VALUES

Value #1: Be the Church

We believe that to be a follower of Jesus is to be an active participant in His mission. Disciples of Jesus demonstrate their submission to Him by regularly working out their identity as His redeemed by loving Him and others, and not by merely confessing a creed or attending religious gatherings.  

 

Value #2: Discipleship by Trade

The Lord Jesus commands us to make disciples; we believe this is the first ministry objective. We believe our identity as disciples of Christ takes precedence in every aspect of our lives. We believe in actively engaging discipleship as our primary purpose as followers of Christ. We believe true disciple-making leads to new churches. We believe discipleship involves seeking to be like Jesus in every area of life by learning and practicing what He commanded. We believe successful discipleship happens when: 1) believers engage in relational, life-on-life ministry; 2) believers are obeying the devotional and missional disciplines in scripture; 3) believers are encouraging other parts of the body of Christ to grow in Him. The invitation and encouragement are for ALL members and parts of the body of Christ to function as the Lord commands.  

 

Value #3: Apostolic Church

We believe the mission to reproduce and multiply is fundamental to what church should be. To live on mission by making disciples must be the priority of the church. The local church produces disciples and releases them to go make disciples and start new churches in other communities. This enables the local church to care for our families, neighbors, co-workers, etc. We also believe in seeing and raising up cross-cultural laborers who leave one culture to make disciples in other cultures. Beyond studying the Word and praying we will also train disciples to obey the commands to fellowship, witness, and expand the Kingdom through the multiplying of new churches.  

 

Value #4: Hospitable Followers of Jesus

We believe biblical hospitality, while sometimes referring to the care and love of fellow disciples, is more frequently aimed at the care and love of strangers (evident in the Old Testament and specifically addressed in the New Testament). Our homes are the primary tool of hospitality and are one of the most effective means of showing unbelievers how we live life in Christ together. We teach all believers are called to hospitality (kindness, caring, and love for strangers). We will serve as a model for and assist those who wish to walk in the ways of Jesus so they may follow in opening their homes to their neighbors for the purpose of leading them to Christ and discipling them in the ways of Jesus.  

 

Value #5: Simple Life, Simple Gatherings  

We believe the most effective means of reproducing disciples and churches happens in small, life-on-life gatherings. We believe Jesus left us a pattern of gathering, oftentimes around a meal, for praise, prayer, dialogue, learning, equipping, and caring. We believe the small, intimate, participative gatherings are best suited for discipleship. Small gatherings and living in missional communities strengthen the ability to live out the “one anothers” in scripture. We believe it's imperative for the church to have structure. Each church community decides what this looks like specifically. Given the command is to “make disciples,’ we believe when the church gathers it should both worship the Lord and equip the saints for the ministry. We desire to gain biblical knowledge when we gather and to practice obeying God’s Word when we scatter.  

 

Value #6: Leadership

We believe Scripture portrays several types of leadership within the church. The offices set forth in Scripture are those of elders and deacons, in both cases a plurality. We believe Jesus is the Chief Pastor/Shepherd of His church. Elders co-labor as equals for the edification of the church. Elders are recognized and set aside by the church. They guide the church by exhorting, teaching, encouraging, and exemplifying the mission of disciple-making. Deacons are selected by the church to give leadership in the areas of service ministries.  

 

Value #7: Church Maturity

We want all churches to grow and develop. Our gatherings and leaders strive to see these qualities develop within the church: 1) continue to gather regularly, 2) baptize those who come to Christ, 3) make disciples who learn and obey Scripture, 4) commemorate Jesus with bread and wine/juice, 5) share in fellowship (co-laboring) together, 6) give and minister to meet needs, 7) pray together, 8) praise together, 9) tell people about Jesus, and 10) raise up servants from within the church who meet biblical standards to lead.  Jesus immersed His followers in the culture of grace, reached beyond cultural barriers, gave His life to see those around Him become spiritually mature, and prioritized ministry to the marginalized. We seek to live out these values by obeying the “one anothers” in Scripture.  

 

Value #8: Radical Generosity

We acknowledge all that is in creation belongs to the Lord. From the beginning, God has charged humankind with the stewardship of His creation. We believe we should be generous in all areas of our lives. This goes beyond our finances and involves a completely generous lifestyle. We see radical generosity in the life of the New Testament church. We desire to imitate this. The Lord commands us to give cheerfully. Our giving is to be according to our convictions and not under any type of compulsion. We believe that followers of Jesus should ask His Holy Spirit to lead them in their giving.  

 

Value #9: Mutual Encouragement

We see in Scripture churches scattered over a large geographical area supporting one another. We welcome opportunities to network for the purpose of mutual encouragement, training, accountability, and mission with other churches that share in the unifying principles found in Ephesians 4:4-6. Churches or individuals have complete freedom to disagree about issues not found below. 

●       One body: We hold the following to be essential: The church is one body composed of “Redeemed” believers from every age, every location, throughout history. The Holy Spirit makes us part of the body of Christ. The unification of the body of Christ is by the work of the Holy Spirit.

●       One Spirit: We hold the following to be essential: After Jesus ascended, the Helper came to carry on His work in and through His disciples. He is the central figure in moving us to faith in Jesus and the work Jesus has for us. The Father is God, Jesus is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. There is only one God. The Holy Spirit has inspired all Scripture.

●       One Lord: We hold the following to be essential: Only Jesus is Lord. There is no other name by which we may be saved. Jesus is fully divine and fully human. Jesus is eternal. Jesus lived a sinless life and is unique as the only Lord and Savior.

●       One faith: We hold the following to be essential: The Good News is Jesus died, was buried, and was raised for our salvation. Jesus is pure and sinless which qualifies Him to save us. His sacrificial death was for the forgiveness of our sins, our justification. We are adopted into the family of God that is ours in Jesus. The new birth and newness of life are found in Jesus.

●       One baptism: We hold the following to be essential: Baptism was given priority by Jesus in His call to disciple, but not a requirement of salvation. Baptism is the public confession of faith in Jesus and was celebrated upon a person having turned from sin and trusted in Jesus. It is symbolic of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. It is an act of obedience. It symbolizes the Holy Spirit’s work of immersing us into the body of Christ.

●       One God and Father: We hold the following to be essential: God is unique. We see His attributes clearly being all Powerful, all Knowing, omnipresent, eternal, and immutable. He is Spirit, He is personal, loving, gracious, kind, forgiving, and compassionate.  

We believe baptism and the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper are to be practiced by the local church. We also believe in celebrating covenant relationships as designed by God. Overseeing elders come alongside couples who desire to enter into marriage with one another to offer biblical counsel. We believe marriage is to be between one man and one woman (Gender is designed by God at conception) to become one in unity before the Lord.  

We believe the unity mentioned above is paramount. Churches may network with other churches formed by people of diverse orthodox theological backgrounds, but the goal is always to represent, as ambassadors, the Lord Jesus. The church is not mine or yours, it belongs to Jesus.