|
The Mission, Vision and Prayer of New Life Presbyterian Church
|
The Mission of New Life Presbyterian Church
New Life PCA believes that the mission of the church is clear—that we are to gather and perfect the saints for the glory of God. In this grand mission, there is both an inward and outward focus:
Gathering—The gathering of saints implies the great work of God’s spirit in conversion— both inside and outside of the church. We take this emphasis from John 10:16 where Jesus reminds states, “And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.” We believe that this emphasis in the Scripture mandates having both an inward focus on those within the church, but also an outward focus for our city and community.
Perfecting—The perfecting of saints does not mean that the Christian will reach a level of sinless perfection—but what this does indicate is the continual need to grow into the image of Christ. This emphasis is taken from Ephesians 4, where it states, “that the saints are equipped for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”
At New Life, we believe that the gathering and perfecting of saints depends upon the gracious power of God, the completed work of Christ, and the sovereign influence of the Holy Spirit.
|
|
The Vision of New Life Presbyterian Church
In seeking to accomplish our mission, the vision of New Life is to work toward developing a “well-rounded” ministry that is carefully God-centered in its emphasis and intentionally people-oriented in its practice. At New Life, we desire to be a community of grace where the glory of God is exalted and the goodness of God is tasted.
To be carefully God-centered means that we will not abandon our doctrinal distinctives:
the sovereignty of God, the depravity of man, and the free grace of Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit honors the truth of God’s word, so we desire to proclaim the whole counsel of God. We believe that people’s lives are changed as they are continually exposed to the means of grace and constantly reminded of the gospel of grace. The prophet Isaiah reminds us that, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.”
To be intentionally people-oriented means that we have a God-given responsibility not only to share the gospel, but our lives as well. Paul, in 1 Thessalonians 2:8 says, “So being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.” To be intentionally people-oriented means that we develop a mindset that considers others as more important than ourselves. To be intentionally people-oriented means that we go out of our way to make sure that people are priority—not personal preferences or programs. To be intentionally people-oriented means that we are seeking to cultivate a community of grace where people are embraced, hope and forgiveness are offered, and relationships are nurtured.
Developing a well-rounded ministry means that we need you. God gifts people in different ways—so, in order to have a well-rounded ministry in a community of grace, we need you to exercise your gifts as God leads. A well-rounded ministry indicates that there should be a teaching emphasis at all levels of Church life: to our children, youth, singles, parents and seniors. A well-rounded ministry indicates that all the areas of church life are being attended to: discipleship, worship, evangelism, missions, and fellowship within the body.
While we seek to have a strong emphasis on teaching, a well-rounded ministry does not end only in the spoken truth, but it incorporates word and deed. The Church is reminded of this emphasis in James 1:22: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
|
|
The Prayer of New Life
As we consider the purposes of God in the Church, we are reminded that God’s kingdom is moving forward and His agenda advancing. We are encouraged in the Scriptures to call upon God—that He might glorify His name.
Psalm 115:1 says, “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!”
In Psalm 90, Moses prays, “Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!”
Finally, Jesus has told us that “the gates of hell cannot prevail” against His Church.
Ephesians 3:20-21, “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
|
|