Purpose |
| 1. |
We are committed to lead people to salvation in Jesus Christ and encourage
spiritual growth in all believers through sound biblical teaching.
(MAKE DISCIPLES! - Matt. 28:19-20; Col. 1:28-29)
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Product |
| 2. |
A disciple is a believer who is becoming more like Christ (Matthew 5:3-12) as
he/she walks with God, lives the Word, contributes to the work, and impacts the world.
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People |
| 3. |
Leaders of the church are to provide spiritual care
and direction for God's people. They must be committed to prayer and the
Word, and they must lead by example and encouragement. Leaders are to be
chosen on the basis of character, gifts of leadership, and a commitment
to our church's disciple making philosophy.
(1 Pet. 5:1-4; Heb. 13:17; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9)
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| 4. |
The pastor's role is to cast vision, give direction,
train leaders, teach the Word, be committed to prayer, and be a godly example.
By concentrating on these commitments, he equips believers to share in the
work of the ministry.
(Acts 6:1-7; 1 Tim. 4:12-16; 2 Tim. 2:2; 4:2; Eph. 4:11-13)
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| 5. |
Every believer is spiritually gifted and has a vital
role in the church. As growing disciples, each one should be given practical
help and encouragement to develop creative ministries empowered by the Holy
Spirit. While every believer does not share equal authority in terms of
leadership, servant gifts and leadership gifts are equally important in
the Body of Christ.
(Rom. 12:3-8; Eph. 4:11-16; 1 Cor. 12:12-26)
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Programs |
| 6. |
Disciple-making is the heart of the church. All ministries
should intentionally contribute to the disciple-making process, winning
people to Christ and bringing them to maturity in Him. The product (changed
lives) is more important than the program.
(Matt. 28:19-20; Col. 1:28-29)
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| 7. |
Since we value disciple-making above simply maintaining
our programs, we will evaluate our programs regularly and discontinue or
modify any which are not effectively moving people on to maturity in Christ.
Without compromising our message, we are committed to change our methods
in order to reach more people in more relevant ways. (1 Cor. 9:19-23)
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| 8. |
Our Sunday worship will be Christ-centered, contemporary,
and celebrational in spirit. The service should foster unity, as believers
of all ages gather together for motivation and biblical instruction. This
time should always be seeker sensitive, though its primary purpose is to
nurture believers.
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| 9. |
Middle-sized groups are important in order to facilitate
fellowship within the church. Adult Bible Fellowships (ABFs) meet on Sunday
mornings to provide opportunity for fellowship, sharing, outreach and biblical
teaching with others who are in a similar "stage of life."
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| 10. |
Small groups are the primary means of making disciples.
All believers are encouraged to be involved, as it is only in this context
that intimacy is developed and accountability is possible, helping people
develop the basic disciplines of the Christian life.
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| 11. |
In our children's ministries, our purpose is to be
a loving church family which supports parents in the discipling of their
children, by providing ministries where the plan of salvation is clearly
presented and children are taught God's Word and encouraged to apply these
principles to their own lives.
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| 12. |
Youth ministry is a high priority in our church, as
teenagers are not only the most spiritually responsive segment of our society,
but are generally most successful in winning their peers to Christ. Therefore,
this strategic ministry must maintain a healthy balance between outreach,
growth, and ministry opportunities for students.
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Principles |
| 13. |
All the ministries of our church must be outreach-focused,
rather than inward-focused. We do not exist for our own benefit, but for
the benefit of those who need to hear the gospel. We desire to reach as
many as possible with the good news of Jesus Christ. This process involves
fervent prayer, sincere relationships, and bold communication.
(Rom. 10:1; Luke 5:27-31; 2 Cor. 5:11-20)
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| 14. |
Our disciple-making vision begins in Alta, but expands
to surrounding areas and even all nations. God's heart is for the world,
and we desire to have a world-wide impact. By being a strong "home
base" church, our goal is to pray for missions, substantially support
our missionaries, and pray that God will send out workers from our body
into His harvest field. (Matt. 9:35-38; Acts 1:8)
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| 15. |
Jesus said, "I will build My church" and
"Apart from Me you can do nothing." We are absolutely dependent
upon His power and direction, for the task before us cannot be accomplished
by man's will or resources. His Word is our final authority and His Spirit
is our divine Counselor
(Matt. 16:18; John 15:5; Ps. 127:1; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; John 14:26)
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