GOD OF YOUR WHOLE LIFE

The greatest example of our church embracing our whole life is our Vision: “to be a church without walls fully engaged in serving the people of our community.” Wherever we are for our whole life, no matter who we are with, they are our community, and our whole lives are lived to serve.

Our strategy for fulfilling mission and reaching our vision isn’t one that fits in a box. It isn’t a Strategy we can apply to just one part of our lives or regulate to Saturday morning. It is complex enough that we can be involved in one of the angles at a time or multiple angles.  It is a Strategy for strangers, friends and family, and it encompasses our whole life: “Connect with people – Demonstrate compassion – Meet their need – Win their confidence – and Invite them to join us in following Jesus.”

Ours is a divided culture. We each see things from our own perspective. Too often there are values we live at home, different ones at work or school, and still a different set when we come together to worship.  We have four Values that we believe should oversee our lives 24/7.

“Love-Acceptance-Forgiveness-Grace.”  We lump those four words together and call them one Value. In addition, we value Scripture, worship, and participation.  These Values undergird our life together as a church. They are Values for our whole life, not just some corner, and we can’t put them on and take them off. They are to be with us, enmeshed in our whole life.

Our strategy for fulfilling mission and reaching our vision isn’t one that fits in a box. It isn’t a Strategy we can apply to just one part of our lives or regulate to Saturday morning. It is complex enough that we can be involved in one of the angles at a time or multiple angles.  It is a Strategy for strangers, friends and family, and it encompasses our whole life.

Mission is “loving people into a lifelong friendship with God.”  We are stewards of the love of God that he has poured into our hearts. Unlike some churches, our Mission isn’t something we just fulfill at church or participate in with a group “doing ministry.” There is no place, no time, no persons who are not part of our whole life loving. As good stewards of God’s love, it isn’t something we take out and put away like a puzzle, a game, or special clothes.  It is active and real and matches up with the description of love in 1 Corinthians 13.