What a joy it is to introduce you to our church! You’ll discover that our passion is to provide a place where people just like you can have a life-changing experience with God. At Upward Church, our doors are wide open to people from all backgrounds, regardless of where they are on their spiritual journey.
We filter every idea, program, and budget request through our purpose statement. If what we plan doesn’t help us meet our purpose, then we don’t do it.
See how we view God, Jesus, the Bible, man, and many significant aspects of our faith. Firmly rooted in Scripture, the beliefs of Upward guide our decisions as a church.
So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever.
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters...
He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Craig Walker is the Founding Lead Pastor of Upward Church, a multi-campus, multi-state church, with three locations in Norfolk, VA , Williamsburg, VA and Pensacola, FL. Upward Churches are spreading across America as they aggressively make the Gospel relevant and accessible to our generation. Pastor Craig has been blessed to speak and travel around the world. He and his wife Lezli are former missionaries and together have planted churches in China, Czechoslovakia, and America. He is the founder of Friends of Internationals Inc. and the author of the books, Born for the Extraordinary, Catch: The Art of Fishing for Souls, Secret: The Single Greatest Leadership Key, Taboo: God and Money, Right Message Wrong Method: Church Marketing in a Postmodern World, Forecast: Surviving and Thriving in the Coming Tsunami of Change, Last Minute God and #JOY. Craig holds a Master Degree of Theology. He has been married to his sweetheart Lezli for 29 years and they are blessed with two children, Christian and Candace. They currently live in Pensacola, FL.