We have this strong and trustworthy hope [ in Jesus ] as an anchor for our souls.

Hebrews 6:19

Our Vision

Everything is driven by this vision: We want Anchor Church to be a community where people can find hope in Jesus. We named our church after Hebrews 6:19 - We have this strong and trustworthy hope [in Jesus] as an anchor for our souls. Hampton Roads is a transient area, and we believe God has called us to bring this message of hope to people who need it by regularly communicating Good News (the Gospel), by giving them a stable place to call home (authentic relationships), and by giving our lives for God’s global and local mission (a sense of purpose in life).

Our Mission

To bring hope to as many people as possible by spreading the good news of Jesus everywhere and demonstrating radical hospitality within the community so that lives are changed, leaders are developed, and more churches are planted.

sharing & showing 

Anchor Church believes the only truth that brings lasting fulfillment, clear purpose, and true joy is found in the Good News of Jesus Christ. We teach and preach the truth of the Gospel in our Sunday gatherings, in community groups, and in children’s ministry on a weekly basis. We also believe that the Good News, the Gospel, of Jesus compels us to demonstrate its truths in the way we serve others in love. These two, sharing and showing our faith, are essential for a church to have its intended effect upon the surrounding cities and culture.

What We Believe

There are only a dozen or so theological statements that we would consider to be essential for our leaders and partners, and fewer that we would actually require for partnership at Anchor. As an example, there are three areas of doctrine that most people want to know about when they join our church: Compatibilism, Continuationism, and Complementarian. These are beliefs we would require to become one of our pastors, but not required of all leaders or partners. Here’s what we mean when we use those terms:

Compatibilism

Compatibilism refers to the belief that God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility are compatible doctrines. We do not minimize or overemphasize one over the other, and we do not argue the various views on Election or Free Will. We believe both are compatible doctrines, and see them in healthy tension throughout the scriptures.

Continuationism

Continuationism refers to the continuation of the Holy Spirit’s work in the church today. We believe that the church is to be Spirit-led, Spirit-filled. We also believe that the fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit are to be shown in our lives on a regular basis. Regarding the gifts of the Spirit, we do believe that they are valid today and should be exercised biblically.

Complementarian

Complementarianism refers to the belief that God made men and women equal in value and that they compliment each other in their roles in the home and church. As it pertains to husbands and elders, we humbly believe the scriptures indicate that these roles are reserved for men.
For a full statement of our beliefs, we are in agreement with the Gospel Coalition’s confessional statement found at https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/about/foundation-documents/#confessional-statement. This is where you’ll find those dozen or so (13 to be exact) statements of faith mentioned earlier.

church planting

We belong to the Acts 29 Network of churches and are a part of the Spanish River Church Planting Network. These two networks have contributed greatly to the health of our church through relational and financial support.

We are grateful to churches like Crosscurrent Church, Spanish River Church, Remnant Church, and Portico Church, Citylight Church, and Redemption Church for their financial and relational support in those early days. In keeping with the pattern we’ve learned from these churches, and with our desire to join God’s global mission, we have committed 10% of all general offerings to church planting efforts from the very start of our own church.
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