Satamaseurakunta was founded in June 2008. At Haven, you’ll find adults and kids, singles and families – from youngest to eldest.

We are not in competition with any other Christian community; instead, we bless all Christian congregations in Jyväskylä and we pray for their success. Our goal is to reach especially those who do not have a church home.

The purpose of our congregation is to create environments where it’s easy to invite friends, both Christian and pre-Christian. We dream of a community where we are enthused about God, follow Jesus, enjoy our time together, and invite others to Christ.

Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; He descended into hell. On the third day He rose again; He ascended into heaven, He is seated at the right hand of the Father, and He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

About God

We believe in one God who is three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is loving and just. He is the Creator and Ruler of the whole world. Before Him every person is responsible for what he has believed and how he has lived.
Gen. 1:1, 26, 27; 3:22 || Ps. 90:2 || Col. 1:16 || 2 Cor. 13:14 || John 14:9

About man

We believe that God created man in His own image to live in His presence. The fall of the first human beings corrupted this unity. Ever since, all humanity has sinned and rebelled against God. This human tendency to sin affects everything we do. Yet, we still are the image of the triune God and objects of His love.
Gen. 1:27 || Rom. 3:23 || Rom. 5:12 || John 3:36

About eternity

We believe that man was created to live forever. We spend our life after death either separated from God or in His loving presence. Hell and heaven are eternal places we enter based on our response to the salvation God offers during our life on earth.
1 John 2:25; 5:11-13 || Rom. 6:23 || Rev. 20:15  

About Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and of the same essence with Him. God sent Him to the earth, and He was born of the Virgin Mary through the Holy Spirit. Jesus lived a sinless life and sacrificed Himself for us. By dying on the cross, He atoned for every sin of every person of every generation. By rising from the dead on the third day, He demonstrated and confirmed His power over sin and death. He ascended into heaven, He will soon return to the earth as the King of Kings, and He will one day judge all people.
John 1:1-5 || Col. 1:15-16 || Rom. 1:3-4 || 1 Cor. 15:3-4 || 2 Cor. 5:19 || Acts 1:9-11 || Titus 2:13 || Acts 10:42

About salvation

We believe that man is saved only by God’s grace, only because of Christ, and only through faith. We cannot be saved by our own merit or action. When we put our trust in Christ, God credits Jesus’ atonement to us and forgives all our sins. At that moment, our eternal life begins.
John 3:16 || Eph. 2:8-9 || John 14:6; 1:12 || John 6:29 || Titus 3:5 || Gal. 3:26 || Rom. 5:1 || 1 John 5:13

About the Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is of the same essence with the Father and the Son. He is the third person of the Trinity. He makes man aware of his need for Jesus to be his Savior. The Holy Spirit comes to live in a person the moment he/she becomes one of God’s own. He reminds us and helps us keep what Jesus taught us, and He gives us the power to do so. He guides us and gives us gifts with which we can serve God and our neighbor.
John 16:7-13 || John 14:16-17 || Acts 1:8 || 1 Cor. 2:12 || Eph. 1:13 || Gal. 5:25 || 1 Cor. 12:4-11

About the growth of a christian

We believe that God causes growth in a Christian through the Holy Spirit. The Christian learns to know God and His will better through the knowledge of the Word of God in the Bible. He learns to see not only his sin, but also God’s love and faithfulness more clearly. He grows in his responsibility to care for others and in his labor of sharing the gospel.
Although the growth of a Christian will remain imperfect and incomplete in this world, God wants to change us to regard our neighbors more than ourselves.
Gal. 2:20 || Rom. 12:1 || Eph. 4:11-13 || 1 Peter 2:5 || Eph. 3:16-19

About the bible

We believe that the Bible is the inerrant proclamation of God. It is the highest measure for all faith, doctrine, and life. God has given us the Bible so that we can learn to know Him through it. The Bible helps us get connected with God, and it helps us understand the world we live in. It gives us the tools to help others make contact with God.
2 Tim. 3:16-17 || 2 Peter 1:19-21 || Heb. 4:12 || Eph. 6:17

About Israel

We believe that God is faithful to all His promises in the Bible. These promises include His covenants with Israel in the Old Testament, concerning the land, the mission, and the salvation of Israel in the end times through faith in the Messiah.
With the New Covenant, non-Jews are now grafted in as partakers in the promises given to Israel. Therefore, the Christian church is called to bless Israel.
Rom. 11:1, 29 || Rom. 11:20, 23 || Rom. 11:25-28 || Rom. 11:12 || Gen. 12:3

BAPTISM

Christian baptism is God’s gift which demonstrates and provides God’s grace and forgiveness. It is a sign of the New Covenant and the request of a good conscience toward God. Baptism does not benefit man if he does not, by faith, receive Jesus’ redemption which is promised to him in baptism.

Our congregation baptizes believers and their children if they have not been previously baptized. Baptism is not a requirement for membership in our congregation.

Baptism can be performed by an elder or a pastor of the congregation, or by any person authorized by the elders.

Acts 2:38 || Acts 22:16 || Jer. 31:31-34 || 1 Pet. 3:21 || Rom. 2:28-29 || Matt. 28:18-20 || Mark 16:16 || Acts 16:15,33 || Mark 10:14-15

HOLY COMMUNION

Holy Communion, the Lord’s Table, is – among other things – a table of forgiveness, a table of fellowship and unity, a table of the covenant, and a table of remembrance. Jesus is present in Holy Communion through His Spirit. While eating Christ’s body in the bread and drinking His blood in the wine, we can believe that our sins are forgiven. Holy Communion unites us with other Christians. In Communion we renew our covenant with Christ. We thank God as we remember the redemption Jesus provided for us by freeing us from the power of sin and guilt.

Holy Communion can be administered by an elder, a pastor, or any person authorized by the elders. We welcome every believer in Jesus to Holy Communion in our congregation.

Matt. 26:26-28 || 1 Cor. 11:23-26 || Eph. 4:11-13 || 1 Cor. 10:16-17

LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES

Our congregation is organized so that the elders are responsible for the theological direction, vision, finances, and general guidelines of the congregation. Elders are chosen from mature faithful men who enjoy the trust of the congregation.

Strategic planning and everyday operations are the responsibility of the leadership team which consists of committed men and women. The leadership team is led by the senior pastor who is also one of the elders. Other pastors in the congregation are to be men suitable for the task and equipped with proper training.

The duty of the pastors and elders is to equip and help the members of the congregation by teaching them how to grow in Christ, to serve with their unique gifts, and to bring people to a relationship with Jesus.

1 Tim. 3:1-7 || Titus 1:6-9 || 1 Pet. 5:1-3 || Eph. 4:11-12

MEMBERSHIP

Our congregation welcomes as a member any person who is 15 years old, believes in Jesus, and has familiarized himself with the doctrine and practice of our congregation by participating in a membership class. Children who are under 15 years old may become child members if their parents are members of the congregation. Leadership roles and responsibilities in the congregation require membership.

Eph. 2:13,19 || 1 Pet. 2:9,10

FINANCES

The financial life of our congregation is based on the voluntary giving of Christians. We teach the biblical principle of tithing. We encourage everyone in our congregation to give to God. As a congregation, we give ten percent of all we have to the work in God’s Kingdom outside our own congregation. God has given offering to us as a gift which generates praise to Him and unites the giver and the receiver.

We conduct our financial business in an open and transparent manner.

Matt. 10:8 || 1 Cor. 4:7 || Hebr. 7:2 || Matt. 23:23 || 2 Cor. 9:7 || 2 Cor. 9:15 || Mal. 3:4

CONNECTIONS WITH OTHER CONGREGATIONS

Because we believe – according to the Apostles’ Creed – in one universal, world-wide body of Christ, we bless all Christian congregations and pray for their success. When possible, we participate in activities with other Christian organizations, and we always seek to bless the community God has led us to.

John 17:20-21 || 2 Thess. 3:1 || 1 Pet. 3:9 || Jer. 29:7

The mission of our congregation is to help people know God and His grace, and to help them grow into fully committed followers of Christ.

Mark 16:15 || Matt. 28:18-20