the open house

Who we are…

The open house is a community of followers of Jesus Christ who have a heart for our city. We are unified by faith, committed to serving our community and compelled to touch the world with the love and hope of Christ.

Our community is called the open house because, just as our name suggests, we want to be a place where people from all different backgrounds and life experiences can come together in a safe and welcoming space to explore the things of God, the Bible, and life. Our vision is to see interconnected small groups working together to benefit their respective neighbourhoods. These smaller communities can meet in homes, in coffee shops, on offices, in parks – anywhere where people can gather, not just to “do church”, but to be the Church.

We would love for you to join us, wherever you are on the spiritual journey, as we discover our place in this world.

Where we do life…

Commercial Drive is a roadway in the city of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada that goes through the neighborhood of Grandview Woodlands and East Hastings. It is located in the eastside of Vancouver and is known to be one of the more eclectic and interesting communities of the Lower Mainland. However, the neighborhood is so dominated by the businesses, cultural facilities, and residents along Commercial Drive that the area is far better known as “The Drive” than by the civic boundaries. Its flavour is a fusion that includes ethnic diversity, the arts, social awareness, and the “alternative.”The district is one of Vancouver’s Business Improvement Areas (BIA).

Because a loveless world,” said Jesus, “is a sightless world. If anyone loves me, he will carefully keep my word and my Father will love him–we’ll move right into the neighbourhood!

As we interact with those we encounter daily and build relationships, our desire is to bless others in relevant and meaningful ways. We want to share the love of Christ and serve people so that our neigbourhood, city, and world experience the touch and hope of God through His church.

What we value…

Mission
In Canada, much of our urban context is filled with diversity. We live in a mosaic of many cultures, languages, ethnicities, generations, and religions. In light of that the Christian church is often primarily associated with a building. We believe the Church is not limited or bound by walls. We desire to see the Church built up through spreading out. The person of Jesus continues to be central, but the church itself becomes decentralized, spreading Kingdom of God living and activity throughout the city. We don’t see culture as sacred or secular but as the medium in which we can communicate Christ’s truth in relevant ways to others. Our hope is that you become an advocate for your neighbourhood and participate in what God is doing in your community.

Community

We don’t profess to be experts of life, but we want to offer a place where you can build authentic relationships, reflect on the spiritual and the profound, ask questions, share in conversation and experience, laugh and cry. We desire to cultivate a humble, selfless life just as Jesus demonstrated in His life on earth. We value people and want to be generous in giving of our resources, time, talents, and gifts to serve and meet the needs of individuals, our community, and the world.We invite you to simply be in community with people who are committed to caring for each other and to making a difference in a world marred with brokenness and uncertainty. In essence, we want to be the kind of place where you feel like you belong. A place you can call “home.”

Walking

Although we, as a church body, enjoy dreaming and dialoguing about how we can serve and get involved in our community, the Bible says, “Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?” We want to be active in sharing God’s love and bettering our world, not to see Christianity as “being in the club.” Each of us is meant to play a part in God’s work on this earth, its natural resources and those who inhabit it. People are encouraged to be creative and use their talents and abilities, not only to grow individually and bless the church, but also to transform the places they live, work, and play with the message and acts of Christ.

Jesus

We believe that everyone is on a journey of becoming what they are meant to be. We believe we were created by God and are meant to know Him. We can do that through His Son, Jesus Christ. Walking in a “Jesus-direction” simply means that our life’s journey involves getting to know Him more and more in relationship. So our sights are set on Jesus, and we walk through life heading in the direction that moves us closer to Him. We may stumble along the way or travel with uncertainty of where the path may take us, but we move forward trusting that Jesus is guiding and leading the way to Himself. Not only do we walk toward Jesus, but we aspire to walk like Him. Jesus lived a life that was not only active in community development, but also in spiritual transformation. We believe the kind of life Jesus was living, perfectly and completely in connection and cooperation with God, is the best possible way for a person to live.