Our mission statement and value statements serve to express how we believe God wants us to fulfill the Great Commission.
Jesus came with a mission that he gave to the church. It is written in Matthew 28:18-20 and called the Great Commission. It should be followed by all Churches.
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
For a church to effectively carry out Jesus’ commission, we must study God’s word and pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit. This way we can discern how God wants us to fulfill the great commission. It is then essential to articulate this message in a clear and compelling manner. This is the purpose of our mission statement as well as our value statements.
Klick here to read more about the great commission and our mission statement
Our Mission Statement
A community that is growing together in the knowledge and love of Christ, as we seek to follow him and make him known.
Our Values
We are a Church centered on Jesus and dedicated to serving Him and making Him the focus of all that we do – at all times. We believe that Christ is the Head and we belong to Him, setting the tone for everything that happens within the Church.
We believe that Jesus is the source of our life and holds all authority. We acknowledge Him as the chief shepherd, Lord, and life giver of the Church. All members of the Church, including leadership, are called to submit to Christ and the authority of scripture. The ultimate authority in the Church rests in Christ, not any person or group or denomination, and this influences the way leaders lead.
We place a strong emphasis on making Jesus the focus of all aspects of our Church. In our worship, preaching, prayer, and life together, we strive to be Christ-focused. We seek to serve Jesus as our Lord, King, Shepherd, and Savior, and trust in Him for our life. We recognize and celebrate His love, honor, and worth, and are deeply in love with Him.
Jesus’ ministry was centered on preaching and teaching the kingdom of God. Therefore, when preaching the Bible, it should be understood as Jesus speaking to his people. The focus of preaching should not be on sharing good ideas, but on proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. The goal is not to hear a man’s ideas, but to learn from the authoritative, inerrant, life-changing word of God as written in the Bible. Preaching should not just provide instructions for an effective week, but be a means to exalt God and bring glory to his name. When the word of God is preached, the sheep of Jesus hear his voice, know him, and follow him.
Paul says in Ephesians 4 that the pastor’s job is to edify the body of Christ, meaning to teach them truth. The pastor’s role is not to entertain, but to instruct and equip the saints for the work of the ministry. In Ephesians 4:12, Paul refers to “the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry.” By starting with exalting God, the listeners gain strength, understanding, and edification, and through that they are equipped to live the right way. The goal is to practically apply Bible teaching to every aspect of life, not just fill heads with information, but also fill hearts with truth and motivate and educate hands to live a worshipful life.
Jesus praises His Father in our midst and invites us to join in. As Zechariah 3,17 says: “He will rejoice over you with singing.” Our worship reaches Jesus, whether in heaven or on earth. He inspires us to praise the Father, making worship a priority. The Bible commands us to sing, clap, shout, dance, and all these acts of worship are pleasing to God.
“In the midst of the assembly, I will sing praise to you.” (Hebrews 2:12) Jesus, our High Priest and Lamb, is also the Priest and Temple, where we come to worship. Our worship of Jesus is His priority.
As a church, we want to be steadfast in prayer, maintaining a consistent and vibrant relationship with God through this spiritual discipline. Let us not miss out on the blessings that God has in store for us, but let us be a people who pray the promises of God with faith and dependence on Him.
Prayer should be a consistent and vibrant part of our relationship with God. It should be a spiritual discipline that we engage in on a regular basis. When we pray, we open ourselves up to the presence of God and allow Him to work in and through us. We have the opportunity to confess our sins, seek His guidance, and thank Him for His blessings. We can also bring our concerns to Him, knowing that He hears and cares for us.
Jesus Christ, the son of God, has graciously shared His Sonship with us, allowing us to approach the Father in prayer. This gift of prayer is a means of participating in the divine life of the Trinity, as we join Jesus in His prayers and He sanctifies our petitions, presenting them to the Father. It is awe-inspiring to consider that we have the privilege of speaking directly to the God of the universe, yet despite its profound nature, it is also a simple act that anyone can do.
We are known by our love for one another
Jesus said in John 13:35:
“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Christians are not meant to live in isolation, for we are created as relational beings. Christian friendships are not just based on a common interest in something. Rather, they are based on a deeper connection rooted in a shared belief in our heavenly Father who has saved us through the gospel and has given us a common passion for His name. True Christian friendships are characterized by a genuine love for one another.
Love reflects the very nature and character of God. As individuals created in the image of God and redeemed by Christ, we are called to imitate God’s heart and show love to one another. Therefore, our interactions and attitudes toward one another should be characterized by this fundamental principle: love.
This love includes forgiving one another even when relationships become challenging and painful and it’s inevitable that someone will intentionally or unintentionally hurt us and vice versa. This love is proactive, and it doesn’t wait for the recipient to qualify themselves for love. It is unconditional, selfless, and sacrificial, as described in Colossians 3:12-14:
12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
To understand love, we must look to Jesus Christ, who embodies true love. 1 John 4:7 says:
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.”
This emphasizes that love is a fruit of the new birth, and that those who love God are born of God and know God.
Our goal is to be a warm and welcoming body of believers, where people feel loved, wanted, and welcomed. We want people to know that God’s heart towards them is warm, loving, kind, and friendly, no matter who they are or what they’ve done. As we strive to get our relationships right, we want this to be reflected in the way we treat others, whether they are coming through our doors or just hearing about us as a church. We don’t want to be a closed off community, but rather a place where people can come and find love and acceptance.
We also want to be a place that attracts others, a warm and inviting environment where people naturally feel drawn to. This is why we have put so much thought into creating a welcoming environment, from our Sunday gatherings to the coffee bar where people can sit and get to know each other over a cup of coffee.
It’s important to have discernment when welcoming new people into our community. We don’t want to overwhelm them with too many questions, but rather take the time to get to know them at their pace. We want this to be a place where people feel comfortable and at ease, where they know that they are loved, wanted, and welcomed, and can be part of our family.
People bring their lives and their stories with them, and it’s important that we offer them the support and love that they need. Whether they are lonely, hurting, hopeless, lost, or confused, we have fellowship, healing, hope, refuge, and truth to offer them. We want it to be as easy as possible for them to come here and feel loved and accepted.
People of many nationalities are represented in our church, creating a unique and fun atmosphere. Our church body reflects the fact that God has called his people from every tribe, tongue, and nation. We celebrate the variety of cultures and believe that none are superior, but all contribute to a heavenly culture.
Living in a foreign country can be intimidating, but our church is a warm and welcoming place where everyone can feel at home. We want to experience the unity of Christ and learn to love each other despite our national differences. As an International Church, we want to pursue everyone in the city with the gospel of Jesus, regardless of their color, creed, culture, nationality, or tribe. This is what Christ has called the church to do.
As a church and as Christians we are a part of something much bigger than ourselves, and it is our responsibility to spread the gospel and to leave a positive legacy. It is important to remember that we are here for a purpose and to make a difference. The Psalmist reminds us of the brevity of life and the importance of using our time wisely, and as a church, we should strive to create a sustained and healthy community that will continue to grow long into the future.
As participants in God’s kingdom, we are called to live with and follow Jesus, and to pass on the gospel to others. The kingdom is built through the process of sharing and replicating the good news, just as Andrew went to tell Simon about the Messiah. It is important to have a vision that goes beyond ourselves and our own needs, and to strive to take the gospel of Christ to all nations and make disciples. The danger for a church is when it becomes too self-focused and loses sight of the bigger picture of God’s work in the world.
We encourage everyone to use their spiritual gifts in the service of the body and provide opportunities for them to do so. If you are a Christian, God has given you a gift and intends to use it. Don’t believe the lie that you’re not good enough or not capable of being used by God. He wants to use you.
A healthy body relies on all its parts to work together. Just like the hand needs the foot, we want to equip and empower you with teaching and opportunities to serve. God has placed us all here together to serve each other. There are plenty of things to do in the church.
We believe in the priesthood of the believer, meaning that everyone has been given a gift and is called to serve the church. On Sundays, there is a lot going on and some things may go unnoticed, like the person handling the sound system. But when everyone is involved in serving, church is fun.
Let’s avoid the trap of having only a few people doing things while everyone else just watches. We are all in this together.
Jesus is the carpenter from Nazareth who’s also a rabbi. He teaches us how to follow him in every part of our lives. Practical discipleship is about putting our faith into action. It requires us to reflect on how we can live as Christians in all areas of our lives and to make changes as needed. We are called to be effective disciples in all parts of life and to live a life that is in line with the teachings of Jesus.
Practical discipleship is an important aspect of our faith and plays a crucial role in our spiritual growth and maturity. It enables us to live a life that is in line with the teachings of Jesus. In Matthew 28, Jesus instructs us: ‘teach them to observe all the things I have commanded you’. This means that our faith is not limited to just attending church or filling our heads with knowledge, but to ensure that the teachings of scripture inform all aspects of our lives. This includes our home life, our relationships, our parenting, our civic duties, our work, and even our finances. We are called to be wise and to use our resources in a way that aligns with the principles of the gospel.
We should strive to grow holistically in the Lord Jesus Christ. This means considering how we can live as Christians in all areas of life and allowing the scriptures to shape and guide us. We want to live lives that reflect our faith, not just in church, but in all parts of our lives. Our goal is to become mature Christians who live out our faith in a practical and meaningful way.
As leaders, we approach the future with excitement and the expectation that God will act. It is our responsibility to ensure that those who come after us are prepared. The kingdom of God continues after us, and as leaders we must prepare for it. Paul instructed Timothy to train people for the ministry and David prepared for his son Salomo to build the temple. Jesus also exemplifies this approach through his ministry. He chose to build his church through his disciples by actively teaching and training them. He gave them hands-on experience, debriefed them for reflection, and ultimately, these 12 men became the foundation of the Church. They were tasked with making disciples, establishing churches, and raising up other leaders. This is what we should strive for – to always look ahead and also to consider those who will continue our work after us and take it even further.
As followers of Christ, we are all commissioned to serve as His ambassadors. No matter where we are, it’s important for us to operate in this capacity. The Bible reveals that it is the Holy Spirit who sends people out on mission. For instance, in the book of Acts, the Spirit instructs Paul and Barnabas to embark on a special journey (Acts 13) and prompts Paul to go to Macedonia (Acts 16). Paul also acknowledges to the elders in Ephesus that the Holy Spirit had appointed them.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son.” Jesus stated that the Father had sent Him. The term “Apostle” simply means “sent one,” and Jesus is the chief Apostle that God sent into the world. Jesus also said, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” As we understand that God’s kingdom does not end with us, we remain mindful of our role as the Church in participating in what God is doing in the world.
Jesus builds His Church through the power of the Holy Spirit and the work of His followers. The Spirit continues to send people, and this is what God desires and is accomplishing in the world. As a result, it’s essential for us to seek the guidance of the Spirit and respond to His call on our lives.
