We are the church
Church isn’t supposed to be just a place we attend, rather it is our identity. According to Christ, the church is no building. It is no temple made with hands, of wood, of brick, or of stone. It is made up of all true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is composed of all who have repented of their sin, and fled to Christ by faith, and have been made new creatures in Him. It comprises of all God’s elect, all who have received God’s grace, all who have been born again and sanctified by Christ’s spirit. Therefore, God has made us 'persons in community,’ and the body of Christ is a vehicle through which God reveals His glory (Eph. 2:22-23). We are a group of people, saved by the blood of Christ, seeking to live as a family. We pursue agape love, service and sacrifice that marked the New Testament believers (Acts 4:32-34). Our bond is not created by our social skills or church activity, but by 'Life on Life" discipleship which leads to a supernatural community being lived out as we share our lives with one another for the purpose of mutual edification and godliness.
We are pursuing the promises laid out in God’s Word. We believe that we can have perfect unity (John 17:21-23), power of the Spirit working in each of our lives (1 Cor 12:7), and involve an 'every member ministry' (1 Pet. 2:4-5). Body life does not exist so that we can just live in a Christian bubble. Body life exist to nurture, equip, edify, make disciples and fulfill the great commission (Heb. 10:24-25; Matt. 28:19). The New Testament model is a priesthood of all believers, a fully ministering, discipleship based congregation. The Apostle Paul called upon a people to people ministry, who are building each other up, and edifying one another. You don't have the truth, if you are not living out the truth (James 1:22-23). We learn and then we go out to serve. God didn't saves us so that we can sit on the bench. He saved us to serve Him, to serve one another, and to seek and save the lost.
Our Core Values:
In studying the Bible, you will find that the descriptions of "church" emphasized four particular values:
1. Family
The body of believers is supposed to be closer to us than our own families (Matt. 12:46, Luke 14:26). Jesus said that "all people will know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35). He also prayed that his disciples would be so "perfectly one" that the world may believe that the Father sent Jesus (John 17:20-23).
The truth of the matter is—so often in contemporary American churches today most people don't really know the people in their church, much less express the unity and agape love the Scriptures call for. Most people are looking for a church where they could be comfortable and just blend in with the church programs. The kind of love that God demands of the church requires real sacrifice. In a family, no one is left out, and the family takes it upon itself to care for another (Acts 4:32-34). This is a 'life on life' relationship and the kind of love that points people to Christ.
2. Duty
As followers of Christ, we are called to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19-20). In a lot of our church experiences, however, we are used to inviting our friends to church so that the pastor or elders can tell them about Jesus. Yet, this isn't just the job of the pastor—it's the duty or mission of every believer of Jesus Christ to evangelize and admonish one another to love and good deeds (Matt. 28:29-20; Heb. 10:24-25).
We all have our own ministry. We all spend our days and weeks in different mission fields: our neighborhoods, schools, offices, gyms, coffee shops, etc., so we come together on Sundays and pray for each other and to stir one another up in love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together (Heb. 10:24-25).
3. Training
Jesus himself had his twelve disciples, 12 ordinary men, and there came a time when He no longer called them servants, but friends (John 15:15). Paul also called the believers in his care to grow up into the full maturity of faith in Christ (Eph. 4:13).
Many people today have been attending church for years without ever being equipped and admonished to serve and live out the gospel in their homes, workplace, and community (Eph. 4:12; Col. 3:12-17). How do we ourselves ever become fishers of men or win people to Christ (Matt. 4:19) if we are not proving ourselves to be doers of the Word, but are hearers only (James 1:22). Therefore, we build up the body in using their particular gifts for the benefit of others (1 Cor. 12:7-31). We will continually be training leaders. Just as children are expected to grow up and at one time or another mature into adulthood, all members are being prepared to be able to stand on their own (Heb. 5:11-14). It is the Jesus way "Train and Release" as opposed to today church strategy of "Convert and Retain"with church activity.
4. Congregation
We see throughout the New Testament that the early church devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, the fellowship, communion, and the prayers, as summarized in Acts 2:42. It was 'life on life.' We are all to worship with one heart and led by one Spirit, united in one truth.
Many professing Christians today are living in their own Christian bubbles with no accountability in their lives. The church is no place for comfort and selfishness which is what majority of churches today represent. Under Christ authority we are be building His church. Church isn’t supposed to be just a place we attend, and a place to go ease our conscience, rather it is our identity. We are the Church for God's glory and our own good.