VISION AND VALUES
Our Vision:
We believe that God has called us to become an authentically caring community leading people into a vibrant, life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ.
Our Vision Statement reflects both the Great Commandment of Matthew 22:37-38 which is:
“ ‘ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. ‘This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ “ a nd the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19-20 which is “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
The Great Commandment and Great Commission are inseparable for us. For we believe our strongest and most effective witness to our world is a community of Christ-followers who love God and love one another authentically.
What does a vibrant, life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ look like? Here at First Baptist what we call our “3 C’s” is an attempt to draw in broad strokes, the essential “marks” of a vibrant, life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ.
The “3 C’s” are:
COMMITTED …to a growing relationship with the person of Christ through worship.
CONNECTED…to the body of Christ by involvement in a small group.
CONTRIBUTING…to the mission of Christ through gift-given—not guilt driven—ministry.
Our Values :
The following eight values are what fuel us and guide us toward the vision God has given us.
Lost People
Spiritually lost people matter to God, and therefore matter to us. Since we value people and their eternal future we will share the Good News of Jesus Christ in culturally relevant, need-meeting ministry. (Matt. 29:19; Luke 15:1-31; Acts 1:8)
Grace
God’s great love and mercy is poured out on us in the midst of our sin and despair. Therefore, we will share the riches of God’s grace with others by creating a grace-filled community marked by mercy, love, safety and generosity. (Eph. 2:1-10; 1 Tim. 1:12-17)
Truth & Authenticity
Our God is absolute truth and His Word, the Bible, is our final authority on all matters of faith. Therefore, we will pursue knowledge of all that is true and align our lives with the truth of God’s Word. We will endeavor to speak the truth to one another in love and live our lives together authentically in community. (Ps. 31:5; 51:6; Zec. 8:16; John 1:14; 3:21;4;21; 15:26; 16:13; 17:17; Eph. 4:15; 2 John 4)
Passion for God
God’s passionate pursuit of an intimate relationship with us draws us to full, faithful and heartfelt devotion to Him that finds us daily surrendering to His will, while relying on His supernatural power in every aspect of our lives. (Ps. 37:4; 42:1-2; 86:2; Jer. 29:13; Matt. 22:37; 1 Cor. 2:1-5)
Personal Growth
God created us to grow and develop through our relationship with Him and others. Therefore, we will strategically encourage and equip every individual to lifelong personal, spiritual growth in the blessings, changes and conflicts our personal interactions bring. (Rom. 12:1-2; 2 Cor. 3:18; Heb. 5:11-6:3; 2 Peter 1:5-9)
Relationships
Our God is an immensely relational being; therefore, as God’s people made in His image, we value living in relationships. We recognize the journey of life is not meant to be traveled alone, but together. We are, therefore, committed to developing and fostering relationships that are marked by a spirit of authenticity, vulnerability, accountability, community and teamwork. (Gen. 1:26; Eph. 4:17-5:21; Heb. 10:25; 1 John 3:11-24; 4:7-21)
Partnership
It is God’s nature to express His love in demonstrable actions. Similarly, we as members of the body of Christ, are called and designed by God to uniquely, interdependently and creatively express God’s grace through our God-given gifts. As a church we will endeavor to encourage and equip everyone according to their God-given design, so that their ministry contribution is both fulfilling and fruitful. (Rom 12:1-8; 1 Cor. 12-14; Eph. 4:11-16; 1 Peter 4:8-11)
Excellence
Since we have an excellent God whose nature and actions are perfect, we therefore are committed to excellence. Understanding that we work out of our spiritual gifting, we as a community of believers, will work together to bring our best effort to all aspects of ministry and serving one another.(1 Cor. 14:12; 2 Cor. 8:7; Phi. 4:8; 1 Tim. 3:13; Titus 3:8)
