An extract from an article in Relevant Magazine

Our mission is no smaller than the early church’s, no less risky. Yet we have caved in. We have surrendered to large budgets, political power and persuasive rhetoric. In many respects, we have lost the core of our message: We are a community of ragged pilgrims, a simple band who understands that the Kingdom is not something we build “out there,” but it is something we live “in here.”

And so we gather. And we bemoan our culture and raise our funds so we can build our castles. We invoke biblical principles to move each other toward moral living. We offer words to the world, but we rarely offer our heart. We have strategy and books and cultural acumen. We are wealthy and educated and powerful. And the world is unmoved.

For we don’t share our lives together, praying lives or praying meals. And we don’t truly live together. And we don’t love.

And the world isn’t changed.

We came up with a Statement of Faith, and it's shown below. You can ask why we need it, and what we're going to do with it, and so did we at some length, but there it is.
I accept that the final statement is a bit of an anomaly. The preceding statements are really thought of as non-negotiables, but the final one comes from two roots - one is that it's a reaction to many such statements that I find difficult to read without shouting or thumping the table. The other root is one of humility - I don't think we know all there is to know about God, and to think that we can tie Him down to such a form of words would be an extreme form of arrogance. I believe this statement says exactly the same as certain other 'Evangelical' statements, just in different words.
Feedback welcomed.

Statement of Faith
• We believe in God who made the universe.
• Jesus is God in human form. Jesus’ death and resurrection made it possible for humans to have a relationship with God, which is pretty important.
• The Holy Spirit is a bit of a mystery for whom we're very grateful for making God real to us and in us.
• We don't naturally live how God would have us live. As God becomes real in us, however, we believe in the possibility of change.
• The Bible is a collection of stories, poetry and mystery inspired by God. It is useful for helping us to know God and how we are meant to live.
• The church is the gathering of believers.
• We live in hope that we will one day live fully in God's presence.
• We do not think we’ve got it right; therefore we regard this statement as subject to modification and correction. We value dialogue with those who seek to know God.