The Story of The Holy Catholic Church of the Gospels
About the Holy Catholic Church of the Gospels
The Holy Catholic Church of the Gospels (HCCoG) is a Christ-centered, Gospel-rooted denomination formed in fidelity to the living Word and in response to the Spirit’s call to renewal. We stand in the stream of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church, proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ with clarity, compassion, and courage. Our identity is deeply sacramental, unashamedly traditional, radically inclusive, and wholly committed to the truth and mercy of the Gospel.
We are called “Holy” because we belong to God; not because we are perfect, but because we are set apart for sacred purpose. We are “Catholic” in the truest sense: universal in scope, apostolic in teaching, and reverent in worship. We are the “Church of the Gospels” because Christ’s own words and deeds are our foundation, not just in doctrine but in the shape of our lives and the structure of our communities. His way is our way. His wounds are our concern. His voice is our compass.
A Church Shaped by Worship
Worship is the beating heart of the HCCoG. Our liturgies are rooted in ancient forms—the Mass, the Daily Office, the rhythms of the Church Year—yet always alive with present urgency. We follow a consistent order of service: Gathering in penitence and praise, listening deeply to the Word, offering ourselves in thanksgiving, and encountering Christ in the Eucharist. Our worship is reverent and accessible, beautiful and solemn, ancient and new.
Through incense, chant, silence, Scripture, and sacrament, we bear witness to the mystery of God’s presence. Whether in a small home chapel or online across continents, we believe Christ is truly present in our midst; and especially in the broken bread and the gathered Body.
A Church of the Broken and Beloved
At the center of our mission is the conviction that no person is beyond the reach of grace. The HCCoG exists not to guard the gates of heaven, but to fling them wide in Jesus’ name. We are committed to full inclusion of all God’s children, regardless of sexuality, gender, race, ability, or circumstance. We call this not “progressive,” but faithful; faithful to the Christ who ate with outcasts, who touched the untouchable, who laid down his life for friend and stranger alike.
We also name the pain many have carried in silence. We acknowledge the sins that have been committed in the name of Christ—abuse, exclusion, injustice—and we believe the Church must speak honestly about them. Our bishops and clergy vow transparency and accountability, not as a branding strategy, but as a matter of repentance and obedience to the Gospel.
We are a Church where survivors are believed, where the LGBTQ+ faithful are blessed, where the poor are honored, and where questions are welcomed. Because Christ’s own body was broken, we believe there is no shame in being bruised. We are the Church of the bruised reeds; and it is Christ himself who binds us up.
A Church on Mission
Our mission is rooted in Matthew 28 and Luke 4: to preach the Gospel to all nations, to bind up the brokenhearted, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. We are a Church both ancient and emerging, apostolic in continuity, but always reforming where reform is needed. We hold fast to the Nicene Creed, the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the apostolic succession of bishops, and the inerrant love of God revealed in Jesus Christ.
But we also ask hard questions. What does it mean to follow Jesus in a digital age? What does evangelism look like when so many have been wounded by religion? How do we steward the sacraments and the Scriptures without becoming either gatekeepers or performative influencers?
In the Holy Catholic Church of the Gospels, our answer is simple: we listen for Christ’s voice and follow it. We do not chase after cultural relevance, nor retreat into nostalgic idealism. Instead, we root ourselves in the Gospels, and trust that Christ still walks ahead of us, calling us to follow.
A Church without Walls
We are not bound by cathedral walls or diocesan lines. The HCCoG is fully decentralized in geography but united in faith and sacramental practice. Our congregations may gather in sanctuaries, in homes, or online; but wherever we are, we share the same liturgy, the same Gospel, and the same commitment to embody the Church described in Acts 2: devoted to the apostles’ teaching, the breaking of bread, and the prayers.
We embrace both in-person and virtual ministry, recognizing that the Body of Christ transcends place and that Christ is present where two or three gather—whether in a chapel or through a livestream. We encourage lay participation, uplift local leadership, and affirm the ministry of all the baptized.
The Church You Belong To
If you have ever felt unseen in church… If you have ever been told you’re not welcome at the Table… If you long for worship that is both sacred and sincere, ancient and honest…
Then you may find a home here.
We are the Holy Catholic Church of the Gospels. We are sinners and saints. We are doubters and disciples. We are the wounded made whole by Christ.
This is not the Church of perfection. It is the Church of the pierced side, the broken bread, and the open tomb.
And if you hear Christ’s voice in it, then this Church is for you.