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Core Values
The heartbeat of our church and ministry is best expressed through our mission statement and these seven core values:
Our mission is to live as fully loved and devoted followers of Jesus Christ and love our neighbors to do the same.
Core Value #1
Redemptive Edge
Jesus followed the heart of God for humanity beyond the familiar edges of comfort, privilege and power into the beautiful obscurity of the margins. Beyond the moral facade of the outwardly religious and the condescending scorn of the privileged elite, Christ cultivated an upside down ethic where the weak were powerful, the poor were rich, and the last were first. It’s where he still works today, and where he bids his followers to join him as he provides a voice to the voiceless, freedom to the captives, and retribution to the abused.
Core Value #2
Expensive Love
We follow the example of Jesus who, though he was rich, made himself poor for our sake so that we through his poverty might become rich. The world has never seen a love as expensive as this – that a man would lay down his life for his enemies in order to call them “friends.” Jesus made it clear that following him means following him all the way to the cross, where we gladly give up our lives for the sake of the King and his Kingdom. There is no sacrifice so great, no price so high, and no pain so intense that we would forfeit the joy set before us.
Core Value #3
Truth Telling
Because Jesus is the Truth, and because his Truth sets us free, we believe in the power of telling the Truth. This is more than mere honesty or integrity. Truth telling means seeing God for who He is, and seeing one another the way He sees us. We strive to cultivate an awareness of our ongoing need for the Gospel by both enthusiastically affirming the transformative work of God in our lives and also lovingly confronting one another about the areas in our lives that do not align with the Gospel.
Core Value #4
Relational Weave
Jesus came to restore the beauty of a broken world. He picked up the tattered fabric of our frayed, fractured humanity and began the patient, painstaking work of reweaving us back together. And he has called his followers to participate in this work. Our society has never been more torn and fragmented, but we are compelled by a vision of the eternal beauty of one, unified tapestry made up of a multitude of colors from every nation, tribe, and tongue which reflects the splendor and majesty of our great God. Diversity is not just a byword of cultural relevance for us – it is our needle & thread.
Core Value #5
Deep Roots
When Jesus came to earth, he didn’t live above us as a king, but with us as a neighbor. He moved into our neighborhood, and he put down roots. We love our neighborhoods because that’s where our neighbors live. With them we have made a long-term commitment to live and serve and work for the good of our city. We’re committed to the success of our schools, to the flourishing of our families, and to the thriving of each block. This place really matters to Jesus so it really matters to us. And by his grace, we aren’t going anywhere.
Core Value #6
All In
Jesus never lowered the bar when inviting people to follow him. He never promised that the Christian life would be easy or comfortable. He said the way was narrow and hard, and that we would have to carry an instrument of torture on our backs just like him. He said the only way to live was to die, and the only way to gain anything was to lose everything. He didn’t water things down, and so we don’t either. We work hard, rest hard, and trust hard at all times and in all places, knowing our Lord Jesus expects us to give him our all in return.
Core Value #7
4D
The way of Jesus is multi-generational, and reaches out from us into our neighborhoods, communities, and, eventually, the ends of the earth. “That which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” That’s four generations of gospel impact: from Paul, to Timothy, to faithful followers, to other faithful followers. In other words, the love of Jesus didn’t start with us, so it can’t stop with us. This isn’t addition; it’s multiplication.