- Christ Centered
- Gospel Empowered
- Faith Integrating
- Disciple Making
- Missional Living
- Culturally Engaging
Christ Centered
We now live in Christ Jesus. He is our all in all —
(He is our living Head, our Savior, our Master, our King, our Elder Brother, our Co-heir, and He calls us “friend.”)
So we, though many, are one body in Christ…(Romans 12:5); Fixing your eyes on Jesus Christ (Hebrews 12:2); Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33); Live by faith in the Son of God (Galatians 2:20); Do all things through Christ who strengthens you (Philippians 4:13); In Him we live, move, and have our being (Acts 17:28);
Gospel Empowered
We are empowered to live for Christ daily, by His grace through faith in the gospel truths, as enabled by His Holy Spirit.
The gospel is the power of God for salvation (past, present, and future) to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16); To us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18); The Gospel comes in word and in power and in the Holy Spirit with full conviction. (1 Thessalonians 1:5); you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. (Acts 1:8);that you may know…the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ…(Ephesians 1:19-20); For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves it is a gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Ephesians 2:8)
Faith Integrating
We are called to live by faith, acknowledging Christ as preeminent in all that we do. True faith in Jesus expresses itself through loving action.
We walk by faith not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7); Without faith it is impossible to please Him. (Hebrews 11:6); The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God. (Galatians 2:20); Faith expresses itself through love (Galatians 5:6); You are a chosen race…a holy nation… that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9); Faith without works is dead (James 2:17); For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)
Disciple Making
Our mission as a church is mandated by Jesus Christ in Matt 28:19-20 -‘The Great Commission’; “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…”
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…(Matthew 28:19-20); Follow me and I will make you fishers of men (Mark 1:7); I chose you to bear fruit and that your fruit should abide. (John 15:16); By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples (John 15:8); And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.(2 Timothy 2:2)
Missional Living
We are called to live ‘on mission’; to develop a lifestyle of outward-faced, Spirit-led hospitality to build up the church and reach the lost with the love of Christ.
This good news of the Kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations. (Matthew 24:14); As the Father has sent me, I also send you. (John 20:21); A new commandment I give to you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:34-35); …all people of the earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:3); I in them and you in me that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them… (John 17:23); Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers…(Hebrews 13:2)
Culturally Engaging
We are called to love (God wholeheartedly and) our neighbors as ourselves, even our enemies, by moving towards them to manifest the love of Christ. We are called to prayerfully seek the welfare of our city.
You are salt of the earth. You are the light of the world – a city on a hill. (Matthew 5:13-14); But I tell you, love your enemies. (Matthew 5:44); For our weapons of warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds…We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5-6): As even some of your poets have said: For we too are his offspring” (Acts 17:28); He (Paul) was deeply distressed to see that the city was full of idols. (Acts 17:16); But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you, pray to the Lord on it’s behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare… (Jeremiah 29:7)