/ Church Core Values
Core Value #1: The Lordship of Christ
We believe that Christians are called to pursue a supreme relationship with Jesus Christ out of which every other relationship and activity is defined and directed. – The greatest call of every true believer is a personal devotion to the person of Jesus Christ as both Savior and Lord. We believe that there is no higher calling than the pursuit of an intimate relationship with Christ. It is this devotion and submission to the Lordship of Christ that determines one’s perspective and conduct in all matters of life. That relationship is maintained and developed through fellowship with the Lord in the practice of the spiritual disciplines of the Christian life (e.g. prayer, Bible study, worship, fellowship, fasting, etc.) and the pursuit of holiness. This is a calling for every true believer, not only for the “super-saints.” We therefore believe that complete devotion to Christ and His cause should be the normal disposition reflected in every Christian.
Core Value #2: Scripture/Truth
We believe that the Gospel as revealed in God’s Word is His power for transforming lives. – The Bible as God’s Word is completely reliable, true, inerrant, and authoritative. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Scripture pierces the mind and heart, affecting every aspect of our beings that we might love the Lord with all our heart, soul, body, and mind. It is only in hearing the Truth of God’s Word that one is formed more and more into the likeness of Christ through the working of the Holy Spirit. Thus Jesus prays concerning His disciples: “Sanctify them by the Truth; Your Word is Truth” (John 17:17). Genuine spiritual growth cannot occur without Scripture. Furthermore the Bible equips God’s people for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16).
Core Value #3: Community/Fellowship
We believe people are called to and made for loving relationships. – People need close relationships where they can love and be loved, know and be known. In fact, it is in relating with others and participating in community that profound life-change takes place within the individual. Therefore we place a high priority on our small group ministry through which community is optimally fostered. Furthermore every ministry should reflect this value for relationships, for our calling as a church is not simply to fulfill a certain task but to build Christ-centered relationships. Loving and self-sacrificing relationships must characterize the very work of ministry, for in many ways they are the very work of ministry. Finally, we emphasize the importance of fostering unity within the community’s network of relationships, being eager to reconcile our conflicts and maintain a spirit of peace in honor of Jesus Christ.
Core Value #4: Evangelism/Witness
We believe that the Church must touch unbelievers with the reality of Jesus Christ. – This is the primary purpose of the Church in this world. Jesus said His main mission was “to seek and save the lost” (Lk 19:10). He gave His Church the same mission when He said, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations…” (Mt. 28:19-20). As we have been and are being transformed by the gospel of Christ, we are now called to spread the gospel to those around us. We believe that the Church must be active in reaching the lost for Jesus Christ through relevant and relationship-based evangelism. This value for the growth of His Kingdom ultimately reveals our desire to glorify the Lord.
Core Value #5: Excellence
We believe that excellence and quality must characterize everything we do. – 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” Colossians 3:23 tells us, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” We believe that “good enough” is not good enough when it comes to honoring God through our ministry. In response to His holiness and greatness, and in gratitude for His grace and mercy, our aim is to offer to the Lord our very best in everything that we are called to do. This is not obsessive perfectionism but an attitude of excellence that permeates all that we do in the church, since what we do as Christians reflects upon the Master we serve.
Core Value #6: Authenticity
We believe that the church must desire and demonstrate authenticity. – Church was never intended to be a place where it is illegal to be your true self. If there is any place in the world where you can be transparent without feeling threatened, it has got to be the church. Jesus demonstrated the value of transparency in his dealings with His own disciples. He revealed His genuine self to His men, even (and perhaps we can say especially) in His time of suffering. At the same time, we believe this authenticity should also be characterized by sincerity of heart and humility. When Christians are in genuine community, instead of pretense and hypocrisy there is grace and truth. Masks come off, conversations go beyond the surface, hearts are vulnerable, accountability is invited, and people become a family in the truest sense of the word.
Core Value #7: Stewardship
We believe that all Christians are called to minister and to utilize their resources for the advancement of God’s Kingdom. – Church is not just a place where Christians come to fuel up on spiritual food once a week. It is a place for believers to be trained and equipped to do the work of the ministry. We believe that every believer has been given resources (talents, finances, positions, time, etc.). And every Christian has been uniquely gifted by the Spirit to contribute to the greater good of the community (1 Cor. 12:7). This means the church is to operate as a unified family of servants who faithfully steward the gifts that God has placed in them. We want to be a healthy Body of believers who invest their talents, gifts, resources, and time in God’s Kingdom.
Core Value #8: Servanthood
We believe that it is in the manner of true kingdom greatness to lower ourselves in serving others. – We desire to be a church that sees serving as a privilege, not a burden; a joy, not a drag; a calling, not a preference. In Matthew 20:26-28, Jesus indicates that true greatness consists in serving others when he said: “…whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve….” Our call then is to not serve others because we have to, but rather because to do so is in the manner of kingdom greatness as modeled by our Lord. It is our aim to become a community consisting of members who genuinely delight in what we can do for each other.
Core Value #9: Diversity
We believe that the Body of Christ is called to unity in diversity. – We want to create a worship environment that welcomes and embraces the rich diversity of God’s people. Whether this translates into diverse ethnic, economic, or social backgrounds, we here at Living Way believe that God has called us to be a church (and leadership) that represents and reflects the diversity of His Kingdom, and also the diversity present in our community. Furthermore, rather than producing “cookie-cutter” Christians, we welcome and celebrate the unique personalities that God has created and brings to this Body.
Core Value #10: Worship
We believe that the Church exists to worship God. – “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.” We are called to honor and glorify God, seeing Him as the center of our lives, our church, and all reality. This innate urge to worship will find a home in some object, and if not God, in some-thing/one else. We at Living Way believe that the only object worthy of our praise is our Creator. We also believe that it is through this worship that we can know the profound and true joy that we were created to experience. And as we delight and rejoice in our Lord, this brings Him glory. Finally, worship is not simply a Sunday activity, but a life that we live in constant awareness of and in response to God’s mercy, greatness, and love (Rom. 12:1). In this spirit, worship extends beyond times of singing to times of learning, prayer, Christian fellowship, etc.
Our Vision
