Our Core Values

 
 
What Are Core Values?
 
Core values are unwritten assumptions that guide our actions. They demonstrate convictions and priorities and help define the distinctiveness of our ministry. These are not doctrinal statements, although they may be rooted in doctrine.  Rather, they are key statements that help us in setting goals and direction for the church’s ministry.  These are the common values which are embraced throughout the congregation.  These values are the glue that binds us together. They provide a sense of identity, direction and boundaries as we make decisions.  Values define out ministry distinctives. Values dictate personal involvement. Values communicate what is important. Values guide us into positive change. Values inspire people to action.
 
1. We Value Our Lord and God
This value is expressed by:
* Loving and Worshipping God
* Devotion to Christ
* Prayer
 
First and foremost we value our relationship with the Lord above all attractions of this life. Our highest priority as a community of believers is to grow in our relationship with the Lord. We long to know Him as He has revealed Himself through the Word and reflect His holiness in our lives. We gladly submit to His Lordship so that He may be glorified in all we attempt.  As believers, we will strive to make Jesus Christ central in our lives. We believe that full devotion to Jesus Christ is the normal experience for every believer.  He is the Lord of the Church. We will pursue Him, seek Him and serve Him with all of our heart, soul, and strength.  We will make every effort to be filled and responsive to the leading of His Spirit so that we might know and do His will.  We value our times of corporate worship and believe it is an essential and non-negotiable obligation and privilege of every Christian.  We believe in the power of personal and corporate prayer and that it makes a critical difference in all we attempt to achieve.  We believe prayer is the absolute prerequisite for God’s power and blessing upon this ministry.
 
2. We Value Connectedness
This value is expressed by:
* Fellowship
* Discipleship  
* Unity
 
We value our connectedness as a family of believers. We are connected in heart, values and passion to God and each other.  Our togetherness is precious in God’s sight and is to be protected and cherished.  Love for one another must permeate every aspect of our ministry.  We believe our unity, which is a manifestation of our love and devotion to one another, is an essential part of our witness to the greater community.  The Scriptures make it abundantly clear that there is no room for dissension, quarreling and contentious attitudes in the church. We will pursue genuine relationships with each other with the goal of producing an atmosphere in our fellowship of trust, encouragement, accountability, joy and support.  Our goal is to authentically love one another as Christ loves us and to see this love transform us and our culture. Working together we will strive to produce mature disciples who live spiritually productive and fruitful lives for Christ.
 
3. We Value Truth
This value is expressed by:
* Submitting to the Authority of Scripture  
* Sound Doctrine  
* Bible Centered Preaching/Teaching
 
We unapologetically value and believe in the Bible. We recognize the 66 books of the Bible as the sole authority for the practice of our faith.  We believe it is impossible for anyone to live a godly life apart from the Word of God.  We gather as a faith community to study, understand and apply the principles of Scripture to our everyday lives. We are committed to sound exposition of the Scriptures as a vital part of our community life.   Since the Word of God is a lamp for our feet and light on our path, and the only infallible guide that exists, the first and most important consideration in any decision we make shall be what God has revealed through the Scriptures.
 
4. We Value Mission
This value is expressed by:
* Commitment to the Great Commission
* Sharing the Gospel
* Missional Focus
 
We believe that lost people matter to God.  Lost people also matter to us.  A driving force of our ministry is to reach people with the saving message of the Gospel, both locally and abroad.  We believe Jesus came to earth on a rescue mission and then commissioned His Church to go into the world to rescue others who have not yet received the forgiveness and salvation He offers by His grace. We believe it is the responsibility of every believer to aggressively search for opportunities to share the good news of what Jesus has done for us.  We serve a missional God.  He calls us to be missional people. We understand that it’s unconditional love which causes the Shepherd to leave the 99 to search for and find the one who is lost.  As forgiven sinners ourselves, we cherish the opportunity to bring this hope to others.  
 
5. We Value Community Impact
This value is expressed by:
* Impacting Our Communities
* Relevance
* Transformation
 
We believe that the unchangeable and uncompromising message of the Bible ought to be presented in a manner that is relevant to contemporary people in our communities.  We are called to be culturally relevant but remain doctrinally pure. We believe that real lasting change comes from embracing the timeless truths of Scripture.  Our goal is to be used by God to bring transformation to communities, not just individual lives.  We want to influence our communities by meeting the needs of the community and equipping individuals to grow in Christlikeness.  We believe to transform a community, we must first be transformed ourselves from the inside out.  We will therefore pursue ongoing spiritual growth. We will labor to see rebirth, renewal and revival first in our hearts and then in our communities.  
 
6.   We Value Compassion
This value is expressed by:
* Helping the Poor and Disenfranchised   
* Assisting the Hurting
* Recovery Ministries
 
We understand the church to be a trauma center for hurting and wounded people.  We believe God’s heart goes out to the weak, helpless, impoverished, oppressed, and needy. We are committed to showing compassion and genuine care for people who are experiencing difficult times.  The Scriptures teach us that authentic faith and love is expressed by meeting the needs in another person’s life.  We will endeavor to reach out to our communities by providing physical, emotional and spiritual support to those who have need.  Our goal will be to demonstrate a genuine compassion and love for others without expectation of recognition or reward. We desire to reveal the heart of Jesus by becoming the hands and feet of Jesus in our community.