As a religious organization we are instructed and compelled by the Word of God and empowered by the Holy Spirit to obey the Great Commission of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Great Commission sends us to disciple leaders and to edify all members in order to be strong to go into the world (our community, our state, our nation, and the entire earth) with the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ.
TOGETHER WE REACH INto be nurtured, educated, and strengthened through the discipling of leaders and edifying of all members, that all may be equipped for their ministries:
“But to each of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it…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 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there be every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work”. (Ephesians 4:7, 11-16)
Together We Reach Up in Worship:
"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another- and all the more as you see the Day approaching”. (Hebrews 10:24-25) “Praise the Lord. Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heavens. Praise Him for His acts of power; praise Him for His surpassing greatness. Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise Him with the harp and lyre, praise His with tambourine and dancing, praise Him with the strings and flute, praise Him with the clash of cymbals, praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord”. (Psalm 150) TOGETHER WE REACH AROUND in fellowship:
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer”. (Acts 2:42) TOGETHER WE REACH BEYONDin love to help fellowmen in need:
“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. Then the King will say to those on His right, “Come, you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited Me in, I needed clothes and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you came to visit Me. Then the righteous will answer Him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick or in prison and go to visit You? The King will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mind, you did for Me”. (Matthew 25:31-40) “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another”. (John 13:35) “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world”. (James 1:27) TOGETHER WE REACH DEEPERinto God’s resources through stewardship, putting God first, to help advance the Kingdom of Christ:
“Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work…You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God”. (2 Corinthians 9:7-8, 11-12) “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well”. (Matthew 6:33) TOGETHER WE REACH OUT in witnessing and evangelism:
“Then Jesus came to them and said “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age”. (Matthew 28:18-20) “He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the Good News to all creations’”. (Mark 16:15) “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”. (Acts 1:8) |