Manifesto
2 years ago. Before we ever launched the church we put together a Manifesto. This hasn’t been a published document because it’s design was to set direction internally. Now, two years later, I thought it would be a good exercise to measure how well we’ve done at keeping to these things.
Here they are…
We are a people, a church, committed to living missional lives that give glory to God.
We will not just be a church with a mission, but a people on a mission. We will be a fellowship of believers with a common mission. We will seek to follow Jesus through a missional lifestyle, a commitment to serving those in need and sharing the truth of Jesus through our lives.
We will be a church of “people”, not a “place.”
When the church is seen as believers on a common mission, the focus will shift from where we meet to why we meet. The church is not a building, it is the people living out faith in everyday ways and everyday places. When we eventually have a “place” the philosophy of living the mission will drive what it will look
like, and how we will use it. But, it will not define or limit our mission.
We will disciple in smaller groups
Couches not metal chairs will provide the environment for spiritual growth. “He (Elders) must enjoy having guest in his home and must be able to teach.” (1 Timothy 3:2b NLT) Building relational groups in homes & in the community will lead to deeply spiritual conversation, conversions, and continued spiritual growth.
Groups will develop into places of accountability, trust and discipleship. Groups will be encouraged to share life together for an extended and intentional period of time.
We will live and lead ministry as a team.
While Pastors and Elders are called to be a spiritual leaders, the weight of leadership should not rest on their shoulders alone. (Exodus 19:13-27) A team approach to church leadership allows accountability, versatility and creativity. Everyone is a minister and everyone plays an important role in the mission using the unique gifts God has given them.
We will be an active and contributing member of our community.
We will not be a church on an island. We will pursue the felt and unfelt needs of our community. We will serve the broken and be a hub for community connections and relationships. We will focus our attention on “incarnational” ministry (actively engaging people as part of our community) over “attractional” ministry (inviting people to come to us). We will commit to each other as a church and individuals to live this out.
Our Primary witness will not be our Worship Service, but the Worship of our Lives
Worship is worship, the honor and praise of the God whom we put our trust in. It happens at our desks, in our gyms and at our church. We will share our faith through engaging people in real community, going where they are and sharing with them our lives.
We will define success in terms of the effectiveness of the mission
Success will be defined by discipleship and mission and not by dollars and numbers. Success will be the transformed lives of those in our fellowship as they serve the broken in the community, and share the truth through their lives. Success will be the transformed lives of those who do not know Jesus into followers of Jesus.
We will release, equip and encourage people to be missionaries in every area of life
We believe that God has given each of us different gifts and that each of us is called to our own mission field. We will encourage people to engage the subculture that they live in. We will equip people to share their faith through their lives and we will celebrate the ministry that God is doing through people inside and outside of the church.
