: We never want to be clearer than the Scriptures. But, where the Scriptures are clear, we never want to be unclear.
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At New Story, a leader should be the first to confess, the first to show vulnerability, and the first to say: “I’m sorry.” Some call this “authenticity.” At New Story, we call this being a Christian.
See 1 Corinthians 2:3-5; 1 Timothy 1:15-16
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Messed up people shouldn’t run away from the church, they should run to it. If we cannot talk about what’s really wrong, we’ll never get help, never deal with it, never heal, and never be able to help others. At New Story, it’s okay to not be okay, but just not okay to stay that way.
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We don’t believe that God is ever done with us. Whether you are just exploring this whole church thing or grew up a 3rd generation preacher’s kid, we want to help you take your next step.
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All of us are living a story. It’s human. We want our people to flavor & preserve every bit of our community: the schools, the government, arts & entertainment, social services, local businesses, sports, etc. The reason we meet as a church on Sundays is so that we are equipped to be the church for our community the rest of the week.
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Jesus did not come into the world to condemn the world but to save it by laying down His life (John 3:17). That’s New Story’s calling as well.