As a congregation, we have been given a mission – the Great Commission. With the values formulated below, we would like to express our understanding of this mission and God’s will for us as a congregation – and at the same time show how we put this mission into practice.
The Great Commission
Jesus came with a commission that he gave to his church. It is in Matthew 28:18-20, called the Great Commission, and was to be obeyed by all churches and communities.
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
For a church to effectively carry out the Great Commission, we must study God’s Word and pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit. In this way, we can discern how God wants us as a church to carry out the Great Commission. After that, it is important to communicate this clearly to the church. This is the purpose of our mission and values.
We belong to Christ.
We are a church centered on Jesus and committed to serving Him and putting Him at the center of all we do at all times. We believe that Christ is the head and we belong to him, which sets the tone for everything that happens in our church.
We believe that Jesus is the source of our lives and has all authority. We see him as the chief shepherd, Lord, and life-giver of the church. Everyone in the church is called to submit to Christ and the authority of the Scriptures. The supreme authority in the worldwide church rests with Christ. Not with any person, group or denomination. This determines the way leaders act in the church.
We place great emphasis on putting Jesus at the center of all we do in the church. In our worship services, sermons, prayers, and life together, we strive to put Christ at the center. We strive to serve Jesus as our Lord, King, Shepherd, and Savior, trusting in Him for our lives. We know and celebrate His love, honor, and worth, and love Him deeply.
We preach the Word of God to exalt Him, to edify His people, and to equip them for a life of worshipful service.
Jesus’ ministry centered on proclaiming and teaching the Kingdom of God. Therefore, when we preach the Bible, we should understand it as Jesus speaking to his people. The emphasis of preaching should not be on sharing good ideas, but on proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. The goal is not to hear a person’s ideas, but to learn from the reliable, flawless, and life-changing Word of God as written in the Bible. Preaching should not just give instructions for an effective week, but be a means to glorify God and bring glory to His name. When the Word of God is preached, the sheep hear Jesus’ voice, recognize Him, and follow Him.
Paul writes in Ephesians 4 that the pastor’s task is to edify the body of Christ, that is, to instruct it in the truth. The pastor’s job is not to entertain, but to instruct and equip the saints for the work of ministry. In Ephesians 4:12, Paul writes of “equipping the saints for the work of ministry.” Beginning with the glorification of God, the hearers continue to be strengthened and gain understanding of the Scriptures. As a result, they are equipped to live in the right way. The goal is to practically apply biblical teaching to every aspect of our lives. Not only to fill minds with information, but also to fill hearts with truth, motivate and teach hands to live a godly life.
Jesus praises his Father in our midst and invites us to sing along. As Zephaniah 3:17 says, “he will rejoice over you”. Our worship reaches Jesus whether you are in heaven or on earth. He inspires us to praise the Father and put worship first. The Bible gives us the command to sing, clap, exult and dance, and all these godly actions are pleasing to God.
“in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” (Hebrews 2:12) Jesus, our High Priest and Lamb of God, is also the priest and temple to whom we come to worship. Our worship for Jesus comes first with Him.
We pour out our hearts before God, for His power is made perfect in weakness.
As a congregation, we want to be persistent in prayer and maintain a consistent and vital relationship with God through this spiritual discipline. We do not want to miss out on the blessings that God has in store for us, but we want to be a people who pray for promises from God – In faith and trust in Him.
Prayer should be a constant and vital part of our relationship with God. It should be a spiritual discipline that we practice regularly. When we pray, we open ourselves to the presence of God and allow Him to work in us and through us. We have the opportunity to confess our sins, ask him for guidance, and thank him for his blessings. We can also present our concerns to him and know that he hears us and cares for us.
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has graciously shared His Sonship with us and allows us to come to the Father in prayer. This gift of prayer is a means of sharing in the divine life of the Trinity, for we join Jesus in His prayers, and He sanctifies our petitions by presenting them to the Father. The thought that we have the privilege of speaking directly with the God of the universe is awe-inspiring, but despite its profundity, it is also a simple act that anyone can do.
We are known for our love for one another.
Jesus says, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35). Christians are not meant to live in isolation because God created us for relationships. Christian friendships are not just based on a common interest. They have a deeper connection rooted in a shared faith in our heavenly Father, who has saved us through the gospel and 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 human beings created in the image of God and redeemed by Christ, we are called to imitate God’s heart and love one another. Therefore, our interactions and attitudes toward one another should be characterized by: Love.
This love includes forgiving one another even when relationships become difficult and painful and it is inevitable that someone will hurt us intentionally or unintentionally and vice versa. This love is proactive and does not wait for the other person to qualify for love. It is unconditional, selfless and sacrificial, as Colossians 3:12-14 says:
“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”
To understand this 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 from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. ” This means that love is a fruit of rebirth, and that those who love God are born of God and know God.
We have the heart of our Father.
Our goal is to be a warm and welcoming community of believers where people feel loved, wanted and welcomed. We want people to know that God’s heart toward them is warm, loving, kind and friendly, no matter who they are or what they have done. As we strive to get our relationships right, we want that to be reflected in the way we treat others, whether they come through our doors or just hear about us as a church. We don’t want to be a closed society, but a place where people can come to find love and acceptance.
We also want to be a place that attracts others, a warm and welcoming environment where people naturally feel drawn. For this reason, we have put a lot of thought into creating a welcoming environment. Starting with our Sunday services and ending with the coffee bar where people can get to know each other over coffee.
It is important for us to be vigilant and sensitive as we welcome new people into our community. We don’t want to overwhelm them with too many questions, but take the time to get to know them at their own pace. We want this to be a place where people feel comfortable and relaxed, where they know they are loved, wanted, welcomed and can be part of our family.
People bring their lives and stories with them and it’s important that we offer them the support and love they need. Whether they are lonely, hurting, hopeless, lost or confused, we have community, healing, hope, refuge and truth to offer. We want to make it as easy as possible for them to come here and feel loved and accepted.
We are an international community.
People of many nationalities are represented in our congregation, creating a unique and joyful atmosphere. Our congregation reflects that God has called His people from every tribe, language and nation. We celebrate the diversity of cultures and believe that none is superior, but that 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 unity in Christ and learn to love one another despite our differences. As an international church, we want to bring the Gospel of Jesus to everyone in the city, regardless of color, creed, culture, nationality, or tribe. This is what Christ has called the church to do.
We are reaching this generation, passing on to the next generation, and preparing them to do the same.
As a church and as Christians, we are part of something much bigger than ourselves. It is our responsibility to spread the Gospel and leave something positive behind. It is important to remember that God has a mission for everyone and we are to make a difference in the world. The psalmist reminds us of the brevity of life and the importance of using our time wisely. As a congregation, we should strive to create a sustainable and healthy community that will continue to grow in the future.
As citizens of God’s Kingdom of Heaven, we are called to live with Jesus, follow Him, and share the Gospel. The Kingdom of God is built by sharing the good news, just as Andrew went to Simon to tell him about the Messiah. It is important to have a vision that goes beyond ourselves and our own needs and to try to take the gospel of Christ to all nations and make disciples. The danger for a church is that it becomes too focused on itself and loses sight of the bigger picture of God’s work in the world.
We serve one another with our God-given gifts.
We encourage everyone to use their gifts in service to the church and want to create opportunities to do so. If you are a Christian, God has given you gifts and He wants to use them. Do not believe the lie that you are not good enough or cannot be used by God. He wants to use you.
A healthy body needs all its parts to function. Just as the hand needs the foot, we want to equip and empower you through teaching and through opportunities to serve. God has brought us all together in this church to serve one another. There are many things to do in the church.
We believe in the priesthood of all believers, which means that everyone has received a gift and is called to serve the church. There is a lot to do on Sundays and some things may be overlooked, such as the person who operates the sound system. But when everyone is involved in serving, church is fun.
Let’s be careful that only a few people are serving while everyone else is just watching. We are all in the same boat.
Jesus is the carpenter from Nazareth who is also a rabbi. He teaches us how to follow him in every area of our lives. Practical discipleship means putting our faith into action. It requires us to reflect on how to live as Christians in every area of our lives and to make changes where necessary. We are called to be effective disciples in all areas of our lives and to live lives that are consistent with the teachings of Jesus.
Practical discipleship is an important aspect of our faith and plays a vital role in our spiritual growth and maturity. It enables us to live a life that is in harmony with the teachings of Jesus. In Matthew 28, Jesus teaches us to “teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.”. This means that our faith is not limited to attending church or accumulating knowledge. Rather, the teachings from the Bible are to shape all areas of our lives. This includes our family 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 ways that are consistent with gospel principles.
We should strive to grow holistically in the Lord Jesus Christ. This means considering how to live as Christians in all areas of life and allowing the Bible to shape and guide us. We want to live a life that reflects our faith. Not just when we are in church, but in all areas of our lives. Our goal is to become increasingly mature Christians who live their faith in a practical and meaningful way.
We develop leaders to serve God’s church.
As leaders, we look to the future with enthusiasm and the expectation that God will act. It is our responsibility to make sure that those who come after us are equipped. The Kingdom of God will continue to exist after us, and as leaders we must prepare for that. Paul commissioned Timothy to train people for ministry, and David prepared his son Solomon to build the temple. Jesus also shows us 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, he talked to them about it, and ultimately these 12 men became the foundation of the church. They were commissioned to make disciples, plant churches, and appoint new leaders. This is what we should be working towards – always looking forward and also including those who will carry on our work after us and take it even further.
We are part of God’s larger mission, equipping and sending those He calls to go.
As followers of Christ, we are all commissioned to be His ambassadors. No matter where God has led you, it is important to act in that capacity. The Bible teaches us that it is the Holy Spirit who sends people out on mission. For example, the Spirit instructs Paul and Barnabas to go on a special trip (Acts 13) and tells Paul to go to Macedonia (Acts 16). Paul also writes to the elders in Ephesus that the Holy Spirit had appointed them.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son.” Jesus said that the Father sent him. The term “apostle” means “sent one,” and Jesus is the chief apostle whom God sent into the world. Jesus also said, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” Understanding that God’s kingdom does not end with us, we remain aware of our role as a church to participate in what God is doing in the world. Jesus is building His church through the power of the Holy Spirit and the work of His followers. The Spirit continues to send people. This is God’s will and He is accomplishing it. Therefore, it is imperative for us to seek the Spirit’s guidance and obey His call in our lives.