OUR VALUES: The Passions That Motivate Us

EVERY  MEMBER INVOLVED

Paul said that when each person does their own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love (Eph. 4.16).  Jesus desires that every single person in His family is busy making their contribution to the building of His Body.  We are motivated to help every believer find their own special work in the Kingdom, not just a few elite workers.

EVERY TRIBE INCLUDED

The promise to Abraham was that all people groups would be blessed through his lineage (Gen. 12.3), which we see fulfilled in Rev. 5.9, where all peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations are worshiping before the throne of God.  Jesus said he would return only after the good news of the Kingdom was preached to all people groups.  We are motivated to see that every unengaged people group on earth has an opportunity to respond to the gospel.

THE POOR ARE RICH IN FAITH

James 2.5 says God has chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and inherit the kingdom.  God uses every member to accomplish His work, but he has especially chosen those who are overlooked by the world.  Jesus uses the broken, despised, and obscure as vessels of His grace.  We are motivated to especially help the poor to find their place as laborers for the harvest.

CHURCH AS AGENT OF THE KINGDOM

Christians are not meant to live out their relationship with Christ outside of community.  Jesus uses the local church as the agent of His kingdom work, not just the individual (Eph. 3:10-11).  Jesus passed on his authority through the apostles to the Church in order to proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom (Jude 3).  We are motivated to faithfully represent that message that was once for all entrusted to the saints.

INDIGENOUS LEADERSHIP IS KEY

While western missionaries have done a heroic job bringing the gospel to the unreached, we now have millions of called and gifted indigenous leaders who can take the baton of ministry and leverage the work around the world.  Paul said to equip others who would then go on to equip others (2Tim. 2:2). We are motivated to hand over responsibility to those who are most culturally effective in their settings.