The Bible
We believe the Bible is God's inspired word — true, trustworthy, and surprisingly alive. We don't read it to win arguments. We read it to know God and be known by him.
2 Timothy 3:16–17 · Hebrews 4:12 · Psalm 119:105
Our beliefs
What we're rooted in.
Canvas is part of an ancient story of faith — 2,000 years of people learning to follow Jesus. We hold its truths with conviction and humility, embracing nuance and staying open to keep growing.
Canvas is part of an ancient story of faith — 2,000 years of people learning to follow Jesus. We stand inside that story with conviction, and we hold it with humility — embracing nuance, asking honest questions, and staying open to keep growing. You don't have to believe everything on this page to belong here. But you should know what we're rooted in.
Our foundation
We affirm the Nicene Creed.
The Nicene Creed was put together in 325 AD by church leaders trying to capture the heart of Christian belief in a few short paragraphs. For 1,700 years it's been the shared foundation of the church around the world — Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant alike. We stand inside that long tradition.
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father; through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
What follows are some of the beliefs that flow out of the Creed, in our own words.
God
We believe in one God who exists eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — three persons, one love. This God is not distant or cold. He is generous, near, and good.
Deuteronomy 6:4 · Matthew 28:19 · 2 Corinthians 13:14
Jesus
We believe Jesus is fully God and fully human. He lived a perfect life, died on a cross for our sake, rose from the dead on the third day, and is alive today. Everything we believe begins and ends with him.
John 1:1–14 · Colossians 1:15–20 · 1 Corinthians 15:3–4
The Holy Spirit
We believe the Spirit of God lives in everyone who follows Jesus, slowly transforming us into who we were always meant to be. He gives us peace, courage, conviction, and gifts to bless others.
John 14:16–17 · Galatians 5:22–23 · 1 Corinthians 12:4–11
People
We believe every person is made in God's image — a work of art, infinitely valued. That's true regardless of background, politics, sexual orientation, or where you are with faith. We also believe every person is in need of a savior, and Jesus is that savior. No one is too far gone for grace.
Genesis 1:27 · Psalm 139:13–16 · Romans 3:23
Salvation
We believe we are saved by grace, through faith in Jesus — not by being good enough, smart enough, or religious enough. The invitation is open. The cost was paid. Our only job is to receive it and follow him.
Ephesians 2:8–9 · John 3:16 · Romans 10:9
The Church
We believe the Church is the family God is building — people from every background learning to love God, love each other, and love the city. We are not a building. We are the people.
Acts 2:42–47 · 1 Corinthians 12:12–27 · Ephesians 4:1–6
Baptism and Communion
We believe baptism and communion are gifts God gave us to remember what he's done. Baptism is the public declaration that we belong to Jesus. Communion is the regular meal that reminds us his body was broken and his blood was poured out for us.
Matthew 28:19 · Romans 6:3–4 · 1 Corinthians 11:23–26
The Future
We believe Jesus will return one day to make all things new — every tear wiped, every wrong made right. Until then, we live with hope, work for justice, and refuse to give up on what God is doing in the world.
Revelation 21:1–5 · 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 · 2 Peter 3:13
A final word.
You don't have to have it all figured out before you show up. You don't have to dress a certain way, vote a certain way, or have a clean past. You're welcome here — with your doubts, your questions, and your hope.
Have questions? We'd love to talk more over coffee.
Canvas
385 Moraga Ave
San Francisco, CA 94129(
415) 562-5748
San Francisco, CA 94129(
415) 562-5748