Let's break it down:

Illuminate seeks to make disciples who clearly See Jesus, Know Jesus, and Proclaim Jesus.

(What's a disciple, you ask? Simple. Someone who accepts and helps to spread the teachings of a teacher.)

We at Illuminate desperately desire to show everyone what the love of Christ looks like in daily action; we seek to be and make disciples of Jesus. 

So how do we do this? What does that look like at Illuminate?

OUR VALUES

Values drive the way we do things. What excites us? What are we willing to build, accomplish or preserve? These are the reflections of our values, and they shape our decisions everyday. So what does Illuminate value?  

Truth

There are so many options that try to define truth in our world, especially in the culture of Olympia. We are here as a light to bring clarity to the truth we know to be Jesus, and only Jesus.

(John 14:6, 2 Timothy 3:15-16, Psalm 19: 7-10, Colossians 2:4-7 Ephesians 5:8-10 , Matthew 5:17-20. Psalm 119:105)

Freedom

The world is enslaved to sin and brokenness, but the gospel is not about slavery. It is about freedom from it. While the Church has been misrepresented as a place of bondage, we are committed to helping people find freedom in Christ; to boldly approach the throne without comparisons or judgment. Because of Jesus, we live our lives joyfully; freely expressing ourselves and dismantling the conventional concepts of a religion that is constraining.  

Worship

We are Loved lovers. People loved by God, responding to God in love. Because of who God is and how He has expressed love for us, our lives will express honor and gratitude for Him by demonstrating integrity in our interactions with God and the community around us.

(Romans 8:1-32,  1 Cor. 10:31, 1 John 3:1-2, John 3:16-18, Romans 12:1-2)

Reconciled Relationships

We desire to be an example and a recovery zone for the reconciling of relationships. We at Illuminate believe Christ came to show ultimate reconciliation though our relationship with God, and in turn, we are to be reconciled to Him, and each other. 

(2 Corinthians 1:4, 2 Corinthians 5:18-21, Matthew 5:23-24, Matthew 18; Colossians 1:20, Ephesians 2:14-16)

Story

Every life tells a story. Each one is unique and plays a valuable part. God is the Great Author of all things and in Christ our story finds it's place in the great narrative of existence. As such, we are passionate about helping people tell their stories, and discover the way their stories can be used to tell God’s story. As a community of artists, this usually looks like engaging the arts in Olympia to encourage and nurture local talent to express their story as they grow in their faith and in their craft.

(Hebrews 12:2, Mark 16:15, Romans 10:15, Acts 20:24)

To sum it up:

We are reconciled in our relationship to God and one another because He has reveled the truth of His story to us in Jesus Christ. We worship Him by showing this story (the gospel) through our lives by proclaiming freedom and reconciliation for all.