At Midtown, we believe Christianity is ultimately about a relationship with Jesus Christ that transforms every part of life. Whether you're a lifelong Christian, a skeptic, deconstructing your faith, or simply exploring spiritual questions, we want you to know that you are welcome: to explore, to wonder, to wrestle, to learn, and to grow.. Our beliefs are rooted in historic Christianity, shaped by the Reformed tradition, and centered on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Summaries of these core beliefs are included below, and are expounded upon in our essential tenets at this link.

We Believe God Is Revealed Through Jesus

We believe God has made Himself known through the Scriptures and most fully through Jesus Christ - the bible is the word which points to the Word in Jesus. In Jesus, we see what God is like: compassionate, holy, gracious, truthful, and relentlessly committed to restoring His creation.

We Believe Every Person Matters

Every human being is created in the image of God and possesses inherent dignity, worth, and purpose. We were created to know God, enjoy Him, and participate in His work of cultivating life and flourishing in the world.

We Believe the World Is Broken

The beauty of God's creation has been disrupted by sin. Brokenness affects every part of our lives: our relationships, communities, systems, and even our own hearts. We believe humanity cannot heal itself or the world apart from God's initiating and sustaining grace.

We Believe Jesus Is Our Hope

The good news of Christianity is that God has not abandoned the world. In Jesus Christ, God entered into our suffering, conquered sin and death through His life, cross, and resurrection, and opened the way to forgiveness, reconciliation, and new life. Salvation is a gift of grace, not something we earn through performance, morality, or religious effort.

We Believe God Forms a New Family

Through faith in Jesus, people are welcomed into God's family and joined together as the Church, a community learning to be with Jesus, belong to one another, and bless the world. The Church exists not for itself, but as a living witness to God's Kingdom of love, justice, mercy, and reconciliation.

We Believe Jesus Changes Lives

Following Jesus is more than agreeing with certain ideas. It is an ongoing process of transformation through the power of the Holy Spirit. Every area of life–our relationships, work, habits, values, and hopes–is invited into God's renewing work. We believe no one is beyond God's grace, and no one has fully arrived. We are all learning to become more like Jesus together.

Our Reformed Heritage

Midtown is part of the Reformed tradition, a stream of Christianity that emerged from the Protestant Reformation. Reformed Christians emphasize God's grace, the reliability and authority of Scripture, the centrality of Jesus Christ, and God's work of renewing all things. While we value this tradition as formative, our primary identity is not found in a denomination but in following Jesus and participating in His mission in the world, and are grateful for the diverse witness of Christians throughout history across all traditions.

Our Presbyterian Identity

As a Presbyterian church, we are led by pastors and elected elders who share responsibility for the spiritual health and direction of the congregation. We are connected to a larger network of churches through ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians, which provides accountability, support, and shared mission. Church membership–what we call Covenant Partnership–is available for those who have professed faith in Jesus and desire to actively participate in the life and mission of Midtown. However, everyone is welcome to attend, belong, ask questions, and receive care regardless of where they are on their spiritual journey.

Men and Women in Shared Leadership

Midtown affirms the calling of both women and men to all areas of leadership, teaching, ministry, and service within the church. We affirm the truth that the biblical story begins with men and women partnering together in God's mission and moves toward the restoration of that partnership through Jesus Christ. Because of this conviction, women serve throughout Midtown in all forms of leadership, teaching, preaching, discipleship, and pastoral ministry. To explore this topic more deeply, feel free to reach out to our pastoral staff or to explore any of the resources below:

1. Philip Payne, The Bible vs. Biblical Womanhood and Man and Woman, One in Christ: accessible and thorough treatments of the biblical texts often debated in conversations about women in ministry

2. Nijay Gupta's work on why he moved from complementarianism to egalitarianism after extensive biblical and historical study

3. N.T. Wright's lectures and writings on women in ministry and the biblical vision of shared leadership

4. Esau McCaulley's reflections on women serving and leading in the New Testament church

5. Beth Allison Barr's The Making of Biblical Womanhood and the primary source collection, Ordained Women in the Church: A Documentary History for a historical perspective on women's leadership throughout church history.

Marriage, Sexuality, and Christian Discipleship

We believe that God's design for marriage is a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman, reflecting Christ's faithful love for His Church. At the same time, we believe every person is created in the image of God and worthy of dignity, respect, friendship, and love. We affirm and honor the faithful witness of Christians who pursue holiness through celibacy, deep spiritual friendship, and lives fully devoted to Christ. As with every area of discipleship, we seek to approach questions of sexuality with both conviction and compassion, trusting that God's grace meets each of us as we seek to follow Jesus.

If you'd like to learn more about any of these beliefs, we'd love to have a conversation. Midtown is a place where questions are welcome, doubts can be explored honestly, and people are invited to discover life with Jesus together - please don’t hesitate to reach out to our staff or elders on these or any other topics that pique your interest. At the very least, you’ll get a free coffee from us out of it!