about Discover Church

A safe place to explore faith

Do you ever wonder if God is really out there? Or whether he actually cares about your life? Have you felt like you don’t belong in church–that you have too many questions or your past excludes you from the church world?

Maybe you’ve questioned what you believe, but know there has to be more to life than what you’re experiencing right now.

Perhaps you’re looking for a place where you can truly be seen and known–where you can build authentic relationships that will help you navigate the ups and downs of life.

Welcome to Discover Church, a safe place to explore your faith and ask questions. We’re a church made up of real people who won’t pretend to have it all figured out. But we have experienced real life change and redemption through a relationship with Jesus Christ, and we would love to have you join us.

We are here to help you know God, find freedom, discover purpose and make a difference in Maine and beyond.

We are a Bible-believing church located in Hampden, Maine with welcoming, authentic church services and a thriving children’s ministry.

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Get to know discover church:

Our Values

These values represent how we operate at Discover Church. They are what is most important to us, how we make decisions, and how we want others to feel when they visit us.

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We Live Authentically

While we strive for excellence, we don’t expect perfection.

We will be real, relatable and transparent.  Transparency allows others to see that they are not alone; that there is hope for spiritual growth.  God is not more God on Sunday than He is on Monday, and we will lieve the same throughout the week as we do on Sunday.  

This is a church where the imperfect are perfectly welcome.

We are not puttong on a performance, church is not a production.  We don’t pretend to be perfect and we won’t be pretentious.  This is why you will most often see people dressed in everyday clothes.  This is why you will hear our pastors sharing failures as well as wins in sermons.  We will live authentically.

We Honor Humility

While we stand firm in our faith, we maintain a teachable spirit.

We lead with grace.  If we are going to err, we prefer to err on the side of grace.  We don’t hold grudges.  We forgive in advance.

We know that this side of heaven, none of us will have everything right.  We choose to surrender to God’s word and His leading.  He is right anytime we disagree.  Only God is God.  No one is better than another.  We may have different roles, but we all stand on the same level before God.  This is why we say “every believer is a minister, everyone is gifted in some area, and every task is important.”  It is through humility that we advance in ministry at Discover Church.

We Prioritize Relational Growth

Though we value organizational growth, we prioritize people over projects.  

Everyone needs Jesus, so we seek to reach our community with the gospel and grow as a church – at the same time we see the local church as a family.  We are always moving forward, seeking what God would have for us next – but we understand there is a tension between growing large and growing close.

Our decisions are aimed at heling the church feel relational rather than corporate.  We are children of God, brothers and sisters in Christ, so we place a high value on relationships.  That is why our heart is for planting more churches as opposed to growing a megachurch here. It is why wou’ll see our teams and staff enjoying each others company – we’re not just here for a task.

We Embrace Restoration

We pursue Holiness on a path paved with Grace.

We motivate each other toward holy living, but we do so with self-awareness of our own weaknesses.  We are not seeking to find sin, but we confront and restore in grace and love when needed.

When someone is stuck in sin, we help to pull them out – not push them down.

We celebrate a trajectory toward faith.  We foster continual growth, recognizing that we are not done until heaven.  We love repentance, transformation, and restoration.  This is why Discover Church has been a healthy place for people who have been hurt in churches to heal and return to their home church.  It is why you will hear us say “the imperfect are perfectly welcome.”

We Are Kingdom Motivated

We are gospel focused and set aside our personal agendas.

The Kingdom of God is more important than any earthly kingdom, including political preferences, career or business goals, or personal agendas.  It is not about us!

The church is the only organization on earth that exists expressly for its non-members.

We love Discover Church, but we see ourselves as a local church that is part of the global Church.  We partner with other believers and gospel-focused churches and organizations to propel the message of Jesus in Hampden, throughout Maine, and beyond.  This is why you’ll hear us recommend other churches.  It is why we seek to work alongside like-minded churches for the sake of the gospel.  It is why you won’t hear us using political agendas.

 

Choose Joy

We are serious about our faith, but we choose to make it fun!

God, Christianity, and Church are not boring – let’s not make them feel that way.  We won’t be stuffy.  We will encourage one another.  We will take joy in other’s success.  

Church should be an enjoyable experience.  We want you to feel welcome.  We have fun together – on our teams, in our groups, in our services… and you are invited!