Our Vision
To reflect the grace and truth of Jesus Christ to Los Angeles and the world.
Our Mission
To revive believers, reach friends, and reflect Christ.
Revive Believers
“Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your steadfast love, o Lord, and grant us your salvation. Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for He will speak peace to His people, to His saints; but let them not turn back to folly. Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land.” —Psalm 85:6-9
In our culture there is a significant number of people who “used to go to church.” For varying reasons, many have lost the heart for church community. Our mission to REVIVE BELIEVERS begins with the proclamation of God’s love for us, which produces love for Him. All of us need to experience the kindness of Jesus found in the Gospel of Grace before we will ever turn from our own way and follow the Lord again. A church culture of genuine friendliness and warmth is critical to this end.
Martin Luther’s first Reformation Thesis was “Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.” We’re called to grow in our comprehension of the Good News of life in Christ, which produces greater love for God and others. Only when we REVIVE BELIEVERS will they engage with mission.
Reach Friends
“One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, ‘we have found the messiah’ (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, ‘you are Simon the son of john. You shall be called Cephas’ (Which means Peter).”— John 1:40-42
The first person who is recorded telling another about Jesus was the Apostle Andrew. Who did he tell? His brother, Simon. Simon would meet Jesus, who would give him a new identity as a Christ-follower and a new name: Peter. While the New Testament says little about the future of Andrew, Peter went on to be the Apostolic “rock” of the church, the purported first Bishop of Rome, and author of multiple New Testament books.
Even Peter came to know Jesus Christ only when a loved one enthusiastically and naturally determined to REACH FRIENDS.
People come to faith when their friends and family are excited enough about it to share it with them. The mission of Jesus is to REACH FRIENDS with the Gospel (“good news”) that people can be restored through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus to their created purpose to be in fellowship with God. However, our church’s mission to reach others will only be carried out when believers daily comprehend the grace and love of God in Christ, and then tell friends and family about the Lord Jesus.
Reflect Christ
“And the scroll of the Prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, ‘the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’” — Luke 4:17-19
Jesus clearly stated His mission in His hometown synagogue when He read from the Prophet Isaiah and then declared He was the fulfillment of that prophecy. When revived believers and the friends they’ve told about Jesus come together, they form the physical representation of Christ in this world. The Scriptures call the church “The Body of Christ.” We are His hands and feet, and we carry out His mission.
Since we are the redeemed children of God, He works through us to proclaim good news to the poor, and liberty to the captives and the oppressed. Our ambition is to REFLECT CHRIST through our works of service, love, justice, transformation and renewal. As daughters and sons of the King, we seek to identify the distorted aspects of culture and reorient them toward their true end – to bring glory and honor to God.
Our Values
I. Genuine Community
THE CHAPEL at Pasadena strives to be a friendly, welcoming community where relational warmth and authentic friendships thrive. Our ability to love others and be loved for who we are is only possible when we know and understand the love God has for us (1 John 4:7-12 & Colossians 3:12-15).
Within Genuine Community we believe Scripture directs us to promote:
- Connection – Our hope is that people find real friends within their church.
- Care – Believers pray together, pray for each other and serve one another.
- Discipleship – Following Jesus is what knits us together as a community.
II. Growing Humility
We’re called to grow in our reflection of Jesus’ character. Scripture says that we are to have the same humble mindset as Christ. Jesus defined greatness through service, so we aim to make much of Him and little of ourselves. We are growing in our humility at Prism. To that end, we prize our light-hearted culture that is serious about following Jesus, but doesn’t take ourselves too seriously (Philippians 2:1-4 & Romans 12:3-5).
We believe that Growing Humility puts others first and is demonstrated:
- Before God – We honor God’s Holiness, knowing all we have is by grace alone.
- Between One Another – We love each other well only through mutual humility.
- Before our World – We love those in need, who are greatest in God’s Kingdom.
III. Gospel Clarity
The “Good News” of Jesus Christ is that through His life, death and resurrection, our Lord has made His children acceptable to the Father. We’re forgiven for sin through His substitutionary death and have been bequeathed his righteousness through faith. We worship God and serve Him because we’re saved by grace alone, so no one can boast they deserve His gift. This Gospel is the lens through which we see all of life (Ephesians 2:8-10 & Titus 3:4-7).
We strive for clearly communicating the Gospel’s meaning and application in:
- Our Message – We teach all of the Scriptures in light of the Gospel.
- Our Motivation – We trust & obey Jesus because we are saved by grace alone.
- Our Mission – All we do for God is to shine the light of Christ’s Gospel grace.
IV. God’s Proclamations
We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the revealed Word of God to humanity. They were written by human authors, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and without error in their original writings. God’s Word (given through the Old Testament Prophets and New Testament Apostles) is living and active, powered by the Spirit, and our final authority in all matters of faith and practice (John 14:25-26 & 2 Timothy 3:14-17).
As a Scripture affirming church, we see the primacy of God’s Proclamations in:
- Our Methodology – Our vision, mission and values are founded on Scripture.
- Our Theology – All we believe & teach about God comes from His Holy Word.
- Our Doxology – All of our worship and practice is guided by the Bible.