#WE BELIEVE – 2020 BE LIGHT
Discipleship WE Statements
- WE rely on the Word of God. We believe the Bible, we read the Bible, we study the Bible, we apply, and we teach through the entire Bible. The Bible is inherent and is the inspired Word of God, given for our benefit and instruction. So we take the time to study and apply God’s Word in order to understand it, follow it as disciples, and are continually changed by it.
- WE rely on prayer. We believe and pray in accordance with the Word of God and follow the very example of Jesus Who said that His house would be a house of prayer. Christ gave us access to the throne of God and so we pray in relationship to God the Father and according to our needs. We pray personally, we pray often together, and with fasting as the Lord leads; expectant that God will meet our needs, and that we will encounter the peace & power of His presence.
- WE depend on the Holy Spirit for holiness, love, and power. We believe that Jesus gave us the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to stir us, remind us, lead us, convict us, comfort us, and empower us to live lives that reflect the character and nature of God and bring forth the fruit of the Spirit.
- WE are committed to being disciples and making disciples. We believe that Jesus has called each and every one of us to be disciples; and so we willingly surrender to His command with the assurance that the Lord is well pleased, disciples will multiply, and our joy will become full. We simplify and prioritize our lives to make the time to be discipled and to help others become disciples, for our own health and the health of Christ’s church.
- WE love each other like family and seek to grow in fellowship. We believe and rejoice that God has saved and adopted us from various backgrounds & experiences and has united us in the family of God to have unity and fellowship. So we make time for one another, we encourage continually, we love and support one another as brothers & sisters in Christ, through peace and conflict, no matter what.
- WE share the gospel locally and beyond. We believe that the Great Commission was given by Christ as the primary external purpose of the church and each individual disciple, in bringing the good news of salvation to every person. So we reach out, using various means, to evangelize the Richmond area as well as supporting missions and church planting around the world.
- WE gather to worship and praise God in song. We believe that our entire lives should be an act of worship and praise, but we recognize that down through the ages, God does a special work among and in His people as they gather together and offer the sacrifice of praise & worship. So, we make time to give glory to God in song, with joy, and using the gifts and talents He has given.
- WE are grateful and thankful that God has called us to serve. We believe that Jesus set the model in serving and washing feet and has called every believer to follow Him in service. So, we use our time, strength, and gifts to lighten the load of others by finding those places of need that fill gaps, strengthen others, and build up the church that Jesus established.
- WE take bold and sometimes new steps of faith. We believe that God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and faith as we take steps that are fully dependent on His Word, guidance, and provision. So we try new things, while trusting God; unafraid of small beginnings & messy middles as we wait upon His excellent endings.
- WE work strategically as a unified team. We believe that just as Jesus has called us into a family, that He began the work of ministry with a team of 12, and sent the disciples in groups of twos -- that there is value, harmony, wisdom, and strength in building strong teams, as part of a unified team, that love and support one another.
- WE give generously of all God has given us. We believe that Jesus, giving His very life, is the basis for us giving back to Him. We see that throughout the scriptures, the Lord has called His people to give generously to Him through tithes, offerings, missions, and to those in need. So we trust that God will bless our faith and generosity and that the work of the gospel will be strengthened and multiplied.
- WE embrace the gift and need of scriptural rest. We believe that from the beginning God instructed the importance of rest and being refreshed in mind, body, and spirit. So we are resolved to serve well but also rest well, both personally and in specific ministry areas, that we might be regularly replenished for the long-term work of Christ.