My Vision of a Church

We were the original huffers. Loved that smell.

This is from my church's personnel manual written a few years back.

OUR VISION, PURPOSE, MISSION, AND CORE VALUES

The Vision of **OUR CHURCH** is to be a unique community of believers. We will follow Jesus Christ, sharing our faith with our friends and acquaintances, and using our spiritual design to change the world one person at a time.
Our Purpose is to glorify God by fulfilling the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:36-40) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). This will be done by introducing people to Jesus Christ and helping them grow into fully devoted followers of Him.
Our Mission is: To make disciples both at home and abroad by bringing individuals into a learning and living relationship with Jesus Christ.
Our Core Values are:
Worship
People have been created to worship God in every area of life. We will promote worship that is culturally relevant and Spirit-directed. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” Matthew 22:37-38

Prayer
Prayer is the essential foundation of our relationship with God, our spiritual growth as believers, and of all effective ministries. We will promote personal and corporate prayer as a regular discipline. “…you have not because you ask not.” James 4:2

Community
People develop best in caring communities – which happen best in small groups. We will promote and provide small groups in which people can experience instruction, fellowship, and be allowed to serve based upon their spiritual design.“ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:39 “All men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” John 13:35

Evangelism
Lost people matter to God and should matter to us. We will train and encourage the sharing of the “good news” of Jesus Christ in relevant and creative ways. We believe that this will be accomplished through building relationships with un-churched people. “You are the light of the world. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14,16

Instruction
The Bible is God’s communication of truth to us and is essential for the transforming of lives and building of the church. Continuous spiritual growth is God’s will for both individual believers and the church. We will creatively communicate Biblical truths to encourage growth in all areas.“…teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:20a “If you love me, you will obey what I command you.” John 14:15

Serving
Serving God and others with one’s own unique spiritual design is normal for totally devoted followers of Jesus Christ. God has called every Christian to function according to their design in ministry. We will identify, train, develop and provide opportunities for people to serve in ministry with their individual servant abilities. “It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.” Ephesians 4:11-12-13

Stewardship
God is the owner of all that we are and all that we have. We will promote and encourage Biblical stewardship as being an integral part of being a totally devoted follower of Jesus Christ. “Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.” I Corinthians 4:2

Excellence
Excellence honors God and inspires people. “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Colossians 3:1,

Rob

[ September 18, 2004, 08:58 AM: Message edited by: Deacon ]

 

Dr. Bob,

You hit on something very important. The other day I was with a group of pastors and they asked what the word that best described certain leaders was.

It went as follows and not a complete list:


Bill Hybels: Leadership
Andy Stanley: Communicator
Rick Warren: Marketing

Rick Warren's genious is not in what he said. Many pastors said what he said for years! But he marketed it. In fact, what he understood about marketing was simple, repeatable and memorable and that is what it is all about. He made discipleship as simple as a ball diamond and repeatable by all different kinds of churches.

I crack up when people criticize the Purpose Driven as simple. Exactly!!! And that is why many people who knew the formula didn't write the book because if they did write it, it wouldn't have been simple, repeatable, and memorable!

The ultimate goal is not selling books and that wasn't the ultimate goal for Rick Warren. But the majority of people are outside of Christianity and they need to read something that makes sense to them and helps them understand the Christian faith and Rick captured that in a brilliant way.

Not meaning to start a Purpose Driven topic...but your comments got me thinking. And that can be painful at times.

 

Last I heard, I believe it was 14 million.

 

Gosh, Dr. Bob, you should have written the book first and gotten all that money.

 

Rick Warren didn't just write a book. He first built a large church. As a result of that, lots of people were eager to read his philosophy & find out how he did it. There are many who know what Warren knows, but have not built what he built. Warren is not the first man to build a big church then succeed in distilling and promoting his methods. I must say that, from what I read, he is a genuinely humble man. THAT is what makes him rare.

 

Swaimj,

NOt sure if your post is in relationship to mine. Meaning that you are saying Rick's greatest quality is being "humble." I will just make a follow up statement in case it is.

I agree with you that Rick Warren is humble. I heard him say that he doesn't have a radio ministry or TV ministry because he is more interested in dispensing the information that he preaches and uses to the "small church" pastors so they can look good to their people then looking good himself to a national radio or TV audience. Definitely a humble statement and respectable.

But the quality that sets him apart is not humbleness because I can show you 100's of 1000's of "humble" pastors. And those pastors have every reason to be humble!

The quality that puts him over the top is his ability to "market." If he were in business he would have made alot of money. Actually, he might be one of the few people who made as much money being a "pastor" as he would have in "business."

I just bet he gives more of it away than most people would!

 

Points to ponder: From way out in left field: What would Jesus do? What did He say: "You will be my witnesses(martyrs) in Judea, Samaria and to the uttermost parts of the earth."

The Apostle Paul, on occasion, was forced to make tents for a living while he preached the gospel. Me thinks if one draws large crowds and has big coffers, one may be preaching another gospel. Paul said such people are anathema. That is a pretty serious admonition. cf: Mt. 7:21-23. See also the scripture which says: ...Satan himself is become an angel of light.

Selah,
Bro. James

 

Right on...Dr. Bob!

 

In the gospel parable, all of the stewards who were judged faithful took the talents they were given and increased them. They were praised for what they did. The one who hid his talent and brought no profit was condemned. Not everyone has been given the "talent" that Rick Warren has been given. Warren has been given much and, from the looks of it, he has been faithful. Praise God!

 

Warren may have given back every bit of "salary" but obviously not of "housing allowance." I'm having a hard time with the thought process here. Rick Warren is humble because he said so?

 

Follow up to Dr. Bob:
Large crowds and big offerings do not of necessity mean another gospel is being preached. I was not making a generalization--the word "may" allows of exceptions. I am still persuaded that most large crowds gathered together in a religious crusade are "seeking God in the flesh" and not "in the spirit."

When Jesus started His earthly ministry large crowds gathered. Jesus fed them spiritually and physically. Towards the end of Jesus' ministry, as He got into the "meat" of the good news, many
could not abide His teaching; and they "walked with Him no more." In the Garden of Gethsemane(sic), the scripture says: "they all forsook Him and fled." Peter followed--afar off--he drew close enough to Jesus' trial to be recognized as "one of them"; a fact which he denied to the point of cursing. How many followers were in attendance at the hill called Golgotha? Precious few--most of them women--most of the men still feared for their lives. That riotous crowd was still looking for blood.

Let us go to the Day of Pentecost--not long after Jesus'death, burial, and resurrection, there are one hundred and twenty disciples. Peter preaches and three thousand are added unto the first assembly(the same one which was started about three years prior by Jesus on the shores of the Sea of Galilee). So what is the point of all of this?
What do we see after Pentecost? There is a lot of one on one preaching. Were other assemblies called out? Yes, indeed. They have been called out in every generation since the first. What do we see in the past 1960 years. The gospel was spread by persecution of the true assemblies, not necessarily Monks, Conquistadores, and those called Jesuit. True believers were all over the Holy Roman Empire--but they had to hide to worship the True and Living God. Many of them were martyrs-- like Jesus said they would. They numbered in the millions over the centuries--but mostly underground. The Church-State would not allow such heresy.

We have a semblance of religious freedom in this country. Do large crowds gather to hear the Truth? To be sure large crowds gather for various "evangelists" who give a "repeat after me--this sinner's prayer-now you are saved" salvation. Then they tell them to go to the "Church of their choice." I was in a meeting where followers of Joseph Smith were proselyting these "converts" before they could say "thank-you Jesus". That is not the gospel the Apostle Paul said to preach. There are millions who follow Joe Smith--straight to the pit. Joseph Smith is either a prophet of God or he is a false prophet. If he is a true prophet, we all better convert to Mormonism; if true religion was re-established through Prophet Smith.

There are precious few who still take a stand for the basic truths of the Gospel which is part of The Faith, once for all delivered to the Saints, Jude 3. Most people cannot deal with the notion God does not need their help in providing salvation for His Elect whom He did foreknow and predestinate; yes, the ones whose names were written in the Lamb's Book of Life before the foundation of the world. Many people have trouble with the notion that every person is totally depraved and completely incapable of exercising one iota of faith; without God giving that faith and drawing that soul to the shed blood of Jesus Christ which is the only payment sufficient for redemption. This is the same old "flap" between Arminius and Calvin-- right? Wrong. This is the same Gospel that Paul preached as well as every other person who God has called.(long before Arminius and Calvin walked the earth)

The point is: the Truth turns the world off. "You shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free"--can only be realized through the preaching of the True Gospel. Jesus said,"Many will come in my name, saying I am Christ, do not believe them." Let us ponder that one for awhile.

Peace,
Selah,,

Bro. James

 

Dr. Bob,
Yes, indeed His sheep hear His voice and follow Him; another they will not follow--they know not another voice.

Time? What time is it? Who has the correct time?
God gave us time--measured eternity if you will.
He said that a thousand years is a day and a day is a thousand years--to God. (sorry theistic evolutionists--that is not nearly enough time) Using that frame of time reference, Jesus was here less than two days ago. Add that to the four days since the creation we are in the last hour of the sixth day. In the seventh day(24 hrs.) of the creation week, God did something different.

I am persuaded that the things the Apostle John was shown in the "Unveiling" (of The Bride, the Lamb's wife)(Book of The Revelation--of Jesus Christ) will shortly come to pass. That is also what John said. He also wrote: Even so,come Lord Jesus.

We seem to have read some of the same books Brother. Please do not be offended by my judgemental, sarcastic manner. Bro. Paul told us to reprove, rebuke and exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. I am short in the longsuffering dept.
Selah,


Why are we still in this world? Jesus told us to watch and pray and make disciples. There must still be lost sheep out there which must be brought back to the fold. What happens when the last sheep is back? I believe it is time for the Marriage Supper of The Lamb--the one who redeemed them--the One who willingly paid the price of their reconciliation. Bible again: it is the last day; the mystery of iniquity already works.

Selah,
Peace,

Bro. James

 

I'm not aware of a statement in which Warren claimed to be humble. Can you cite one? In fact, if a guy claims to be humble.... I am no expert on Warren, but he strikes me as humble specifically in the report I read as to why he passed on the invitation to go on Oprah.