Faith-Based
The Bowery Mission is faith-based and Christian. This is what it means to us:
- We are a Christian organization that is not affiliated with and does not endorse a particular church or denomination. The Bowery Mission has always been a place where a diversity of Christ-followers find common purpose that transcends theological barriers and ideological labels.
- The Bowery Mission serves people without regard to creed, religion, sex, or any other marker of identity or status.
- Similarly, The Bowery Mission welcomes and acknowledges with gratitude and respect all of its volunteers and supporters, without regard to their identity, faith, or expression. The Bowery Mission rejoices in their participation.
- We believe God can and does transform people and situations. No one is beyond the reach of God’s saving power and transforming love. God’s transformation is best experienced in a diverse community, humbly and prayerfully centered on Jesus Christ. (Acts 2).
- Our beliefs place us on a mission. The parable of the Good Samaritan comes alive daily as we slow down to care for those on the margins. We learn that a true neighbor is one who shows mercy and does justice. And Jesus compels us, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10).
- We believe our gifts are God-given for a common good. We honor one another’s diversity as we pursue unity of purpose. Recognizing that we are part of a single body allows us to have both the compassion to suffer together and the joy to celebrate with one another. (1 Corinthians 12).
- We believe our hospitality demonstrates that Jesus dwells among us and is welcoming all of us. When you ask, “Can anything good come from serving neighbors who are impoverished and homeless?”, we don’t want you to take our word for it, we want you to “come and see.” (John 1).
Within The Bowery Mission community, all employees and Board of Directors members uniquely serve The Bowery Mission by representing our Christian community as an expression and exercise of our closely-held Christian beliefs. These beliefs are:
- We believe our work is simultaneously rendered to others for their good and rendered in service to God as a form of worship.
- We acknowledge the unique sufficiency of Jesus Christ to save us from sin and death.
- We believe the teachings of the Bible as the supreme standard and final authority for all conduct, faith, and doctrine.
- We affirm a common set of beliefs expressed in this 1,700-year-old creed of the Christian faith:
Nicene Creed
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit is worshiped and glorified.
The Holy Spirit has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.*
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
*This line refers to the whole Church (all Christians) and not any specific denomination(s).
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