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CORE VALUES
AND BELIEFS:
(FULL VERSION)
OUR
VISION
We see a Jesus centred church having passion for
the gospel and compassion for the world expressed through dynamic
worship, love in action, the empowering of servant leaders and the
growing of disciples.
"Passion for the gospel. Compassion for the
world."
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BIBLICAL
REFERENCES
Matthew 22: 37-38
Romans
1:16
1 Corinthians 15: 1-11
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The great commandment
Confidence in the
gospel
Proclaiming the gospel |
John 3: 16
Luke 15: 24
Luke 19:
10
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God so loved the world
The lost is
found
Seeking and saving the lost |
Matthew 2: 11, 28: 17
Psalm 95:
6
John 4: 24
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The response of worship
Invitation to
worship
Worship in spirit and in truth |
Matthew 25: 31-46
1 Corinthians
13
John 21: 15-19
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Service to the Lord
What love
does
Feed the sheep |
Exodus 18: 13 - 27
John 20: 19-22
2
Timothy 2:15, 4:1-5
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Delegating authority
Sending and
empowering
Fulfilling your ministry |
Matthew 28: 18-20
Mark 6: 7-13
Acts
2: 41-47
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Making disciples
Learning by doing
Growing as disciples |
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OUR CORE
BELIEFS
- There is one God, revealed as Father, Son and
Holy Spirit.
(Matthew 28: 19, Mark 12: 29, John 1: 1-14, 14:
6-17)
- Jesus Christ, Son of God, who took on our
humanity, is the crucified, risen Lord. He lives and reigns
for ever and calls all people into a personal relationship and to
follow him in faithful obedience. Faith is awakened,
enlightened and strengthened by the Holy Spirit.
(Matthew 16:
15-16, Romans 8: 9-17, Philippians 2: 5-11)
- Although created in the image of God, humankind
has become estranged from God and from God's ways. Salvation
from sin is by God's freely given love and favour alone through
faith in God's reconciling act in the death of Christ on a
cross.
(Romans 3: 23-24, 5: 6-8, 6: 23, Galatians 2: 19-20,
Ephesians 2: 1-9)
- The Bible is the unique testimony of
humankind's encounter with God, in which we hear God speak, and by
which our faith and obedience are nourished and
regulated.
(Luke 1: 1-4, John 20: 30-31, 1 Corinthians 15:
1-11)
- The church is a body of which Christ is the
head. It is a worldwide fellowship of believers, a pilgrim
people on the way towards the promised goal of the Kingdom of
God.
(Romans 12: 4-5, 1 Corinthians 12: 27, Ephesians 1: 15-23,
Hebrews 12: 1-2)
- The church by its very nature is called into
mission in which every Christian is called to participate.
The mission includes the call to personal faith, ministry of
healing, deeds of kindness, and addressing injustice. Such
mission is expressed both locally and globally.
(Micah 6: 8,
Luke 9: 1-2, Acts 1: 8, 16: 31, 2 Corinthians 5: 14-20)
- Baptism is the sign of new life in Jesus
Christ. We are baptised into union with Christ and called to
his ministry in the world. We baptise those who confess the
Christian faith, and/or their children who are presented for
baptism and for whose instruction and nourishment in the faith the
Church takes responsibility.
(Acts 2: 37-38, 16: 31-34, Romans
6: 3-8, Galatians 3: 26-28)
- In Holy Communion we celebrate Christ's death
and his continuing presence. We have communion with our
saviour, grow together in Christ, are strengthened for our
participation in the mission of Christ in the world and, giving
praise and thanks, rejoice in the foretaste of the coming Kingdom
of God.
(Matthew 26: 26-29, 1 Corinthians 11: 23-26)
- The Spirit of God equips the church by
supplying diverse gifts, and empowers believers to continue the
ministry of Christ.
(1 Corinthians 12: 1-11, Ephesians 4:
11-16, 1 Peter 4: 10-11)
- In God's timing, Jesus Christ will come again
to bring about the fulfillment of all things within God's
purposes.
(Matthew 25: 1-13, Mark 13: 24-37, Revelation 21:
1-7)
OUR CORE
VALUES
- We seek to honour God through relevant and
celebratory worship.
(Psalm 95: 1-7, 150, Matthew 2: 10-11,
John 4: 23-24)
- Telling the good news of salvation through
Jesus Christ is of primary importance.
(Matthew 18: 12-14, Luke
15, 19:10, 2 Timothy 4: 1-5)
- Prayer is fundamental to personal growth,
corporate renewal, fruitful discipleship and revival in the
nation.
(Matthew 9: 37-38, 14: 23, 26: 41, Luke 11: 1-13, 18:
1, 1 Thessalonians 5: 17)
- Christians are called to be faithful stewards
of all the resources of God entrusted to them, including the
environment, their talents, time, possessions and spiritual
gifts.
(Genesis 1: 26-31, Matthew 25: 14-30, 1 Peter 4:
10)
- The church exists for mission and to equip
people to serve Christ in team-supported ministries.
Bible-based teaching is central to this task.
(Mark 6: 7-13,
Romans 12: 7, 2 Timothy 3: 16-17)
- Small groups are foundational for discipleship
growth and nurture.
(Luke 6: 12-13, Acts 2: 44-47, 5:42,
Colossians 4: 15)
- Leadership is anointed by God and has a prime
function of identifying and releasing leadership gifts in
others.
(Exodus 18: 13-27, Acts 6: 1-8, Romans 12: 6-8)
- Trusting the living God encourages Christians
to risk living the way of Jesus in openness to the future under
the wisdom, prompting and empowering of the Holy
Spirit.
(Matthew 6: 25-33, Acts 1: 8, 1 Timothy 4: 10)
- Aspiring to excellence in all things glorifies
God and inspires people to their best in the service of
Christ.
(Malachi 1: 6-14, Colossians 3: 17, 2 Timothy 2:
15)
- Diversity, as an expression of the
creativity of God, brings enrichment and creates true
community.
(Genesis 1: 1, 27, 1 Corinthians 12: 12-27,
Ephesians 4: 11-16)
OUR
MISSION
The Mission of Hope Valley Uniting Church is to
make disciples who, in willing obedience to Jesus Christ, in turn
make disciples of others.
(Matthew 28: 18-20)
"To make disciples who
make disciples"
"Disciple" (Greek: mathetes) literally means
a learner or pupil. The word implies the acceptance in mind
and life of the views and practices of the teacher. In the New
Testament the term "disciple" is most commonly used to denote the
adherents of Jesus. They sought to become like Jesus, to take
on his values, faith and actions. Followers of Jesus were not
called "Christians" until the founding of the church at Antioch
(Acts 11: 26). In our mission statement we use the term
disciple to signify the desire to be Christ-like, to learn of Jesus
and to embrace his way.
We
aim to achieve the Mission by:
- building bridges into the community as a church
and as individual members.
(Matthew 5: 14-16, Acts 11:
19-21)
- giving practical expressions of genuine
Christian care, locally and globally.
(Matthew 25: 31-46, Luke
10: 25-37)
- confidently witnessing to Christ in being,
word, deed and sign.
(Acts 4: 20, 33, 1 Timothy 4: 11, 1 Peter
3: 15)
- enabling as many people as possible to know,
love and serve God with their heart, soul, mind and
strength.
(Matthew 4: 17, 22: 37, Luke 19: 10, 24:
45-48)
- providing the means by which Christians can
grow as disciples and disciple makers (Acts 6: 1-8, 2 Timothy 2:
1-2)
-
growing as a loving, welcoming
and worshipping community in Christ.
(Ephesians 1: 11-16, Acts
2: 42-47, 1 Peter 4: 10)
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