Definition of terms

Community of faith:  While God’s love demands an individual response, we recognize that we are called to pursue him in the context of a community of believers.  Our community is made up of those who are bound together as fellow servants of Jesus Christ.  God’s authority governs how we are to relate to one another.  The commandment to love God and love one another describes the community we seek to establish.  We are all at various stages of our faith journey in becoming disciples of Jesus Christ.

Application:  The community we seek to be and become will be grounded on the                                        following values:

Grace:             Our membership in this community is based upon the unmerited

                        favor of God given freely to us through Jesus Christ.

God’s Word:    The Bible is God’s definitive revelation to his people and the final

                        authority in all that He has chosen to reveal.

Faith:               Faith is a gift from God.  The object of our faith is God Almighty, 

                        Jesus, his Son and our Lord, and the Holy Spirit who is at work in         

                        our midst.                                     

Works:            Faith is always expressed in tangible ways.  We blessed to be a

                        blessing to our neighbors, community, and world.

Hospitality:      We expect God to add to our number and so we strive to welcome

                        and care for people of diverse backgrounds.

Gifts:               Every believer is uniquely gifted by God and called to employ

                        those gifts for the good of the community and ministry.

To go:  The church’s tendency is to stay and welcome those that might come.  Jesus modeled for us what it means to go and seek out the lost.  Jesus frequently reached out to those people with significant physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.

Application:  We will be a church that is connected to her community.  We will be a church that strives to meet needs in the name of Jesus Christ.

Disciples:  We recognized that as branches (disciples) our primary job is to remain connected to the vine (Jesus Christ).  The vine’s job is to produce fruit through us.  Disciples enter into a dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ.

Application:  We will strive to provide structures that provide the opportunity for people to grow in their relationship to Jesus Christ.  We will view ministry holistically, recognizing that all of creation and all of who we are is subject to Christ.

Make:  We cannot lead someone where we ourselves have not gone or are unwilling to go.  We seek to establish authentic and intentional relationships with one another as we pursue Christ together.

Application:  Relationships are the foundation for influence.  We seek to establish relationships that will help our community move forward in the continuum of faith.

Therefore, our programming and various activities must be intentional and relationship-based.