Why? How? What?

BIBLE… We are governed by God’s Word. The Holy Spirit inspired people to write God’s word the Bible, that we might know God. So we are committed to being taught and understanding God’s word, for it is how we hear God speak to us. Our leaders seek to lead by teaching and living out God’s word. We are committed to each other’s spiritual growth in every area of life through the teaching and living out of God’s word. We want to grow in conviction (belief), character (Christ-likeness) and competencies (skills and abilities).

PRAYER… We trust in God’s strength. If we are to grow in our knowledge of God and be effective in making him known, we need his strength. Jesus said that without him we can do nothing. God is attracted to weakness; to those who see their desperate need of him. With him we can do all things. It’s why we want to live a life of prayer together, trusting in his almighty power and then taking risks, attempting great things to make him known.

LOVE… We love God for saving us through Jesus. Jesus said that no one can know God the Father except through him. Jesus’ life demonstrated he was the Son of God. Jesus died to save us from the rebellion in our hearts that separates us from God, taking the punishment we deserve. Jesus rose again that we might have eternal life with him for ever. So if we want to know God, both now and in the life to come, we must trust in Jesus’ death in our place for our forgiveness. It’s why we want Jesus to be at the centre of all we do. He is our only hope. It is his grace that transforms our brokenness so that we become like him and love him.  

GROW… We are being transformed by the Holy Spirit. Jesus continues his work in the world through his Spirit so that we might know God and make him known. It is the Holy Spirit who gives spiritual life so that we understand our need of Jesus, turn to him for forgiveness and come to know him personally. The Holy Spirit lives in each Christian empowering us to live a life that honours God and equipping us with spiritual gifts to serve him by making him known.

SERVE… We give ourselves to our church family. Jesus’ church is far from perfect but Jesus loves his church and died for his church. We long to be a community who love each other more and more as we share life together. We want to commit to our church family morning on Sundays and to Life Groups in the week. We want to serve each other by using our spiritual gifts generously; in both word and action. We want to sacrificially give of our time and resources to serve our church’s mission.

GO… We proclaim God’s salvation to the world. We have the best news in the world; we can know God through Jesus. It’s news that the world desperately needs and that Jesus commanded us to tell. Through praying, giving, acts of mercy, daily conversations and Christ-like living we want to make Jesus known in the communities in which we live and work, in the UK and among the nations of the world. We want to grow Jesus’ church and to plant new congregation as others come to LOVE God for saving them through Jesus, GROW in relationship with God through his Spirit, SERVE the church family with their spiritual gifts and GO to the world with the message of God’s salvation.