Our Name

A familiar tree to the city of St. Augustine, the cedar is easily recognizable around town. In the book of Ezekiel, a towering and wide-spreading cedar tree gives shade, refuge, relief, and comfort. Further, the Bible describes the cedar tree as strong and durable; graceful, high, and beautiful; fragrant and wide-spreading.

Cedar Church desires to be those descriptors--both a place of refuge and a strong tower for the city of St. Augustine.

Our Vision
We exist to wholeheartedly love God and others and to make & multiply disciples.
We believe the local church must live out both The Great Commandment and The Great Commission. We do this on Sunday as the gathered church and throughout the week as the scattered church--in our neighborhoods and workplaces, our grocery stores and coffee shops, our athletic fields and parks.

Our Values

**ROOTED IN THE GOSPEL**
We believe the Bible is true and therefore has authority over our lives. In the Bible, we find the Gospel, the announcement of the forgiveness of sin through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This news transforms our hearts and raises people from spiritual death to life.
**AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY**
Cedar Church prioritizes relationships, just as Jesus did. This includes everything from close friendships to formal partnerships, particularly those which are diverse and intergenerational. We share meals, encourage one another during trials, and remind one another of gospel truths.
**CREATIVITY & EMOTION**
We are designed by a majestic God who handcrafts each one of us. Made in His image, we reflect that creativity in all we do. Further, the Bible calls us to mourn with those who mourn and rejoice with those who rejoice, to be transparent worshipers.
**SERVANT LEADERSHIP**
Followers of Christ are serious about serving others. In our daily lives, we think of our neighbors first, and we pursue mercy and justice. We lead a sacrificial lifestyle; we are generous with our friendships and our finances.
**REST & RENEWAL**
The gospel proclaims the renewal of all things, and often we find this renewal through rest. Only when we submit to the idea that all is Christ’s can we find “soul rest” in Christ. By giving our calendars to Christ and his purpose, we supernaturally find more time to serve others.
**GROWTH**
Christians are commanded to make disciples. Through deep and purposeful discipleship, we multiply as individuals through personal, everyday evangelism and neighborhood witness and as a church through regional, domestic, and international partnerships and expansion.

Our Doctrine

Cedar Church is a non-denominational church. As a Harbor Network church, we submit to the following doctrinal convictions:

Reformational Our theology is rooted in the Protestant Reformation--that salvation can only be found in the five solas: in God’s Word (sola scriptura) and by grace alone (sola gratia) through faith alone (sola fide) in Christ alone (solo Christo) and for God’s glory alone (soli Deo gloria). We sit under the authority of God's Word and rest under His sovereign rule. We therefore trust in God's promises as we faithfully produce good works, including evangelistic efforts.

Baptistic We believe baptism is an outward expression of an inward decision to follow Jesus Christ. We practice baptism by immersion. We believe baptism symbolizes dying to our old self and rising from the water, now cleansed by the blood of Christ, as a new creation.

Complementarian We believe that God uniquely created two complementary genders, man and woman--and that each gender is gifted with distinct, beautiful, and necessary roles that allow the church to flourish. We rely on Scripture to define those roles; in particular, we believe that the position of pastor or elder is reserved for men. As the word complement suggests, however, we further believe that the church cannot flourish without both genders, and we honor and celebrate the many gifts women bring to the church that men cannot.

Our Structure

Cedar Church is elder-led and deacon-served.

One of the many gifts God has given the church is shepherds for His flock. We call these shepherds pastors and elders. Yet He, in His wisdom, has also given the church deacons, a role we believe is for men and women, to serve the body. This beautiful picture reinforces our belief that God designed the church to be led by a team. And not just a team, but a diverse team led by a desire to pursue the varied community of which we are a part--people from different cultural, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds.

For Harbor Network's beliefs in their entirety, please visit HARBOR NETWORK.
Further, Harbor adopts the theological confession written by The Gospel Coalition. That document can be found at THE GOSPEL COALITION.