Why "Scum"?

It doesn’t sound like a church name … on purpose. We really want to connect with people who have no interest in “church” by society’s definition. There are plenty of churches for “normal people” and we think we have a unique calling to reach out to our otherwise unreached friends. Our name is integral to that process. Whether outcast by society (e.g., punks, skaters, ravers, homeless people…) or by the church itself, many who come can identify with the name 'Scum of the Earth' since they have been previously treated as such. More important to us, however, the name implies that being people of faith does not mean we are better than anyone else. We know many non-Christians who think Christians are out to cast judgment on them. Our name makes it clear that we aren’t about that. We are just aware of our need for God, as Scum of the Earth. Fortunately, God never sees us like that! But the name is humble and we like that. – Chris Baker

Mission Statement

We strive to be a church who...

  • seeks intimacy with God and honest relationships with others

  • cultivates creativity and uses everyone's gifts

  • asks questions while seeking Truth

  • recognizes our need for a Savior

  • passionately yet respectfully shares the saving love of Christ

  • demonstrates God's love in our community

Vision Statement

"Scum of the Earth Church"—People ask, are you really a church or a parachurch mission to a particular demographic? Asserting we are a church implies we are ready to receive all people, not just targeting one age group or cultural group. However…

We are an "outpost on the perimeter of the kingdom." We're intentionally on the edge of society to be close to those who are the outcasts. An "outpost" implies watchfulness to protect those within. It recognizes dangers are near. It anticipates receiving folks from the outside who are in bad shape. Inside the safety of the outpost, people are restored to health.

Scum has often seen itself as "the first step in or the last step out" for people, meaning those with no faith might give Christianity a try in our community, and others who are burned out on religion might give church one last try in our untraditional setting. On the perimeter, we can give attention to both.

We drew a dotted line because we see the church in mission existing "on the border where faith meets unfaith." We want to hold the door open for people to enter the kingdom. We go boldly into the world seeking the lost, but we are not of the world.

And, it’s all about redemption in Jesus. We are fully orthodox and evangelical in our teaching. It’s not the ‘coolness’ of the community that transforms, it’s the saving power of Jesus. Jesus’ work is complete and we can be sure of our salvation, of being in the kingdom. But we continue “finding redemption” daily as we see God at work. We are not discouraged by the time it takes people to change, even after a commitment to Christ. God is patient with us.

Faith

  • We believe the Bible is the inspired word of God, free from error in the original autographs and the final authority in matters of life and faith. The sixty-six books of the Protestant Canon contain God’s written revelation of himself.

  • We believe in one God eternally existing in three persons — Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Together they dwell in a tri-unity of love. We believe that God created the heavens and the earth.

  • We believe in Jesus Christ the Son, begotten of the Father who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. Jesus was fully God and fully man. For us and our salvation he became incarnate in order that he may reconcile us to the Father. His vicarious death on the cross paid the price for our sin-debt. His resurrection on the third day proved that he was God the Son, who conquered death and by his power declared our sins forgiven. Jesus ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father.

  • We believe in the Holy Spirit who proceeds from the Father and the Son. It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we are regenerated and justified by Christ. The spirit indwells each believer and works in each believer’s life to conform him/her to Christ.

  • Humans were created in God’s image, but the sin of our first parents has rendered us spiritually dead and unable to save ourselves.

  • It is only through God’s gracious provision to us whereby we can be in a right relationship with God. This covenant of grace was sealed with the blood of Christ on behalf of our sins. It is by Christ’s finished work upon the cross that God has forgiven us our sins, declared us righteous, and given us the right to be his adopted children.

  • We believe that those whom Christ has saved are part of his universal church, whose goal is to glorify God by proclaiming and demonstrating the lordship of Christ. Christ has given his Church the gifts of baptism and the Lord’s Supper as signs of his abiding grace to strengthen us in our faith as we live in his called-out community.

  • We look forward to Christ’s second coming when he will raise the dead, judge the world, and consummate his kingdom in the new heavens and the new earth. It is then that we will dwell as whole people in salvation and in the glory of God forever.