OUR VALUES
To Know Him & Make Him Known
Gathering
Any opportunity to gather in His name creates an opportunity to love one another, care for each other, and even hold one another accountable. In Matthew 26, Jesus commands us to love one another and that cannot happen in isolation. A lump of burning hot coal removed from the fire and placed aside, on its own, will grow cold and die, people are like that as well. Isolation is death. We value gathering together with each other to encourage one another and also challenge one another. We are family. We do life together. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
God-Centered
Bible reading, bible absorbing, It’s all about Jesus! He is number one and we will celebrate Him and honor Him. The statement that we are “God-centered” unashamedly implies that everything we do is focused on the Triune God; loving Him, pursuing Him, teaching about Him, and listening to Him but this value is perfectly summed up by Jesus in His final moments in Gethsemane, “not my will be done, but Yours”. Being God-Centered is to have His will done in everything and not ours.
Growing
Growing in numbers and growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. We take notes and expect to grow. (Peter 3:17) The presence of God will cause growth, we see in Acts 2 that the product of the outpouring and manifestation of the Holy Spirit is church growth, “and numbers were added to them daily”. Ultimately our initial mandate in Genesis was that we should multiply and be fruitful and have dominion.
Giving
We are a giving church, full of generosity. We give of our time, talents, and treasure. “You can give without loving but you cannot love without giving.” God shows His love by giving (John 3:16) Proverbs 21:26 - “Some people are always greedy for more, but the godly love to give!” Giving is part of a godly person’s nature and deep down we all love it. Mr. Beast’s videos are the most popular on social media; it’s all videos of him giving stuff away.
Going
We go across the street before we go to China. It is in our DNA to be a church that goes out and loves those that are not inside our doors. Going is about our willingness.
Isaiah 6:8 “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will
go for us?" And I said, "Here I am. Send me!"
Willingness beats readiness. Isaiah wasn’t ready, when he said he was willing to “Go”. We all
know the saying “God is looking for the available, not able, because He will enable us”