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Our Vision & Values
'To equip the saints for life and ministry'
(Ephesians 4:11-13)
Our vision and the things that we value express
themselves in the way we 'do' church. In the Vineyard, everyone gets to
play - we value every member ministry (1 Peter 2:9) over one superstar
at the front.
- Pursuit of God
- We seek God and wait expectantly for his presence
in all that we do. (John 4:34; 5:19-20)
- The Bible
- As evangelical Christians, the Bible is our
final authority; our approach to life and ministry is shaped by the
counsel of Scripture. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
Unity- Our brothers and sisters are not our enemies.
We will love what Jesus loves: the whole church. (Ephesians 4:3-6)
Equipping- God calls and enables believers to express
the talents, gifts, and ministries that he has set aside for them. The
orientation of all ministry is toward the integration of Biblical truth
into everyday living that impacts our community and beyond. (Ephesians
4:11-13)
Generosity- We are stewards of God's gifts and resources
(Matthew 10:8,39; 13:45-46). We do not own our ministries, so they are
not ours to keep. We 'give to get to give'.
Simplicity- We want to be 'naturally supernatural', avoiding
behaviour that draws attention away from God and to ourselves. (1 Corinthians
2:2-5; James 3:13; 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12)
Compassion and Mercy- We desire to accept into our fellowship any
sincere believer who is attempting to walk in obedience to God, is repentant
of his or her sins, and is in submission to the authority of the church.
God's mercy always triumphs over judgement. (James 2:13; John 8:1-11).
Relationship- Caring for people is our highest priority after
submission to God, because the purpose of the cross was the redemption
of men and women. (Romans 12:9-13; 1 Corinthians 13:4-9; Colossians
3:12-14)
Risk Taking- We know that gifting develops in an environment
of trial and error, so we are willing to be patient with people's weaknesses
and failures while they learn. (John 21:15-19; Galatians 5:22-23)
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