We give our lives to help people find & follow Jesus Christ.
Our Values
“Values” is a big word these days. It suggests the basis for behavior in an organization. At PTCC, values are the core convictions that shape our church’s identity and its corporate culture.
CHURCH IDENTITY: Some values determine who we are as a church. They point to our ultimate priorities. We value…
- God’s Word—it is our ultimate source of truth for faith and life. We believe God’s Word comes to us in written form, the Bible, and in the risen presence of Jesus Christ, the living Word of God. We have absolute confidence in the truthfulness of the Bible and seek to live according to all of its teachings. With the help of the Holy Spirit we interpret all of Scripture in the light of the full revelation of God in Jesus Christ.
- Lost people—God desires to express his love for them through us. Lost people matter to God and therefore they matter to us. We will invest in relationships with people who do not know Christ with the hope that they will recognize the grace of God in the way that we love them. At appropriate times we will verbally share how they can know Christ and invite them to experience the community of Christ in our church.
- Spiritual transformation—it is God’s will for every believer. While God loves us just as we are, he also loves us too much to let us stay the way we are. He wants to transform our thoughts, attitudes, and actions in such a way that we reflect his character and experience life to the fullest. This spiritual transformation is the product of genuine worship, obedience to God’s Word, the inner working of the Holy Spirit and the encouragement of believers living in biblical community.
- Loving relationships—they are the distinguishing marks of authentic faith. The way we love each other is the clearest indication of the genuineness of our faith and the most powerful witness to our community of the truthfulness of the gospel. We will seek to let love prevail in the ways we work together, care for one another, and resolve conflict.
- Joyful generosity—it is our natural response to God’s grace. When we grasp what God has done for us in Christ and how much we have been forgiven, we are compelled by love to live generous lives. Our generosity will be measured by sacrificial giving and selfless service to God and to his purposes.
- Unity—it is essential for a strong and prevailing church. The basis for the unity of our church will be a common commitment to our vision, mission, strategy, core values, and beliefs.
CORPORATE CULTURE: Some values determine how we function as an organization. They point to the defining principles of our corporate environment. We value…
- Prayer—it must permeate every aspect of our church’s life. Prayer is the means through which we experience God’s guidance, power, and transformation. It is to be our first resort and an indispensable element in every ministry of our church.
- Excellence—it is the standard by which we measure all that we do. In light of all that God has done for us, we desire to offer him our very best. Deliberate mediocrity does not honor the excellence of God or enhance his reputation in the world.
- Spiritual Oversight—those who lead our church will be fully devoted to Christ and to the mission of our church. The direction of the church will be entrusted to those who are in a growing relationship with Christ, filled with spiritual wisdom and discernment, and obedient to God’s Word. We believe God calls both men and women to lead in the church.
- Spiritual Gifts—all believers are gifted and called by the Holy Spirit to carry out the mission of the church. Our church is most effective and believers are most fulfilled when they are serving in areas of their passion and giftedness. At our church every partner is on mission.
- Team Ministry—the church is wired by God to function as a team. When people work together for a common purpose resources are multiplied, community is deepened, and the church is most effective in accomplishing its mission.
- A Leadership Culture—it is crucial to the continual growth and effectiveness of our church. An environment where leaders can emerge, be nurtured, and flourish produces a prevailing and enduring church.
- Alignment—all of our ministries and programs will serve the same purpose. The church’s mission will determine both what we will do and what we will not do. Every aspect of the church—ministries, leadership, and decisions—must be aligned with its mission and vision.
Our Vision
We have a clear, biblical vision of what a church should be like.
We envision…
A High Impact Church—a regional church that reaches 1,000s of people for Jesus Christ and his Kingdom (Mark 4: 30-32)
A Life-Changing Church—that turns seekers into believers, believers into disciples, and disciples into disciple-makers (Matthew 4:19)
A Bible-Centered Church—where gifted and anointed teachers explain and apply the Bible for everyday living (Colossians 1:28)
A Celebrative Church—where worship utilizes music, media, and message to lead people into the joyful presence of God (John 4:24)
An Authentic Church—where people can safely and honestly share their lives with one another in small groups (Ephesians 4:15)
An Effective Church—that is organized around the wise and efficient use of members’ spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:7, 11)
A Relevant Church—that is culturally indigenous to its setting, where the language, style, music, architecture, and art forms match the people in the target area (1 Corinthians 9:22)
An Encouraging Church—that affirms the value and worth of each person as a unique creation of God (Genesis 1:28-29)
An Influential Church—that serves the needs of the people in the surrounding area in Jesus’ name, seeking to impact an entire community (Matthew 5:13-16)
A Reproducing Church—that starts dynamic new congregations in order to fulfill the Great Commission (Acts 1:8; 9:3)
Our Strategy
To help people FIND Jesus Christ we will INVEST AND INVITE:
We “Invest” by building relationships with people who are far from God. We follow the example of Jesus, who intentionally and sacrificially invested in the lives of broken, hurting people. No agenda, no timetable—just grace-filled relationships.
We “Invite” by intentionally offering opportunities for our friends to come experience our weekend services, which are designed to captivate people at any point on their faith journey.
By living out this simple phrase, we see true life change happen one relationship at a time.
To help people FOLLOW Jesus Christ we will major on the 6 Gs:
- Grace: We will respond in faith to the saving grace of God revealed in Jesus Christ and show our commitment to Christ through baptism as a believer. (Ephesians 2:1-10)
- Growth: We will grow spiritually as we pursue intimacy with God through dynamic worship services, sound biblical teaching, and the practice of spiritual disciplines. (Colossians 2:6-7)
- Groups: We will build authentic community with one another through participating in a small group that nurtures spiritual growth, acceptance, strength, and accountability. (Acts 2:42)
- Gifts: We will use our spiritual gifts to serve in strategic ways that contribute to God’s work in the church and in the world. (Romans 12:4-8)
- Good Stewardship: We will give freely of our time and finances to support the mission and ministries of the church. (2 Corinthians 9:6-11)
- Go: We will go beyond the walls of the church building to show the compassion of Christ to people in need (Luke 10:30-37).
PTCC History
Preston Trail Community Church began in the hearts of our founding pastors, Jim Johnson and Paul Basden. In late 2001 they were simply two pastors serving churches back east in Birmingham (Paul) and Atlanta (Jim). By early 2002, they had moved their families to Frisco to start a brand new church, with no sponsoring church, no people, no money, no land, and no building. In church-planting lingo, that’s called a “cold” church start! But within six months they had brought together 40 people to help launch Preston Trail Community Church, which offered its first service to the public on Sunday September 8, 2002.
That first service was Dude Ranch (later KidStreet), a children’s theatrical presentation where kids and parents learn about God together. In January 2003 Sunday worship services began.
In time, ministries to preschoolers, teenage students, and 20-somethings were added. For three years PTCC met at AMC Theatre 24 in Stonebriar Centre.
On February 6, 2006 we purchased the former PC Dynamics building on Main Street east of Preston and began extensive remodeling. On December 24, 2006 we moved into our new facility on Main Street east of Preston. Within 6 months of moving in, weekly attendance doubled and continues to increase. Now several new programs such as Celebrate Recovery and new Missions efforts have been added to serve our local community and beyond.
We look forward to seeing how God will use our growing congregation in our local community and beyond.
