Guiding Questions
Core Values or Guiding Principles/Questions are the filters by which we pass decisions through. They help us navigate our journey and hold us accountable to our specific, unique calling. We present these values in the form of 7 questions; not only as a guide for our collective, collaborative journey, but to be used in our individual journey’s as well.
Have We Committed This to Prayer?
Not only has God spoken through His Word; He continues to speak by His Spirit. We want to be a church that is guided and directed daily by the active voice of our Father; a true, listening community.
What Did Jesus Do?
It’s become a cheesy cliché, but there may not be a more important question for people of Faith. God lived here on our planet in the person of Jesus. It is He who is our greatest example of how the heart of God expresses itself in human form. We want to take that example and translate it into a modern day context.
What Does the Bible Say?
With so many complex issues and decisions facing the church of the 21st Century, we need answers that are True and direction that is sure. We believe the Bible is alive and powerful and speaks to every issue facing human beings today.
Does this Require Faith?
The Bible says; “Without faith it is impossible to please God”. There is no desire here for our impact to be reduced to the accomplishments of common, ordinary, man-made goals, ambitions, and aspirations. One of the ways we can know that we are truly being led by God’s Spirit is that we are pursuing things that are beyond human capabilities. Our currency is Faith.
How Does this Express Love?
When Jesus was asked; “What’s the most important command in all of scripture?”, He gave a direct answer; “Love”; God first, and people second. Paul the Apostle in 1 Corinthians said that three things would last forever; “Faith, Hope, and Love, but the greatest of these is Love”. The motivation behind everything we do must be love and until or unless it is, we will simply be noisemakers.
Does This Stretch us Creatively?
Churches like most organizations have the tendency to settle. They find comfortable, safe, places, and rut there. While we certainly don’t rely on our best, we want to be continually holding ourselves accountable to giving our best. God in Christ gave everything for us, we want to give everything back to him
Does this Fulfill our Vision?
There are so many things a church could do, but one thing’s for sure; a church can’t do everything. Sometimes good ideas can actually be a distraction and a diversion from the vision of a church. In order to stay true to our unique calling; we must struggle and fight to remove any and all obstacles from our path. Often times, these obstacles come in the form of good ideas or initiatives.
