Simple, historic, and deliberately uncrowded.
The Apostles' Creed.
We believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. We believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, and in the Holy Spirit, the church universal, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
A love for the wider church.
We love all parts of the wider church and have no desire to become a church. We desire to work along with all parts of the wider church that proclaim the truths of the Gospel. We should agree whenever we can with others in the body of Christ and where we cannot, we should disagree well. All who love Jesus are our brothers and sisters.
“Welcome all the Lord’s followers, even those whose faith is weak. Don’t criticize them for having beliefs that are different from yours.”
— Romans 14:1 (CEV)
The truth and relevance of the Bible.
The Bible is the compass we use to determine the course of our travel. It is central to our understanding of who God is and how we should respond to Him. We study the Bible in pursuit of our relationship with God because we believe that the Bible is central to what it means to be a Christian. The Bible is our plumb line and gold standard against which we measure matters that are relevant to us today. Some biblical truths are clear and fixed, other parts of the Bible need to be chewed before they can be digested. Our challenge is to walk in biblical truths avoiding denominational doctrines.
“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So, they are without excuse.”
— Romans 1:19-20 (ESV)
Nine things we keep in front of us.
Not a creed, not a checklist — a simple list of the things Shade Tree is here to do, kept where we can see them and you can too.
See and testify of God's working
Illustrate the ability to see and testify of God's working in our daily lives.
Make ardent followers of Jesus
Disciple individuals to become ardent followers of Jesus.
Grow alongside the local church
Provide a path of spiritual growth in concert with traditional church settings.
Fellowship across denominations
Foster community and fellowship among believers from various denominations.
Equip for ministry and service
Equip individuals for ministry and service.
Promote unity among Christians
Promote unity among Christians.
Evangelism and discipleship, everywhere
Encourage evangelism and discipleship in diverse contexts.
Support local church leadership
Support local churches and local church leadership.
Stay planted in a local church
Encourage regular involvement in a local church ministry.
A simple, multiplying leadership structure.
No bloated hierarchy or institutional overhead. Under the Director and Council, each gathering is led by a Meeting Leader supported by trained Facilitators who keep the circle flowing and multiplying.
Director & Council
Holds the theological compass, guards the mission, and equips leaders across Seminole County.
Meeting Leaders
Host individual gatherings, steward the circle, and ensure newcomers feel genuinely welcome.
Facilitators
Keep the flow moving, open Scripture, make sure the quiet person is heard, and grow into future leaders.
The tree tells you what we are — and what we are not.
Because the tree tells you what we are and what we are not. Out in creation, sincerity comes easier and a songbird does more for worship than the finest organ. And because there is no permanent, climate-controlled building here, nobody mistakes us for their church. We cannot replace it and we do not want to. Discipleship is organic. A tree responds to wind, rain and sun. We respond to whatever real life handed our people that week.
Come see for yourself.
Belief is best seen lived out. Pull up a chair under the tree and sit with us.