What We Believe
A church for all peoples

We at Washington Community Fellowship seek to equip each other in embracing, living, and proclaiming God's saving love, healing, and hope. We are committed to embodying personal transformation, authentic community, vibrant worship and social impact in Washington, DC and beyond. 

WCF is a multi-denominational community with diversity in theological traditions. On matters not explicitly covered by the doctrinal statement, WCF commits itself to respect the different theological traditions of faith among the membership, being ready in the Spirit of Christ to encourage and exhort all members toward greater fidelity to the Scriptures. 

 

Our Core Values

WCF is a worshiping community that values:

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Community
Evidencing invitation, joy, freedom and healing through loving and honest relationships, mutual submission and intimacy with God and others.
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Connections
Fostering relationships of mutuality and responsibility within our local settings and beyond-denominationally, nationally and globally.
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Discipleship
Nurturing faithful obedience to Jesus according to God’s word and by the Spirit with commitment to evangelism, spiritual disciplines and service.
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Diversity
Respecting the variety of denominations, backgrounds, traditions, cultures and ages that come together in the body of Christ.
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Gifting
Discerning God’s call and vocation for our lives by the use of gifts, regardless of race, class, educational and economic background, gender and age.
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Leadership
Providing spiritual oversight and exercising mutual accountability in all areas of our congregational vision, mission, core values and strategies.
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Neighborhood Relevancy

Responding to the surrounding needs and challenges as we work with others for the neighborhood’s common good and well-being.

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Racial Justice
Addressing prevalent and specific attitudes, behaviors and structures that deny opportunities and power because of racial identification.
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Reconciliation
Living out restored, transformed and loving relationships between God and us, our homes, neighborhoods, workplaces and institutions.
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Stewardship

Being faithful managers of all that we are and have in service to God and humanity.

Shared Beliefs

The doctrinal statement of Washington Community Fellowship consists of the Covenant of Membership (below) and the Lausanne Covenant of the International Congress of World Evangelization. 

 

WCF COVENANT OF MEMBERSHIP

We confess together the historic faith of the Christian Church as expressed in the Apostles’ Creed: I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth: and in Jesus Christ His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried, He descended into hell, the third day He arose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

  1. We confess Jesus Christ, God’s Son, as Savior. Accepting His forgiving and transforming grace, we yield fully to His Lordship as participants in the family of Christ, expressed in the local church.
  2. We commit ourselves to live by the authority of God’s Word as disciples of Christ, to share with this Fellowship the responsibility to interpret the Scripture in the spirit of Christ.
  3. We will share the witness of this Covenant with Christ by water baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
  4. We open ourselves to the inner presence and freedom of the Holy Spirit, which is received from the Lord Jesus in grace. We acknowledge the power of the Holy Spirit to enrich our lives by His fruit and His gifts, to fill our lives to magnify Christ in deeds and words, incorporating us into the new order which He is creating.
  5. We covenant together to seek first the Kingdom of God, to encourage one another by positive expressions of love and forgiveness, to partake of the Lord’s Supper together, and to share responsibility in receiving and giving correction according to the teachings of Christ.
  6. We recognize in Jesus Christ the way of love and reconciliation and that this is God’s will for His people. Inasmuch as Christ is our example, we commit ourselves to support the Church in its work for peace and, by God’s grace, will live at peace with all persons according to the level of our understanding. We commit ourselves with integrity to alternatives to violent resolution of conflict, whether on a personal or a national level, in recognition of Christ’s call to be peacemakers.
  7. We recognize that each person is created in the image of God, and will seek equity, justice, freedom, and human rights for all peoples. By the fellowship of love which bridges class, racial, gender, and cultural differences, we will demonstrate the oneness of the body of Christ with the diversity of its parts.
  8. We recognize God as the owner of our lives and resources, and will practice proportionate giving from our resources. We seek to be wise stewards of time, talents, and material resources to assist one another in the Fellowship and to minister to a needy world.
  9. We commit ourselves to share the love and faith of Christ in evangelistic witness in ways appropriate and consistent with the nature of our faith in Christ.
  10. We believe in the personal return of our Lord Jesus Christ, and emphasize the victory of the risen Christ and anticipate joyously His coming!
A Third Way Approach to LGBTQ Inclusion

Persons identifying as LGBTQ+ are welcome at WCF. Gender identity and sexual orientation bar no one from participating fully in the life of our congregation. We are glad for all who come to worship God and share their gifts as we seek to know, follow and serve Jesus together. We have a variety of beliefs and convictions about sexuality and gender. We are neither thoroughly “affirming" nor thoroughly “traditional" as a faith community.  Read about WCF's Third-Way Approach to LGBTQ Inclusion Amid Differences at Washington Community Fellowship here.

Baptism and Communion at WCF

Jesus instructed his followers to receive baptism and communion as regular practices (also called sacraments, or ordinances, depending on the Christian tradition you are familiar with). What might these practices look like at a multi-denominational faith community like WCF?

The elders and our coordinator for children's ministry have collaborated upon a document to share with our community. This document attempts to address how we might navigate and learn from various traditions. Read the document on Baptism and Communion at WCF here.