Vision, Mission and Values

Vision

To be a community of people being restored by Jesus to restore what’s broken in the world.

Mission

We are on a mission by God’s grace and for his glory to restore what’s broken: with God, with others, and in the world.

Our Values

We believe in and live out these values:

Christ Centered

Believing in and following Jesus transforms us-it permeates every part of our lives. We reject the separation of sacred and secular and the compartmentalizing that happens in our world and we seek to live integrated (whole) lives.

Luke 9:23-24 Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 Our firm decision is to work from this focused center: One man [Jesus] died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own.

Authentic People

God’s genuine revelation of himself in Jesus compels us to share ourselves in the same way to others. We aren’t perfect people, we don’t pretend to be, but we are seeking Christ’s restorative work in us personally and as a community.

John 14:9 Jesus said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”

John 1:38b-39 “[Jesus] where are you staying?” “Come and see,” he said. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place where he was staying, and they remained with him the rest of the day.

Accepting Community

The Church was started for the people not yet in it; therefore, we seek to love and accept those around us and offer grace like we have received from God. Many of us were not “in” until someone invited us. As a community we seek to invite others in.

Luke 5:30-32 The Pharisees and their religion scholars came to his disciples greatly offended. “What is he doing eating and drinking with crooks and ‘sinners’?” Jesus heard about it and spoke up, “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? I’m here inviting outsiders, not insiders—an invitation to a changed life, changed inside and out.”

Serving Humbly

The Church exists for those not yet in it; therefore, we seek to serve those in the name of Jesus through acts of service and words of hope.

Mark 10:43, 45 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant…For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Isaiah 61:1: The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, He has send me to proclaim freedom for the captives, and release from darkness for the prisoners.

What We Believe

As part of our values to be authentic people and an accepting community, we affirm that you can “belong” before you “believe.” You can journey with us as you explore what knowing God is through the person of Jesus Christ.

We believe that the true way to a God centered life is by believing in Jesus. As a faith community we agree with these affirmations:

• We affirm the centrality of the word of God.
• We affirm the necessity of the new birth.
• We affirm a commitment to the whole mission of the Church.
• We affirm the Church as a fellowship of believers.
• We affirm a conscious dependence on the Holy Spirit.
• We affirm the reality of freedom in Christ.

These are the central beliefs of the Evangelical Covenant Church.