The Christian Church
The Christian Church

Mission and Vision

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Motto and Mission

Motto: Simply Christian

We strive to be, simply, Christian. Not adherents to some denomination, person, or theological system. We believe that their is only one Lord, Jesus, who is the Christ; and we are among those who follow Him alone.


Mission: Glorifying God and sharing the Gospel of Christ with "our world" while living gratefully for Him.

"Our world": The intent in using quotation marks around the phrase was to underscore a special meaning of those words — not in the normal "whole wide world" sense, because the idea of us impacting the "whole wide world" may seem daunting, too blue sky and unrealistic. But we need to be mindful that each of us has our own little corner of the world — our sphere of influence — and it's that world with which we each have a personal responsibility to share the One who has given joy, meaning and purpose to our lives.

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Vision

United in our desire to worship God in spirit and truth, we seek to boldly advance His Kingdom by equipping His people with the knowledge of His word; that we may be His winsome witnesses to our hurting world, tenderly sharing the hope, the purpose, and the peace that is found only in His grace as revealed in the cross of Christ.

Some might feel the vision statement is a bit wordy and tedious. While it is certainly not our intent that it be ponderous, one of our objectives is that the vision statement be inclusive enough to help us evaluate all that our church is doing in the light of the scriptures which form its foundation. We have eleven Ministry Areas: Administration, Adult Discipleship, Benevolence, Children, Community, Evangelism, Facilities, Missions, Stewardship, Worship, and Youth. As we seek to assess current programs and plan new programs that are needed, it is our hope that the vision statement will help us to stay on track—a track established by the path laid out in scripture. Our hope is that our vision statement includes the essence of all that we feel God is calling us to do.

What is a "winsome witness"?

Chuck Swindoll has written: Winsomeness. That useful, appealing, ultra-magnetic quality . . . that charisma . . . that ability to cause joy and genuine pleasure in the thick of it all. When a teacher has it, students line up for the course. When a dentist or physician has it, his practice stays full. When a salesman has it, he gets writer's cramp filling out orders. When an usher has it, the church is considered friendly. When a coach has it, the team shows it. When parents have it, kids grow it. Winsomeness motivates. It releases the stranglehold grip of the daily grind. It takes the sting out of reality. Winsomeness simplifies. Things suddenly become less complicated . . . less severe . . . less bothersome. The hole at the end of the tunnel becomes far more significant than the dark passage leading to it. Winsomeness encourages. Without ignoring the wrong, winsomeness focuses on the benefits, the hopes, the answers. Even when it must deal with jagged disappointment or inescapable negatives, winsomeness stands tall and refuses to spend the night in such dwellings.

To change the culture we must learn how to engage the political process more winsomely. It requires a different mindset, a recognition that we're appealing to hearts and minds, not twisting arms. In both fact and appearance we are not seeking to impose but rather to propose. The Christian Church makes a Great Proposal, inviting everyone to the table, regardless of color, ethnic origin, background, or economic status. We're inviting people to consider a worldview that works, that makes sense, and through which people can discover shalom and human flourishing. This means first loving those we contend against in the political process. Martin Luther King, Jr., said, "Whom you would change, you must first love." Second, we offer our strongest witness when we demonstrate our love for others through fighting AIDS in Africa, slavery in Sudan, persecution in North Korea, and when we reform prisons and prisoners. When the world sees us working for human rights, we earn a moral authority that blunts the "imposing your morality" attacks in the public square. (Excerpted from Chuck Colson Breakpoint commentary)

Given the present state of affairs, what with pluralism and the insistence on tolerance, we may wonder if it is even possible for Christians to be winsome before a watching world — to be attractive, that is, without compromising righteousness or hiding the Gospel. Is it possible to live out and speak the truth so that any offense taken is limited to the offense of the cross? ... The primary reason for being confident that it is possible to be winsome and attractive to sinners is the example of Jesus. He was without sin and never compromised the truth, and yet attracted sinners to himself. He even called them to repentance — not a particularly popular message for sinners — and though not all believed, the record of the Gospels is that they followed him around in droves. Our message is the Gospel of Christ, and since He is attractive, shouldn't our proclamation be attractive as well? Since our lives are to reflect His righteousness, shouldn't our lives be as winsome as His was? (Excerpted from What Does Winsome Look Like? -Denis Haack)

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Biblical Foundations

Motto: Simply Christian

  • And for an entire year [Barnabas and Saul] met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.  (Acts 11:26b)
  • but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.  (1 Pet 4:16)
  • "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me."  (John 10:27)

Mission: (1) Glorifying God and (2) sharing the Gospel of Christ with "our world" while living (3) gratefully for Him.

  1. Great Commandment:
  2. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.  (Mark 12:30)
  3. Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name. I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And will glorify Your name forever.  (Psalm 86:11-12)
  4. Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.  (Philippians 4:4)
  5. To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.  (2 Thess 1:11-12)
  6. Great Commission:
  7. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.  (Matt 28:19-20)
  8. New life in Christ:
  9. Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.  (Rom 6:4)
  10. It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant."  (Matt 20:26)
  11. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.  (Colossians 3:17)
  12. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  (Mark 12:31)

Vision: United in our desire to (1) Worship God in spirit and truth, we seek to (2) boldly advance His Kingdom by (3) equipping people with the knowledge of (4) His word at we may be (5) His winsome witnesses to our hurting world, tenderly sharing the hope, the purpose, and the peace that is found only in (6) His grace as revealed in the cross of Christ.

  1. Worship
  2. Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'"  (Luke 4:8)
  3. "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers."  (John 4:23)
  4. Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.  (Rom 12:1)
  5. Cultural Mandate (to impact our culture)
  6. 'But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.'  (Acts 26:16-18)
  7. But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.  (1 Pet 3:15)
  8. Equipping of the saints
  9. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.  (2 Tim 3:16-17)
  10. Authority of Scripture
  11. "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.  (John 17:17)
  12. For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  (Heb 4:12)
  13. Witnesses:
  14. ... you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."  (Acts 1:8)
  15. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.  (2 Cor 5:20)
  16. Saved by grace
  17. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.  (Eph 2:8)
  18. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.  (Rom 5:1)