We provide this document:

·         To underscore the biblical basis for our strategy

·         To promote understanding and unity of vision

·         To evaluate our doctrine and practice in light of the Scriptures

Our vision

Our desire is for each individual, each household and the whole congregation:

·         To love the LORD our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5; Psalm 32:11; Matthew 22:37; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Philippians 4:4); to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33); and to rest in His sovereignty and purpose (Romans 8:28-30).

·         To make disciples across generations and across the world by proclaiming and living the gospel of Jesus Christ (Psalm 78:1-8; Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 1:28; 2 Timothy 2:2).

·         To put off idolatrous desires and sinful practices by humbly examining ourselves under the light of God's exposing truth, resisting temptation, daily repenting from sin, and confessing our sins one to another (Proverbs 28:13; Matthew 7:5; 23:25-28; Romans 6:11; 12:14; James 5:16; 1 John 1:9).

·         To rejoice in God's forgiveness by a thorough and daily devotion to the gospel of Jesus Christ, resting wholly in Christ's death for us and our new identity in Him (Matthew 11:28-30; John 3:16; Romans 1:15-17; Ephesians 1:3-14; 2 Timothy 3:14-17).

·         To grow in grace toward maturity in Christ, being transformed out of the heart in faith and obedience (2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:8-10; 4:1, 13, 15-16, 22-24; Philippians 2:12-13; 3:12-14; Titus 2:11-12; 2 Peter 3:18).

·         To serve one another in love-because God first loved us-by means of gospel-saturated, heart-level relationships based in everyday life, using God-given gifts to benefit others (Proverbs 17:17; 27:17; Galatians 5:13-15; Philippians 2:1-4; 1 Peter 4:8-10; 1 John 4:10-11).

·         To speak God's Word diligently and skillfully to one another and to our unbelieving neighbors (Romans 10:14-15; 15:14; Ephesians 4:15-16; Colossians 4:5-6; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Peter 3:15).

·         To stand firm in God's truth, courageously manifesting a dynamic Christian worldview (Genesis 1:1; Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 10:5-6; Colossians 2:8; 2 Timothy 4:1-2).

Our strategy

We seek biblical doctrine and practice.

In the Bible, God has authoritatively and sufficiently revealed His message and His methods for our ministry (1 Timothy 3:14-16; 4:13; 2 Timothy 3:16-4:2; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:3). We promote Bible study that confirms understanding of the text as well as its application in life (Matthew 7:24-27; Romans 12:1-2; James 1:21-25). Therefore we regularly evaluate our doctrine and practices in light of the Scriptures, realizing that our loving obedience to God is our greatest success (Deuteronomy 6:1-9; John 14:15).

We minister primarily through gospel-saturated, heart-level relationships.

We communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ with the goal of persuading our hearers to repent and believe (Mark 16:15; Acts 2:40; 4:12; 20:21; 28:23-24; Romans 1:15-17; 10:8-17; 2 Corinthians 5:11a; 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10; 1 Timothy 4:10).

We are committed to genuine conversion, based on a thorough understanding of our own sin and Christ's death for us, resulting in repentance from our sin and faith in the Lord Jesus. Such conversion demonstrates itself by an increasing hunger for righteousness and growing conformity to Christlikeness (Matthew 5:6; 18:3; Romans 6:1-4; 8:29; 12:2; 2 Timothy 3:14-17; Titus 3:3-7; 1 Peter 1:14).

Because we operate out of what fills our hearts (Proverbs 4:23; Matthew 15:18-19; Luke 6:45), we therefore consider carefully, humbly, and often who we are in Christ (Matthew 18:35; Luke 7:47; Romans 6:11; 7:4; 2 Corinthians 5:17).

We seek the long-term transformation of our entire being unto Christ-likeness, beginning with our hearts and extending to our values and behavior, by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God normally through personal relationships (Romans 8:28-30; Ephesians 4:15-16; Colossians 3:16). This progressive sanctification requires perseverance and diligence (Romans 12:1-2; Philippians 2:12; 2 Timothy 3:10-15), acknowledging that God graciously works in us (Galatians 2:20; Philippians 2:12-13).

Many ministries of the church-including evangelism, discipleship, missions, service, compassion, mercy, meeting needs-are most effectively accomplished at the household level within everyday relationships (John 13:34-35; Galatians 6:2; 1 Corinthians 12:5; 1 Peter 4:8-10; cf. "one another/each other" passages). We encourage our people to serve anywhere at any time (Ephesians 5:15-16).

God redeems people from all ages, genders, situations of life, nationalities, and backgrounds (1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 12:12-31; Ephesians 2:11-22; 5:22, 25; 6:1, 4, 5, 9; Revelation 5:9). He intends for us to have relationships with one another despite these differences (1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Colossians 3:11; 1 Timothy 5:1-2; James 2:1-9). Therefore we incorporate into the full life of the church our children, young people, older people, married and single people, orphans, widows, etc. (Joshua 8:35; Nehemiah 8:2-3; Acts 2:9-11; 21:5; Ephesians 4:1-6; 6:1-3).

We shepherd the church through shared pastoral eldership.

Elders and deacons are the two abiding offices for the local church (Acts 20:17, 28; Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:1, 8; 1 Peter 5:1-4). Deacons are primarily assistants to the elders (Philippians 1:1). Therefore, in order to relieve the elders, we delegate various practical duties to deacons and others (cf. Acts 6:2-4; 1 Timothy 3:8).

We give particular attention to the qualifications for leadership (1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-4). We must lead by example, for an elder's leadership in the church begins with his leadership in his own home (Luke 6:40; 1 Corinthians 11:1; 1 Timothy 3:5; 2 Timothy 3:10-11, 14; 2 Thessalonians 3:9; Hebrews 13:7).

Elder oversight is primarily "keeping watch over your souls" (Hebrews 13:17), manifested in feeding and leading the congregation (1 Thessalonians 5:12; Titus 1:9; Hebrews 13:7, 24). Each elder should give priority to personal shepherding and equipping of our people, particularly heads of households (Acts 20:28; Ephesians 4:11-12; 6:4; 1 Timothy 3:5).

We train, equip, and expect great things of heads of households.

God holds heads of households responsible for those under their care (Genesis 18:19; Exodus 34:7 [cf. Ezekiel 18:20]; Joshua 7:24; 1 Samuel 3:13-14; Psalm 78:1-8; Malachi 4:6; Romans 5:12-21; 1 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 5:25-26; 6:4; 1 Timothy 3:4-5). This particularly requires their diligence to apply the commandments of God to their own hearts and to teach these commandments diligently to their households (Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Matthew 28:18-20; Ephesians 5:25-27; 6:4).

Heads of households are normally married fathers (Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 6:14; Numbers 1:4; Joshua 14:1; Ezra 1:5; Matthew 13:52; Luke 14:21). However, a sense of responsibility for those under their care must be practiced by single men and women, wives of unbelieving (or newly believing) husbands, single mothers, empty nesters, grandparents, foster parents, etc. (Ruth 1:16-17; 3:1; Acts 16:14-15; Ephesians 5:25-27; Colossians 3:21; 2 Timothy 1:5; 3:14-15).

We encourage our heads of households toward selfless, sacrificial living-rightly managing time, money and priorities-in order to evangelize, disciple, and serve their own households and their neighbors (Ephesians 5:15-16; 2 Timothy 2:1-7).

We promote a lifestyle of mentorship which includes biblical instruction and deliberate modeling (1 Corinthians 11:1; 2 Timothy 2:2; 3:10-15).

By developing men in their roles as heads of households, we are preparing them to serve the church as elders, deacons, and church planters (1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9). We expect that the effectiveness of the whole church in accomplishing the Great Commission will be advanced in direct proportion to the degree to which our heads of households understand and fulfill their God-given work (Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 1:17; cf. Malachi 4:6).

We promote the complementary roles of the household and the church.

God has entrusted crucial responsibilities for evangelism and discipleship both to the household (Genesis 18:19; Deuteronomy 6:1-11; Psalm 78:1-8; Ephesians 5:22-25; 6:1-4; 1 Timothy 5:3-16; 2 Timothy 1:5, 13; 3:14-15) and to the church (Acts 1:8; Ephesians 4:4-6, 11-16; 5:23). The household must recognize and promote the church, and the church must recognize and promote the household.

We emphasize the Sunday meetings as the primary meeting times of the church for praise, fellowship, prayer and instruction (Acts 2:42, 46; 20:7). We utilize focused church-wide programs-for example, small groups, Sunday School, prayer meetings-with a particular emphasis on involving entire households and working through heads of households (Psalm 68:6; Ephesians 5:25-30; 6:4; 1 Timothy 3:5).

We work with and through households to fulfill our God-appointed task of evangelizing and discipling our children and our neighbors, in gospel-saturated, heart-level relationships (Genesis 18:19; Psalm 78:5-8; Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 4:17). We ought to provide a powerful and authentic example for our children to follow as well as Scriptural instruction for the purpose of salvation (2 Timothy 3:14-15). We encourage household-based discipleship through Scripture reading, singing, praying, and the use of Christ-centered literature.

We exercise Christ-centered hospitality toward one another and toward our neighbors (1 Corinthians 16:15; Philemon 2; 1 Timothy 5:16).

Adopted 22 October 2009