We are a church passionate about
LIVING ON MISSION
and glorifying God by
seeing Jesus change lives.
The Scarnecchia family
I'm Pastor Phillip, and I'm glad you're here.
In 2020, my wife Erin and I were living in Texas, and we felt God calling us to plant a church on the East Coast. While we were prayerfully considering what was next for our family, the lead pastor at Hibernia Baptist Church in Fleming Island, FL, called to gauge our interest in planting a church in Northeast Florida. After prayer and counsel, Erin and I believed God was calling us to start a life-giving church near Jacksonville.
God stirred our hearts for the St. Johns County community. Thousands of families are moving to this area from all over the country, and we believe God wanted us to plant Mission City Church for His glory in reaching people with the gospel and helping them become followers of Jesus.
Our hope is that you will find Mission City to be a warm welcome, somewhere you can grow in your faith, and a place to call home.
Casting a vision for God's glory.
Vision
Mission City Church exists to glorify God by seeing Jesus change lives.
Mission
Develop passionate followers of Jesus who live on mission.
Strategy
+ Community to encourage spiritual and relational growth through groups.
+ Worship as a church family and individually.
+ Serve in the church and our community.
+ Multiply by developing leaders who Live On Mission.
Values
+ Teach and apply the Bible. We are committed to teaching the Bible because we believe it’s the absolute truth and God’s final authority. The more we know His Word, the more we can experience the new life we have in Christ. (1 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1: 3)
+ Love God and love people. Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love God and love people (Matt. 22:37-40). We gather together to demonstrate love to one another and to those who are far from God. We want people to see the love of God on display in us and the good news of Jesus lived out through us.
+ Develop leaders. We strive to develop leaders who follow Jesus and know how to inspire and develop others to follow Him. We want to be a church that equips people to live out their calling to influence and impact people for God's Kingdom. (Matt. 4:19; 2 Tim. 2:2)
+ Live On Mission. We are passionate about seeing people live on mission for the gospel in every area of their life. We want to mobilize believers in Jesus to take the gospel to every person around us.
1. Trinity: God Is
We believe there is only one true God, who eternally exists as a Trinity of equally divine persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each member of the Trinity thinks, acts, feels, speaks, and relates because each is a person and not an impersonal force. Each member of the Trinity is equally God, sharing all the divine attributes.
+ Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 4:35, 39; 6:4-5; John 6:27; 17:1; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Matthew 28:9; John 1:1-4, 14; Genesis 1:2; Psalm 104:30; Micah 3:8; John 14:16; Acts 5:3-4; Psalm 90:2; Psalm 147:5; Deuteronomy 31:6
2. Revelation: God Speaks
We believe that God reveals Himself to everyone everywhere through general revelation. We believe it is only by special revelation that anyone comes to a saving knowledge of God. We believe God has supremely revealed Himself through Jesus Christ, the Son of God and His incarnate Word. We believe that all of the divinely Holy Spirit-inspired, inerrant, authoritative, sixty-six canonical books of the Bible reveal to us Jesus Christ.
+ Psalm 8:3-4; 19:1, 4; 139:13-16; Romans 1:19-20; Romans 2:14-15; Acts 10:1-7; Romans 2:7; John 1:1; Hebrews 1:1-2; 1 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:16; Numbers 23:19; 2 Samuel 7:28; Psalm 12:6; 19:7; Matthew 4:4; 5:18; 1 John 1:1-3.
What we believe
Trinity
God Is
We believe there is only one true God, who eternally exists as a Trinity of equally divine persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each member of the Trinity thinks, acts, feels, speaks, and relates because each is a person and not an impersonal force. Each member of the Trinity is equally God, sharing all the divine attributes.
Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 4:35, 39; 6:4-5; John 6:27; 17:1; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Matthew 28:9; John 1:1-4, 14; Genesis 1:2; Psalm 104:30; Micah 3:8; John 14:16; Acts 5:3-4; Psalm 90:2; Psalm 147:5; Deuteronomy 31:6
Revelation
God Speaks
We believe that God reveals Himself to everyone everywhere through general revelation. We believe it is only by special revelation that anyone comes to a saving knowledge of God. We believe God has supremely revealed Himself through Jesus Christ, the Son of God and His incarnate Word. We believe that all of the divinely Holy Spirit-inspired, inerrant, authoritative, sixty-six canonical books of the Bible reveal to us Jesus Christ.
Psalm 8:3-4; 19:1, 4; 139:13-16; Romans 1:19-20; Romans 2:14-15; Acts 10:1-7; Romans 2:7; John 1:1; Hebrews 1:1-2; 1 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:16; Numbers 23:19; 2 Samuel 7:28; Psalm 12:6; 19:7; Matthew 4:4; 5:18; 1 John 1:1-3.
Image
God Loves
We believe that in love God created the first human beings, Adam and Eve-as male and female; equal in dignity, value, and worth- in order to mirror and reflect God as an act of worship and obedience. We believe that human life begins at conception and that an unborn baby is an image-bearer of God. We believe that God created marriage solely for one man and one woman and created sex only for married couples. Because God created human life and marriage, we value the sanctity of life and godly marriage.
Genesis 1:26-27; 2:7; 5:1-3; 9:6; Romans 1:25; Psalm 51:5-6; 139:13-16; Isaiah 49:; Genesis 2:18-25; Proverbs 5:18-19; Matthew 5:32; 19:9.
Fall
God Judges
We believe that God created this world in a perfect state. In Eden, Satan tempted Eve to mistrust God’s word, and she was deceived. The sin committed by Adam, also called “original sin,” has been imputed to all human beings except Jesus Christ. All human beings are sinners by both nature and choice. All fallen people are by nature sinners, children of wrath, and destined to death. Because we are sinners in need of a Savior and new nature, we trust in Jesus Christ alone for new and eternal life and believe in the reality of spiritual warfare with Satan and demons.
Genesis 1:31; Isaiah 2:2-4; John 8:42-47; 2 Corinthians 11:3; Romans 5:19; Psalm 51:5; 58:3; Isaiah 53:6; 64:6; Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8; Romans 5:12, 19; Ephesians 2:3.
Covenant
God Pursues
We believe that God makes and keeps his covenant promises. God’s covenants reveal His loving grace and mercy, because although people deserve nothing but condemnation, God gives gracious, covenantal salvation. Because God has welcomed us into an eternal covenant relationship, we seek to live in gracious loving relationship with Him and others.
Genesis 26:28. The covenants of Abraham: see Genesis 15:18. Moses: see Exodus 24:8; Deuteronomy 5:2. David: see 2 Chronicles 21:7; Psalm 89:3. The New Covenant: see Jeremiah 31:31; Ezekiel 37:26.
Incarnation
God Comes
We believe that the eternal Son of God and second person of the Trinity became flesh, adding humanity to his divinity, and entered into human history as the God-Man, Jesus Christ. Jesus alone is one person with two natures, fully God and fully man. Jesus Christ is the Word, or Logos, of God because He is the personal, eternally existing Creator of the universe, distinct from, yet equal with the Father and Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ was miraculously conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem to redeem sinful man as the only mediator between God and man. We believe that Jesus Christ, during the Incarnation, laid aside the continual exercise of His divine attributes and lived his sinless life by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:30-38; Isaiah 7:14; Micah 5:2; Matthew 1:18-23; Matthew 3:16; 4:1-10; Mark 2:1-7; Luke 4:1-2, 14-21; 10:21; Hebrews 4:14-16.
Cross
God Dies
We believe that Jesus Christ lived a perfectly righteous and sinless life, and died in the place of sinners, fully absorbing the wrath of God, paying the just penalty for their sins, and reconciling them to God. As our substitute, on the cross Jesus Christ suffered and died in our place to forgive us, love us, cleanse us, and embrace us as the punishment for our sins was diverted from us to Jesus.
Isaiah 53:5, 12; Romans 3:23-25; 4:25; 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 3:18; 1 John 2:2; Jesus substituted Himself for sinners: See Isaiah 53:6; John 1:29; 3:16-17; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15; 1 Timothy 2:1-6; 4:10; Titus 2:11; Hebrews 2:9; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 John 2:2; 4:14; Revelation 5:9. Sins were propitiated: See Romans 3:23-25; Hebrews 2:17; 1 John 2:2; 4:10. Jesus accomplished this by giving his blood: See Isaiah 59:2; Hosea 5:6; John 3:16; 15:13; Romans 5:8; 1 Timothy 1:15-16; Titus 3:4-5
Resurrection
God Saves
We believe that Jesus Christ, after dying on the cross, arose bodily from the grave on the third day, appearing to many witnesses and proving that he was physically alive. Through faith we are united with the risen Christ, raised with Christ, and granted the same Spirit that raised Christ. The benefits of Jesus’ resurrection include the forgiveness of sins, justification, sanctification, and ultimately glorification. We believe that justification through the work of Jesus Christ is possible by grace alone, through faith alone, and in Jesus Christ alone. His righteousness is imparted to us at the time of saving faith, simultaneous with our justification, and this saving faith brings us new life by the Holy Spirit, who regenerates us with a new nature and begins sanctifying us to become increasingly more like Jesus.
Isaiah 53:8-12; Matthew 12:38-40; 27:57-60; 28:9; Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:33-34; Luke 24:36-43; John 2:18-22; 19:34-35; 20:17; 1 Corinthians 15:3-6; Romans 6:5; 1 Corinthians 6:14; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Colossians 2:12; 1 Corinthians 15:3-58; Romans 4:25; Acts 13:38; Romans 4:3-5; 5:1, 16-17; Titus 3:7; 2 Corinthians 5:21.
Church
God Sends
We believe that the local church is a community of regenerated believers who confess Jesus Christ as Lord, and that the universal church is composed of all God’s people in all times and places. In obedience to Scripture, Christians organize under qualified leadership, gather regularly for preaching and worship, observe the sacraments of Baptism and Communion, are unified by the Spirit in love, are corrected for holiness, and scatter to fulfill the great commandment and the great commission as missionaries to the world.
Acts 2:36-41; Matthew 16:18; Acts 2:42; Matthew 2:11; 4:9; 8:2; 28:9; Acts 2:47; Ephesians 4:4; 18:15-22; Acts 20:25–31; Matthew 5:43-45; 6:24; 22:39; Luke 6:32; 10:30-37; Romans 13:9-10; Galatians 5:14; Ephesians 5:25; Matt. 28; Acts 1:8; 2:47; Acts 13:43; Col. 1:28–29.
Worship
God Transforms
We believe that human beings, made in the image of God the Trinity (who is Himself a worshiping community), are unceasing worshipers created to continually outpour all they are, all they do, and all they can to become like Him.. Worship includes praise, proclamation, service, participation, sacrifice, and submission. We believe that the corporate worship of a local church is to be God-centered. We believe that the corporate church worship should include Bible preaching, the sacraments (or ordinances), prayer, Scripture reading, financial giving, and singing and music.
Hebrews 13:15-17; Matthew 4:8-10; Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34; 2 Corinthians 8–9; Colossians 3:16; 1 Timothy 2:1; 4:13; 2 Timothy 4:2.
Stewardship
God Gives
We believe that human beings, made in the image of God the Trinity (who is Himself a worshiping community), are unceasing worshipers created to continually outpour all they are, all they do, and all they can to become like Him.. Worship includes praise, proclamation, service, participation, sacrifice, and submission. We believe that the corporate worship of a local church is to be God-centered. We believe that the corporate church worship should include Bible preaching, the sacraments (or ordinances), prayer, Scripture reading, financial giving, and singing and music.
Haggai 2:8; Malachi 3:8; 1 Corinthians 4:7; Ephesians 2:10; Exodus 20:8-11; Proverbs 18:9; 21:25; Ecclesiastes 3:22; 1 Corinthians 15:10; Colossians 3:23-24; Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 28-30; Ephesians 4:11; 1 Peter 4:11.
Kingdom
God Reigns
We believe that God created humans with a spirit and body which are tightly joined together. Death is not normal or natural, but an enemy, the consequence of sin. Death is the tearing apart of these two intertwined parts and the cessation of life on this earth. The body goes to the grave and the spirit goes to face judgment before God. Upon Jesus’ second coming, there will be a bodily resurrection for everyone, to either eternal salvation or condemnation. The time between Jesus’ resurrection and our resurrection is a lengthy ministry season of love, grace, and mercy as news of the gospel goes forth, inviting sinners to repent of sin and enjoy the present and future salvation of Jesus Christ.
Genesis 2:7; 17; Romans 5:12; Ecclesiastes 3:20-21; 12:7; Psalm 104:29; 146:4; Hebrews 9:27; James 2:26; Daniel 12:2; Matthew 25:46; John 14:3; John 14:3; Acts 17:30-31.
Creation
God Makes
We believe that God created the heavens and the earth out of nothing, and lovingly prepared them as a home in which to worship and enjoy Him. Everything in creation and history is dependent upon God and is only good when functioning according to His intentions. God, the author and subject of history, will bring history to an end and create a new heaven and a new earth. Because God is our Creator, we worship Him alone and enjoy His creation gladly.
Genesis 1:1; Psalm 33:6, 9; Hebrews 11:3. God the Son’s role in Creation: see John 1:1-3; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Colossians 1:13-16. God the Holy Spirit’s role in Creation: see Genesis 1:2; Job. 33:4; Hebrews 11:3; Jeremiah 10:12; Revelation 4:11.
Ordinances
Baptism
Why every believer should be baptized:
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Jesus commanded it. (Matthew 28:19; John 14:21)
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Baptism is an act of obedience. (Mark 1:9; Acts 2:41; 8:38)
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Baptism is a picture of what Jesus did for us when He died on the cross, was buried, and rose again. (Romans 6:4)
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Baptism is a public testimony of your faith and presents a picture of the change from your past to your new life in Jesus. (Acts 2:41)
Why baptism is by immersion in water:
The word for baptism in Greek is “baptizó,” which means “to immerse, to dip, to submerge.” Baptism is complete submersion in the water. At Mission City Church, every MCC Partner must have been baptized the way Jesus demonstrated, even though many might have been confirmed as children.
The Lord's Supper
Jesus never asked His disciples to remember His birth, but He did instruct them to remember His death and resurrection.
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The Lord’s Supper is an object lesson of spiritual truth. The bread represents the body of Christ.
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The juice represents the blood of Christ.
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It is a reminder. (1 Corinthians 11:23–24)
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It is a symbol. (1 Corinthians 11:25)
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It is for believers only. (1 Corinthians 11:27–29)
