VALUES
In studying the Bible, we found that the descriptions of "church" emphasized three particular values:
1. FAMILY
The body of believers is supposed to be closer to us than our own families (Matt. 12:46, Luke 14:26).
Jesus said that "all people will know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35). He also prayed that his disciples would be so "perfectly one" that the world may believe that the Father sent Jesus (John 17:20-23).
Let's be honest—so often people don't even know others in their church, much less exhibit this supernatural type of unity and love.
In a family, no one is left out. Every person’s needs should be cared for (Acts 4:32-34), and the family takes it upon itself to care for its members. This is a kind of love that points people to Jesus.
We see throughout the New Testament that the early church devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, the fellowship, communion, and the prayers, as summarized in Acts 2:42.
Fellowship entails doing life together, all the time, not for just a couple hours on a Sunday morning. We strive to be there for one another at all times, to bear one another's burdens.
2. DISCIPLESHIP
As followers of Christ, we are called to make disciples of all kinds of people (ethnicities/nations Matt. 28:19-20). In a lot of our church experiences, however, we're used to inviting our friends to church so that a speaker can tell them about Jesus, not us. Yet, it's the mission of every follower of Jesus.
We all spend our weeks in different mission fields: our neighborhoods, schools, offices, gyms, coffee shops, and more, so we come together on Sundays and pray for each other to stir one another up for boldness. While we can be sure that persecution will come as we share the gospel (2 Tim. 3:12-13), we can stand firm together in one faith (Phil. 1:27-30).
Jesus himself had his twelve disciples, and there came a time when he no longer called them servants, but friends (John 15:15). Paul also called the believers in his care to grow up into the full maturity of faith in Christ (Eph. 4:13).
Often it's all too easy to attend a church for years and years without ever being equipped to serve and live out the gospel. As consumers of church, we come in, get filled up by the worship and message, and then our only option is to come back week after week to get filled up again and again. However, if all we ever do is consume, how do we ourselves ever become fishers of men? (Matt. 4:19).
We've found that in a smaller church setting, people are more disposed to build up the body using their particular gifts for the benefit of others (1 Cor. 12:7-31). New leaders are continually being trained by the elders and current leaders because the group starts preparing to multiply from the outset. They are trained in the specific theological and practical concepts necessary to lead God's church.
Just as children are expected to grow up and move out of the home, all members are being prepared to be able to stand on their own (Heb. 5:11-14).
3. MISSION ORIENTED
We want to be people with Christ’s character, focused on sharing the gospel of The Kingdom of God with neighbors and coworkers. We want to be people who are not focused on survival or higher standards of living, but devoted to the mission. For some, this may mean going to foreign countries to share Christ where He has not been heard. For some it may mean talking to neighbors or coworkers or even proclaiming the Gospel of The Kingdom of God in public. For everyone, it means sharing the gospel regularly.