STATEMENT OF MINISTRY

We want our church to be a community whose members corporately and individually put into effect the threefold priority of God first, God’s family second, and God’s work in the world third. While realizing this is a biblical mandate, our expressions of it are not fixed but are a growing process as we are led by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 12:1-2).

We want a dynamic relationship with the Lord and His Word.

Therefore

We participate in joining together to celebrate and to worship the Lord through preaching, singing, Communion, baptism, giving, prayer, praise, and sharing the Lord’s Word and His works (1 Chron. 16:27-29).

We believe that it is scriptural to train believers.

Therefore

We participate in the process of equipping and educating believers (children, youth, and adults) for the work of the ministry through Bible studies, small groups, Sunday School classes, fellowship activities, and training experiences (Eph. 4:11-13). We participate in the ministry of overseeing and caring for one another through encouragement and counsel in order to present every person complete in Christ.

We want a dynamic relationship with nonbelievers.

Therefore

We participate in outreach to our community and world through relationships. We pray for God to open up doors for the good news of salvation to be expressed and experienced in a realistic, relational, and responsible manner (Matt. 28:19-20).

The scriptural basis for this statement:

“To be active disciples of Christ by attracting and leading the unsaved to Jesus . . .”

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matt. 28:19-20).

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

“. . . challenging all Christians to dedicate themselves to the ministry”

Therefore I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will (Rom. 12:1-2).

“. . . and to stimulate an atmosphere for Christian maturity that results in Spirit-filled believers reaching out to others”

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Eph. 4:11-13).

“. . . and a powerful ministry serving our city area and beyond.”

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matt. 9:35-38).