Mission & Vision

Growing disciples who grow disciples

“Then Jesus came to them and said… 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.” Matthew 28:18-20

 

One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”  Mark 1:16-17

Planting churches that grow disciples who plant churches

They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said. Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. Acts 14:21-23

For details and additional guidance, see our full Mission and Vision Statement and Church Planting page.

As we live into this vision to which God is calling us, we will more closely resemble the first century church as described in Acts 2:42-47.

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Jesus is the only real and lasting hope for the world.

We believe that as the world is broken, only Jesus can heal and restore us. For this reason, we don’t apologize for the Gospel or for putting our relationship with Him first in our lives. We strive to respond faithfully to the call of Jesus to follow him above all else in this world, which so often competes for our time, energy and attention. (John 3:16-21)

Following Jesus (Discipleship) is a Growing Experience.

We believe that every Partner of Faith Lutheran Church should be growing as a disciple of Jesus Christ and not just someone who “goes to church”. (James 1:22-25) A disciple is someone who has committed his or her life completely to Jesus by:

• Connecting to God through worship, prayer, and Bible study
• Growing spiritually and sharing his or her life authentically through small groups
• Serving in the church and the community with the goal of making Christ known to others
• Giving generously to support the mission and ministries of the church
• Investing in the spiritual growth of others so that they can become disciples of Jesus

Lost people matter to God, so they matter to us.

We recognize that there is an urgent need for Jesus in the world and that there are many who are wandering without the Savior. We believe the Church is God’s strategy to reach those far from Jesus. We seek and create opportunities to interact with others, invest in them, and point them to Jesus. (Luke 15:1-32) We believe this is the true purpose of every follower of Jesus and it is the purpose of Faith Lutheran Church. We want to share the gospel with all people (churched and unchurched), because we know the difference Jesus can make in their lives. (John 1:35-45)

Jesus transforms lives and communities.

We believe the gospel is the means by which non-believers come to salvation and is also the means by which believers acknowledge and address their flaws and problems and grow into Christ’s likeness. The gospel changes us from the inside out, frees us from both self-righteousness and self-condemnation, and enables us to welcome all people, including those who don’t share our beliefs. (Romans 12:1-3)

As the gospel changes our hearts, it makes us into people who can form far more transparent, honest, intimate, and loving relationships with others. This transformation helps us deepen friendships, improve marriages, and strengthen families. (John 15:9-17)

The gospel also affects our public life, particularly how we pursue our vocations in the world and do our daily work. Living our faith through our work and service in the community changes and renews those around us, ultimately changing the culture in which we live. (1 Peter 2:4-12)

We worship God with our whole lives.

Worship is central to our community life together. We strive to share the Gospel of Jesus in authentic and meaningful ways as we help worshipers honor, glorify and express their love to God. (Romans 12:1)

We worship God, not human tradition. Where tradition helps to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ and further the mission of our church, we will embrace it. Where tradition becomes a wall between God and His people, we will tear it down. We believe in the unchanging Gospel message of Jesus Christ; however, as the world continues to change, our methods must also change so that the Gospel is effectively communicated. (Matthew 12:1-8)

We welcome the non-believing members of our community to worship, and seek to minimize the use of language that may be confusing. We strive to be a community where doubters feel their questions are taken seriously and to be mindful of what it is like for those who do not yet believe. We want all Christians who come into Faith Lutheran Church to think, “I wish my non-Christian friend could hear this.” (Romans 14:1-19)

We seek to create a family atmosphere where all feel welcome. (Galatians 3:25-29)

We are blessed and we will be a blessing to others.

We believe the gospel lifts up the poor and broken, giving them a new identity and confidence in Christ. Pouring our lives out in deeds of mercy is a sign that our hearts have been changed by God’s grace. We want to be generous in sharing our wealth, talents, and time to help people meet their immediate needs as well as improve their quality of life for the long term. We work to offer abundant mercy and grace. We hope that outsiders will then be more inclined to follow as we point to Jesus. (Micah 6:8)