OUR CORE VALUES
Below are our 12 Core Values and cultural statements that express our pursuits as believers and the body of Christ. We have categorized them within the 3 parts of our Mission Statement “Love God, Love Others and Make Disciples”.
These have been set into a ‘couplet’ form that emphasizes the paradoxical nature of these values. All of these values are in complete harmony from Heaven’s perspective and should not be viewed as antithetical. Yet, within our human limitations, paradox helps us align with the healthy radical middle.
We Are a People Who…
Love God.
Matthew 22:37-40
How?
Goodness. We receive His extravagant Goodness.
He is good always, he is gracious, and nothing stops His relentless goodness, unconditional love, and gentle kindness. Jesus is perfect theology and the perfect reflection of God and His Goodness.
Presence. We pursue His abiding Presence.
We expect every believer to encounter God’s Presence daily in their individual lives and corporately. As important and useful as rules and principles may be, we must learn to live our lives by the indwelling Presence of the Holy Spirit and the life-giving words He speaks to us on a daily basis. We want to commune with Him and find His Presence in everything.
Worship. We devote ourselves to a lifestyle of intimate Worship.
We want to be a people who worship God extravagantly together in corporate settings. Worship includes singing, but is much more than that. It is the full and free expression of our devotion to God. Worship at corporate gatherings, however, is not totally sufficient. We encourage every believer to express their love and devotion to God through private times of worship as they encounter Him in their everyday.
(Psalm 95:1-11, Psalm 100:4, Psalm 150:1-6, Revelation 5:9, Revelation 15:2-8, Revelation 19, Revelation 4, Nehemiah 8:1-9, Deuteronomy 5:1, Psalm 22:22, Psalm 40:9-10, Acts 2:46-47, Acts 20:7, John 4:19-26, Matthew 26:6-13, Acts 16:25, Psalm 63:1, Psalm 68:4-5, Psalm 42)
Word. We are submitted to and obey the Living Word.
The Logos, the Spirit-breathed World of God, is our final guide, our foundation, and our guardrails; it feeds, defends, informs, and sustains us. We desire to daily strengthen ourselves from God’s Word.
(Romans 8, I Corinthians 6:19-20, Genesis 3:8-9, Psalm 16:11, Jeremiah 29:13, Exodus 33:14-15, Zachariah 4:6-7, 1 Thessalonians 1:5, 1 Corinthians 2:15, John 10:35, 2 Timothy 2:15-16, 2 Timothy 3:14-17, Psalm 119, Hebrews 4:11-13, Matthew 5:17-19, Luke 16:17, John 1:1-5, John 1:14, Psalm 1)
We Are a People Who…
Love Others.
Matthew 22:37-40
How?
Joyful Family. We are happy to be together.
The best metaphor for church is Family. Home is our first place of ministry — ministry to our spouse, children, and other family members are vitally important. Second, we believe that living in community is the lifestyle of the Bible - as described in Acts 2, so we seek to joyfully pursue relationships and friendships with one another. We have no preferences regardless of race, religion, gender, or status. Rich or poor, sinner or saint, Jew or Gentile, male or female, all are loved with non-negotiable love.
Authentic & Accountable. We are committed to genuine relationships with authentic accountability.
We will live openness and honesty with each other. We put forth our truest selves and walk in the light even when it hurts to reveal offenses or receive needed correction and reproof.
(Exodus 20:12, Romans 12:10, Philippians 2:3, 1 Peter 2:17-19, John 13:34-35, 1 John 1:5-7, Psalm 141:5-6, Hebrews 12:4-11, Acts 5:1-11, James 5:16, Ephesians 4:15, 1 John 3:18)
Servant Hearted. We are honored to put others’ needs above our own.
The way up is down; humility is the first and last character trait of those who would lead. We follow Jesus’ example of getting into the dirt with the lowly, the poor, the strangers, the incarcerated, the elderly, the orphan, the immigrant, and the suffering; whoever they may be. We also seek to emulate Jesus’ washing the feet of His friends, serving them that they might know the Father. We put all hands in to do the work He has given us to do, and give to one another as each has need.
(Ephesians 4:11, Romans 11:29, Matthew 22:14, 2 Timothy 1:9, 1 Thessalonians 5:24, Jeremiah 29:11, Acts 13:36, Ephesians 1:18, Ephesians 4:1, 1 Corinthians 7:7, 1 Peter 4:11, 1 Timothy 4:14, 2 Timothy 1:6, Ephesians 4, Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:6-10, 1 Corinthians 12:27-31, 1 Corinthians 14:1-15, Matthew 23:1-12, Matthew 20:20-27, Matthew 18:1-5, Luke 22:26, Jeremiah 3:15, Matthew 10:24, 2 Timothy 2:24, Luke 16:10, 1 Peter 5:1-9, Acts 20:17-35)
Covenant. We are committed to each other for the long haul.
We believe as the Bride of Christ that to covenant ourselves to God is to choose covenant with one another. We are called to walk in unity and love, forgiving one another, pursuing life together, and living out the Great Commission as one body.
We Are a People Who…
Make Disciples.
Matthew 28:19-20
How?
Holy Spirit Empowered. We rely on the power of the Holy Spirit.
The power that was with Jesus was released when He ascended into Heaven and the Holy Spirit entered the believers’ gathering at Pentecost. That same power is alive and moving today, and Holy Spirit has empowered each believer to walk in grace to do His will, and to minister to others with the gifts of the Spirit.
Transformed. We seek spiritual and emotional transformation.
True transformation in Christ involves growth toward both emotional and spiritual maturity. We believe in holistic health and spirituality — taking care that our souls, hearts, minds, and relationships are equally pruned and tended. We want to be transformed by the renewing of our minds so that we may discern His good and perfect will, and become vessels of healing and wholeness for others.
(Romans 12:1-21, Romans 15, 1 Timothy 2:5, 1 Timothy 1:12, 2 Peter 1:10-11, 1 John 2:27-28, 1 Peter 2:4-12, Matthew 25:14-30, Romans 13:1-7, 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13, Hebrews 13:7-8, James 5:19-20, 1 Peter 4:1-2, Hebrews 13:17-21, Matthew 12:36, Romans 14:12, 1 Corinthians 4:2: Proverbs 27:17, Galatians 6:1-2, Matthew 18:15-17, James 5:16, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, Ephesians 4:25, Colossians 3:16, Hebrews 3:12-13, Luke 17:3)
Missional. We all live on Mission.
Without a missional focus, we become consumer Christians. The mission includes both incarnation and proclamation. We are focused on reaching our own city, state, and nation for Christ. We are also committed to going to the uttermost and the unreached where the Gospel of the Kingdom has not been proclaimed. Those who are reached on a mission will be nurtured in the community.
(John 3:16, John 20:21, Acts 1:8, John 1:14, 1 John 1:1-2, Luke 10:1-37, Romans 10:8-15, Matthew 24:14, Matthew 13:55, 1 Peter 4:7-11, Hebrews 10:24-25, Romans 12:10, Romans 15:7, Ephesians 4:1-6, Galatians 6:2, 1 Corinthians 1:10, Proverbs 17:17, Matthew 18:20, Acts 2:44-47, Philippians 2:3-16)
Kingdom. We are seeking first His Kingdom.
, in His infinite wisdom, has chosen to use mentors to disciple us and grow us up. As disciples, we are summoned to follow not just Christ but to also imitate others as they follow Christ.
(2 Corinthians 13:5, Colossians 2:9-11, 2 Peter 1:1-8, 1 John 2:20, 26-29, Philippians 1:6, Philippians 2:13, Ephesians 2:10, Romans 6:1-14, Luke 6:40, Luke 9:23, 2 Timothy 2:2, 1 Corinthians 11:1, 1 Corinthians 4:1, Matthew 9:9, Mark 16:15, Acts 1:8, Romans 10:14-15, John 15:16, Matthew 4:19-20, Titus 2:3-5)