There are many values that churches hold in common, such as, grace, faith, love, hope, the Word, evangelism, discipleship, community, spirituality, et cetera. And then each church will describe them a little differently and put different weight on certain ones. Understanding broad Biblical values for life and ministry is important, but a list of our favorite value terms is not sufficient to drive our ministries and guide us in fulfilling our calling as a church.
Core values are more than general values; they are the values that are most prominent, characteristic, and ultimately unique to a particular congregation. They reveal the spiritual passions and ministry motivations of a particular congregation, and have greater power than general values to shape its future.
Core values define us a church--who we are and what we are about as a particular community of believers. They remind us of the common commitments we cherish and hold most dear. They express more completely our preferred culture than a simple list of general Christian values, even if somewhat nuanced.
It is of vital importance to articulate core values, know them and know them well, because they, more than any other single factor, will inform our vision and direct our strategies. They will guide us in what we do and what we don’t do; they will provide answers to the question, “why?”
At Lancaster EFC we were guided by six core values, three of which were missional (and are shared below). These pushed us forward and continuously challenged us to stay focused on fulfilling our unique calling as a church, rather than just doing generic church things, or becoming a clearinghouse for multitudes of good ministry ideas. We made decisions as a leadership team with these in front of us, and we talked about them as a congregation while doing ministry together.
Adventurous Faith
We are committed to being a missional church that takes great risks, without fear of failure, for the advancement of the fame of Jesus Christ. We seek to develop emerging leaders in our church body and to cultivate and resource their God-given ideas. At Lancaster Evangelical Free Church, we believe that life and ministry are meant to be experienced as a faith adventure with God.
We are committed to being a missionary people, strategic in establishing healthy, reproducing churches in North America and, most especially, among those who have never heard the Gospel. These people are our highest evangelistic priority; we are intentional in getting this done. We thrive upon the vision of the glory of God among all peoples and their full enjoyment of Him.
Investing Outside Ourselves
We are committed to providing the vital basic ministries for our church life together, but we will invest most of our ministry resources, energy, and people in outreach to the world. As a church, we want to experience how much more blessed it is to give than to receive. Our focus is outward with a long-term perspective for what God might do through us.
We are committed to evangelical ecumenism, that is, fellowship and ministry partnership with evangelicals from various perspectives. Viewing collaboration as stimulating and productive, we endeavor together to creatively engage and transform the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our congregation affirms each member’s God-given calling for the furtherance of His glory throughout society and culture.
Earnest Discipleship
We are committed to develop fully as genuine and earnest disciples of Jesus Christ, living just as He has taught us. Determined to grow up into the fullness of Christ and be worthy of our high calling, we graciously encourage one another to excel still more in our spiritual disciplines and in our disciple-making.
We are committed to give up our lives and resources; and have resolved up front that this will mean great sacrifice and suffering as we fulfill our calling, but also the greatest of joys. As a church family, we uphold and encourage one another to persevere in grace for the glory of Christ in His Church. With a resilient faith, we share with one another the peace and hope of the Kingdom of God.
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