WHO WE ARE

We are an Evangelical church made up of a diverse group of people in Florence with a common identity in the Gospel and a common desire to see Jesus truly known in our city and beyond.

Who we are can best be summarised by three words: Gospel, Community, and Mission.

Gospel

The Gospel is at the center of all we do. The good news of Jesus Christ’s life, death, resurrection, and ascension gives us our identity (community) and purpose (mission).

Community

We are not saved to live in isolation, but in community. The church is a family of people committed to live life together for the purpose of worshipping our common Savior, encouraging each other to doing good works, and reaching our world with the Gospel.

Mission

The good news of God’s plan of redemption through His Son Jesus is our constant anthem. God’s people, the church, are called to proclaim His praises to the world and make disciples of every nation. We as a church are committed to doing so together.

What is the Gospel?

The word “Gospel” literally means “good news.” Specifically, it is the good news of how Jesus did for us what we could never do for ourselves, that is, to live a sinless life and die for our sins. Now through faith, and faith alone in Jesus Christ alone, we can be reconciled to God and have eternal life.

Individually

1. God – The Sovereign, Perfect, King has created all things for His glory.
2. Man/Sin – Humanity has chosen disobedience (sin), with the penalty being eternal death.
3. Christ – Out of love and grace, God became flesh, lived a sinless life, and died as our substitute for the penalty for our sins.
4. Response – By faith alone in what Jesus did and not by any good works of our own, we are completely saved from the penalty and power of sin and given eternal life (salvation).

This perspective helps us see our own individual need for reconciliation with God because of our sin. Through faith in Jesus’ finished work on the cross, we are justified in God’s sight forever. The good news is that salvation is a gift to be received, not a reward to be earned.

Romans 3:23, 6:23, 5:8; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 3:16

Universally

1. Creation – God created a perfect world.
2. Fall – Man’s sin brought a curse on all things.
3. Redemption – Through Jesus, God is renewing all things, including humanity.
4. Restoration – One day all things will be new, just as they were before sin.

This perspective helps us see our part in a bigger story of what God is doing in history. Those who through faith accept Jesus as their Savior are part of a new people, called the Church. The good news is that the broken world we all live in now will not last forever but will be restored.

Genesis 1; Romans 8:19-22; Revelation 21

“I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.” -JESUS IN JOHN 8:12

Our Beliefs

The Bible

We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, ultimately authored by the triune God, focused on Jesus Christ, written by men under the influence of the Holy Spirit, possessing supreme authority in all matters of faith and practice.

The Trinity

We believe that there is one living and true God, an eternal community of divine persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), who are equal in every way, operating in distinct and complementary ways throughout the history of creation, fall, redemption, and new creation.

God the Father

We believe in God, the Father, a personal being, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love. We believe that his mission is to magnify the riches of his mercy by redeeming the brokenness and sin of all who trust in Jesus Christ and in renewing the whole world.

Jesus Christ

We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, sent by the Father and incarnated by the Holy Spirit. We believe in his sinless life, miracles and teachings. We believe in His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, continual prayer for his people, and personal visible return to earth.

The Holy Spirit

We believe in the Holy Spirit, sent from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgement, and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ and equips them with gifts to serve the church.

Man, Sin, Salvation

We believe that all people are created in the glorious image of God, disfigured by Adam’s sin, which is inherited and reflected by all humanity. As a result, all humanity is under the just condemnation of the one, true, holy God. However, we joyfully believe that all who repent of their sin and trust Jesus Christ as their Redeemer are delivered from condemnation and renewed in the image of God.

The Church

We believe the Church is made up of all believers everywhere in the world, and locally the church is a group of believers who are organized to worship God, preach the Gospel among all nations, and demonstrate its commitment to Christ by compassionate service to the needs of human beings and by promoting righteousness and justice.

The Ordinances

We believe Jesus gave the Church two ordinances: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We believe baptism is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer’s faith in Jesus, the believer’s death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. We believe the Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of obedience and through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, we memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming.

Christian Conduct

We believe that Christians should live for the glory of God and the good of others, that their conduct should be like Christ’s rendered possible by the gospel.

Future Things

We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the renewal of all things. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal joy of the redeemed, and the endless suffering of the wicked.

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.”

Ephesians 2:19-20

WHY MOSAICO?

Florence, Italy is a city with incredible history. Considered the birthplace of the Renaissance, it has long been a center of philosophy, culture, and art. Whether one visits the world-renowned Uffizi Gallery or simply walks through the aesthetically pleasing city center, the city’s passion for art is unmistakable. Of the many forms of art, the mosaic (“mosaico” in Italian) is a powerful illustration of the Church.

Every piece of a mosaic is different, yet when together reveals one, beautiful picture. The Church, in the same way, is made up of very different people and though each person has a special, distinct identity, the larger picture is far more beautiful. We as a church desire to experience and display the unifying power of the Gospel as the body of Christ in our very diverse city.

Our Values

FOR THE GOOD OF FLORENCE AND THE GLORY OF GOD

One Single Hero, Jesus Christ

The church is not about a leader or any one member. We exist solely for the fame of Jesus.

Shaped by the Bible

The Bible (Old and New Testaments) is our final authority in all things. We submit ourselves to God’s Word.

A People, Not a Place

The church is not a place or an event, it is an identity. We are the church.

Inclusive Community

Because the gospel is for all people, we welcome all people.

Gospel Intentionality

Every aspect of life is a platform for sharing the Gospel. We are intentional with our relationships, commitments, and time to speak of Jesus.