The Neighborhood Church officially began in November 2016 after re-locating and re-planting in Garland. Our mission is to follow Jesus together for God’s kingdom in our neighborhood. Our hope is that we continue to become a church in the neighborhood and for the neighborhood that reflects the neighborhood in all its diversity.


We serve alongside several local and global partners to bless our neighbors both here in town and around the world.


We have all sorts of people in our community — people that have come from a variety of religious and cultural backgrounds and people who have only recently been introduced to Jesus and his way. What binds us all together is a love for Jesus and others. 


You can meet our pastors here.


We confess these central beliefs found in the Apostles Creed that unite Christians throughout the world. Scroll down to find out more about our core practices and core convictions.


I believe in God, the Father almighty,

    creator of heaven and earth;

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.

    He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit

        and born of the Virgin Mary.

    He suffered under Pontius Pilate,

        was crucified, died, and was buried.

    He descended to the dead.

    On the third day he rose again.

    He ascended into heaven,

        and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

    He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

    the holy catholic Church,

    the communion of saints,

    the forgiveness of sins

    the resurrection of the body,

    and the life everlasting. Amen.

ABOUT US

CORE PRACTICES

The Christian life is meant to be lived, not just believed. 

Our 5 Core Practices summarize our humble intention to live our faith:


1. FOLLOW JESUS

We commit to be with Jesus to learn from Jesus how to live like Jesus in our everyday life.


2. LOVE NEIGHBOR

We commit to love others as ourselves regardless of race, background, ethnicity, orientation, or status.


3. GROW DISCIPLES

We commit to invite people into a relationship with Jesus by baptizing, teaching, and sending them on mission.


4. CREATE SPACE

We commit to make time for God and others for transformational relationships to grow.


5. BRING PEACE

We commit to partner with God in his mission to bring his Shalom (holistic peace and well-being) to our neighborhood and world.

When we discovered the convictions outlined by the Anabaptist Network in the UK, we felt as though we were looking into a mirror. We are a non-denominational church, governed by our own leadership and do not formally belong to any Christian denomination or organization — the Anabaptist Network included. However, these convictions articulate the kind of theological distinctions that have grown from our life of following Jesus together for his kingdom in our neighborhood, and have helped form a framework for the kind of thinking, teaching, and practice you'll find at The Neighborhood Church.


1. WE’RE ALL ABOUT JESUS

Jesus is our example, teacher, friend, redeemer, and Lord. He is the source of our life, the central reference point for our faith and lifestyle, our understanding of church, and our engagement with society. We are committed to follow Jesus and worshiping him.


2. WE'RE JESUS-CENTERED BIBLE READERS

Jesus is the focal point of God’s revelation. We are committed to a Jesus-centered approach to the Bible, and to the community of faith as the primary context in which we read the Bible and discern and apply its implications for discipleship.


3. WE'RE CALLED TO BE DISTINCT

Western culture is slowly emerging from the Christendom era, when church and state jointly presided over a society in which almost all were assumed to be Christian. Whatever its positive contributions on values and institutions, Christendom seriously distorted the gospel, marginalized Jesus, and has left churches ill-equipped for mission in a post-Christendom culture. As we reflect on this, we are committed to learning from the experience and perspectives of movements such as Anabaptism that rejected standard Christendom assumptions and pursued alternative ways of thinking and behaving.


4. WE'RE CALLED TO SERVE THE LEAST

The frequent association of the church with status, wealth, and force is inappropriate for followers of Jesus and damages our witness. We are committed to exploring ways of being good news to the poor, powerless, and persecuted, aware that such discipleship may attract opposition, resulting in suffering and sometimes ultimately martyrdom.


5. WE'RE CALLED TO BE A COMMUNITY OF DISCIPLES

Churches are called to be committed communities of discipleship and mission, places of friendship, mutual accountability, and multi-voiced worship. As we eat together, sharing bread and wine, we sustain hope as we seek God’s kingdom together. We are committed to nurturing and developing such churches, in which young and old are valued, leadership is consultative, roles are related to gifts rather than gender and baptism is for believers.


6. WE'RE CALLED TO SIMPLICITY, GENEROSITY & JUSTICE

Spirituality and economics are inter-connected. In an individualist and consumerist culture and in a world where economic injustice is rife, we are committed to finding ways of living simply, sharing generously, caring for creation, and working for justice.


7. WE'RE CALLED TO BE PEACEMAKERS

Peace is at the heart of the gospel. As followers of Jesus in a divided and violent world, we are committed to finding non-violent alternatives and to learning how to make peace between individuals, within and among churches, in society, and between nations.


For a great introduction into these convictions and Anabaptism, we recommend The Naked Anabaptist by Stuart Murray.

CORE CONVICTIONS