What we are most committed to/ passionate about as a church defines who we are.   Our core values drive our ministry and also shape how we invest the resources God has entrusted to us.  While the strategies we implement to pursue our mission may change over time, our values should remain constant to remain true to our mission.

As a church we value:

1. God’s Word. As the all-sufficient, inspired and authoritative rule for our lives and conduct we are committed to its regular proclamation and teaching, its clear explanation, and its consistent application to our everyday lives (2 Tim. 3:16,17).  “Where stands it written?” is the operative question against which we evaluate all we do.  To avoid becoming “merely hearers of the word who delude themselves” (James 1:22), we seek to be doers of God’s word because we delight in the truth (John 17:17) and light (Ps 119:105) God’s word brings to our lives.
2. Worship.  Our God is holy and worthy of all praise.  As his creatures we are made to worship Him and therein we find our greatest fulfillment.  Thus, we strive to worship our God corporately, authentically (in spirit and in truth), holistically (body, mind, emotions and will), wholeheartedly and continuously – in all of life. (Deut. 6:5; John 4:23)
3. Prayer.  We recognize our dependence upon God’s leading and power to accomplish anything of lasting significance (John 15:5). Even more, we long to experience His presence as we fellowship with Him through prayer. Therefore, we are committed to learn to wait on Him and to make both personal and corporate prayer - for each other, for our world, for our leaders, for the advance of the gospel - an ongoing priority, the foundation of all we undertake.  We want to be known as people who “call on the name of the Lord” (1 Kings 18:24; Acts 2:21)
4. The Lost.  God has entrusted to us the great privilege and responsibility of communicating to the lost His message of forgiveness and salvation (2 Cor. 5: 18,19; 1 Tim. 2:4).  Our strong desire is to become faithful and effective in sharing the gospel so that we might help people of all ages experience the lasting joy of a personal relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.  We seek to highly value those who do not know Christ by demonstrating His transforming love by our actions and taking the opportunity to share the gospel with them – relying upon the Holy Spirit to open minds and change hearts.
5. Discipleship.  Discipleship is the lifelong process of learning to love, trust and obey Christ in every area of our lives, moving from spiritual infancy at conversion, to Christian maturity. Scripture is clear:  it is God’s design for every believer to “become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”  (Ephesians 4:13).  Discipleship happens best in the context of Christian community.  Therefore, we place great value on mentoring relationships and on highly effective children, youth, adult and small group ministries in our church.  We purpose to design ministries that fully engage hearts, soundly instruct minds, and thoroughly equip each believer with the ministry skills needed to reach our community and our world.
6. Missions.  We embrace our Lord’s mandate to “make disciples of all nations” (Mt. 28:19).  We purpose to resist the complacency of our self-oriented society and instead “lift up our eyes” on God’s global fields that “are white for harvest” (John 4:35).  To this end, we are committed to earnestly pray, sacrificially give, and purposefully equip those in our own body, that many laborers may be raised up (Luke 10:2) and sent to proclaim the good news to those who have not heard (Romans 10:14). In addition to those who go as career missionaries, we recognize the value of short-term missions as a vehicle for building vision and providing targeted support to church planting efforts.
7. Community.  We are created for relationship.  Within each of us is the need for love, encouragement, care, and accountability.  We also recognize our need of regular fellowship with other believers to become fruitful and obedient followers of Jesus (Heb. 10: 24, 25).   We seek to become a community that is known for the way its members love and care for each another (John 13:35).  We value the many blessings of community and want others to experience them.  Therefore, we purpose to be open and to welcome those outside our fellowship.
8. The Hurting. “Who is my neighbor?”  (Mk. 12:28-34)  Throughout scripture we are called to compassionately extend care to the hurting, including those who are poor, oppressed or those who are facing crises (Is. 58:6-4; Jer. 22:16; Ezek. 16:49; Matt. 25:31-46).  In doing so, we honor God (Prov. 14:31) and we imitate Jesus, God Incarnate, who comes alongside us in our poverty and need (John 1:14; Mark 10:45). Not only, then, do we participate in periodic global relief projects, but we also share our skills, time, finances and connections in ongoing, relational ministry with those in need in our church and our community.
9. Stewardship.  As believers, we recognize that all our resources, our time, our gifts/ abilities, our material/ financial assets, even our physical bodies, are not our own.  They are entrusted to us by a loving God “who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment” (I Tim 6:17). He instructs us as His stewards to invest these resources wisely for the advancement of His eternal kingdom (Mt 6:19,20; Mt. 25:14-30). While seeking to live balanced lives, we also understand that we are called to personal sacrifice on behalf of others.  Out of love for our Lord and His kingdom we seek to give steadfastly, generously and joyfully (2 Cor. 9:7).  We know that whatever sacrifice we make in obedience to Him will be richly rewarded (Lk 18:29,30).
10.  Multiplication.  We believe effective discipling of believers leads naturally to spiritual multiplication, or reproduction of “next generation” disciples who are equipped and motivated to reproduce themselves (2 Tim 2:2). Our intention is multiply ourselves: individually, as small groups and as a congregation, both locally and globally - not for the sake of size or status but because our Lord values people.   Key to this process is the raising up and equipping of spiritual leaders who can shepherd the sheep God would add to His fold through us.