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Transformational Discipleship

(Matthew 28:16-20, Romans 6:22-23,2 Corinthians 3:18, 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8)

Those who follow Jesus are called to be his disciples and to learn and grow as they walk the journey of faith with him. The last instructions Jesus gave to his followers was to make disciples and to teach them to observe all that he commanded. This mandate is the same for the church today. Discipleship is meant to be transformational in that our minds and hearts are to be renewed and conformed to what God has said in his word which leads to our lives and actions being transformed as well. Discipleship is a lifelong commitment of following Jesus, repentance of sin, conforming our thoughts towards a biblical worldview, seeing victory over the bondage of sin in our lives, transforming our actions to fit what God’s word calls us to, and walking in freedom and holiness through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is God who works in and through us to accomplish these things if we are willing to learn and grow in the grace that he gives us through his word, his church and his Spirit.

Loving Community

(Acts 2:42-47, John 3:16-17, John 15:12, Mark 12:28-31, James 5:13-20, Romans 5:6-8)

God has called us to live in community with one another - not like the world shows community, but in true, loving community. A loving community demonstrates to each other sacrifice, authenticity, transparency, grace and truth. All are welcome because the very thing that gives us salvation, the death and resurrection of Jesus, was done out of God’s love for all humanity no matter what they have done or where they are at in life. We are called to love everyone as Christ loved us and his love comes without conditions. The greatest commandments are to love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself. A loving community seeks to demonstrate and live out this kind of love. We are called to pray for each other, confess our sins to one another, and challenge one another to live a life that conforms to God’s word. True loving community is also willing to challenge and rebuke others who have placed their faith in Jesus, and to examine whether their choices and actions line up with how God has told us to live in order to experience the abundant life he offers us. This is done in a spirit of love and grace and not in a spirit of judgement and condemnation. A loving community seeks to be both accepting to all and to maintain a biblical worldview to change those who come in contact with it.

Missional Mindset

(Matthew 28:19, Mark 10:42-45, 2 Corinthians 9:10-15, Philippians 2:3-8)

Those who believe in Jesus are meant to set aside their own interests for the interests of others. As believers we are called to share the gospel, serve those in need, give of our time, be generous with our money, and seek to be lights to the world around us. Jesus wants to build his church and the vehicle he uses to do that are those that confess their faith in him and call themselves his disciples. Jesus himself came to serve a broken and fallen world and we should follow in his footsteps. He came to shine light in the darkness so those who believe in him should not shy away from going into the places that need light the most. Jesus had everything as God but yet gave all so that we could come to know him and have a relationship with God. We also should seek to be generous with the time, talents, abilities, and finances that God has blessed us with to help others come to know God and see his love in their lives. If we live a life of mission in all areas we can change the world around us, people will come to know him, and God will be glorified because of how we live here on earth.

Spiritual Awareness

(John 4:23-24, Acts 1:8, 1 Corinthians 2:4-11, Ephesians 6:12, Jude 18-21)

We seek to be spiritually aware of all things including spiritual warfare, spiritual gifts, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the power of prayer. What we see around us in the physical world is only part of the reality in which we live. There is a spiritual realm that we cannot see and anyone who follows Jesus should come to acknowledge that. Far too often Christians live as “practical atheists”, ignoring or highly downplaying the spiritual reality which exists outside of our physical eyes. God is spirit and calls us to worship him in spirit and truth. The Holy Spirit (part of the trinity of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit) dwells in believers and guides us into the truths of God. We seek to see and understand manifestations of the Spirit as they are described in scripture and be open to what the Holy Spirit has for us. The Holy Spirit also bestows on us gifts which are to be used to spread the good news of Jesus and build up his church. We also pray with the power of the Holy Spirit as we make our praises and requests known to God. Our adversary the devil and his demons war against us in the spiritual realm and, along with that, angels inhabit the heavens in the spiritual realm. These are all things that we cannot see, but must be aware of despite that.

Scriptural Authority

(2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Throughout history the church has stood on the authority of scripture as its basis for doctrine, theology, life and worldview. The Bible is both human and divine being breathed by God and written through the hands of human authors. It contains many different forms of writing used to convey the truth of God to all humanity. The 66 books contained within the Bible have been passed down throughout history through the workings of the Holy Spirit to give us what is the authoritative word of God. Scripture is the final authority on life, faith, salvation and truth. We seek to be correct in our interpretation, teaching, and application of scripture as the authoritative word of God and seek to understand all things based on the Bible and what it says to us.

Meet our Staff

non denominational church near me

Brandon Stiffler

*brandon.stiffler@anchorindiana.com*
Brandon is an Indiana, PA native and holds a Bachelors in Religious Studies From IUP. Brandon is currently finishing his Masters of Theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Chicago.
He is passionate about people knowing the love of Jesus and making the Bible relatable to everyone. Married since 2012 to his wife Jill, they both enjoy traveling, cooking, and of course, coffee!

**Abigail Lloyd,** Community & Young Adult Pastor
*abigail.lloyd@anchorindiana.com*

**Benjamin Lloyd,** Community Outreach Coordinator
*ben.lloyd@anchorindiana.com*

**Jenna Mack**, Worship Director
*jenna.mack@anchorindiana.com*

FAQ

Q: What type of church is Anchor Indiana?

A: Anchor Indiana is a nondenominational contemporary church in Indiana, PA that strives to be biblically based, loving, spirit led and welcoming to all.

Q: What does it mean to go to a nondenominational church?

A: Simply put, going to a nondenominational church means that a particular church is not affiliated with a larger group of churches, is self governed, and acts independently of any sort of organization outside of it.

Q: What are the beliefs of a nondenominational church?

A: A nondenominational church will have its own doctrinal statement where you can see what that particular church believes. For Anchor Indiana it is inline with historical christianity beliefs.

Q: How do I find a church that’s right for me?

A: To find a church that is right for you it is good to go to multiple types of churches to see what you are looking for. It will also be helpful to ask people who go to different churches what the experience is like and why they go to a particular church to see if you feel you would also like attending.

Q: How do people find a church?

A: Many people find a church through an online search or through recommendations of other people they know.

Q: What are the signs of a good church?

A: A good church is one that believes in the gospel of Jesus which is that Jesus is God who became a man to give up his life and rise from the dead to forgive us of our sins and defeat death for us so that if we believe that we have eternal life. They will believe that the bible is true in what it says, people within the church love others, it is a place where you can feel like you belong, and a place where you are challenged in your walk with Jesus in order to grow.

What does it mean to go to a nondenominational church?