As a local church we seek to keep the gospel - the good news of Jesus! - central to who we are & all we do. We believe it is the most valuable thing specifically entrusted to the Church. For this reason we desire the whole culture at Amazing Grace to be shaped by the gospel. The following values are chosen with this in mind, that we might root ourselves in it as well as reflect it & proclaim it to others.
The Bible – The Bible teaches us what the Gospel is
As a church we value the Bible as God’s written Word. For this reason, we also value faithful, healthy & quality Bible teaching in our times together & we encourage the personal reading & study of God’s Word. The Bible more than anything else helps us grow in our understanding of who God is, what the Gospel is & how to grow in Christian faith.
Life in the Spirit – The Holy Spirit makes the Gospel real in our lives
As well as being rooted in God’s Word we also desire to be a church that is open to & dependent on the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Valuing life in the Spirit means celebrating the new life he gives us in Christ, trusting him to make us like Christ, relying on him to empower us to live for Christ & being open to his ministry & gifts in our everyday lives & our times together.
Fellowship with One Another - The Gospel produces Christ-centered community
One of the things the Holy Spirit does is make a Christian part of the Church – the body of Christ. As a body of believers, the gospel calls us to love & value one another as brothers & sisters in Christ. Fellowship with one another (& other Christians) includes growing deeper in relationship with one another, serving one another in practical ways, meeting together for worship & prayer, recognizing one another’s gifts & partnering together to extend God’s kingdom.
Servant Heartedness – The Gospel gives us the same attitude of Christ
Just as Jesus came not to be served but to serve, we want that same attitude to characterise all we do together & all we do for God & others. We want to joyfully do what we do not for what we can get out of it but simply to bring glory to God & bless others. We desire to serve one another & our community with the servant-hearted & sacrificial love of Christ. Jesus also taught that servant-heartedness is the foundational mark of leadership in his kingdom.
Everyday Mission & Evangelism – The Gospel is a message that must be shared
While gathering with other Christians is essential to truly following Jesus, we also believe church & Christian living is much more than a location or worship service. Church is a dynamic movement of people whose whole lives have been set apart by the grace of God for the mission of God. Church is God's people gathering in Christ-centered community & it is also God's people living Christ-like lives in the wider community every day. Part of the purpose of our weekly times together is to remind us who & what we are called to live for everyday & who we are called to be because of the amazing grace of God!
The Bible – The Bible teaches us what the Gospel is
As a church we value the Bible as God’s written Word. For this reason, we also value faithful, healthy & quality Bible teaching in our times together & we encourage the personal reading & study of God’s Word. The Bible more than anything else helps us grow in our understanding of who God is, what the Gospel is & how to grow in Christian faith.
Life in the Spirit – The Holy Spirit makes the Gospel real in our lives
As well as being rooted in God’s Word we also desire to be a church that is open to & dependent on the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Valuing life in the Spirit means celebrating the new life he gives us in Christ, trusting him to make us like Christ, relying on him to empower us to live for Christ & being open to his ministry & gifts in our everyday lives & our times together.
Fellowship with One Another - The Gospel produces Christ-centered community
One of the things the Holy Spirit does is make a Christian part of the Church – the body of Christ. As a body of believers, the gospel calls us to love & value one another as brothers & sisters in Christ. Fellowship with one another (& other Christians) includes growing deeper in relationship with one another, serving one another in practical ways, meeting together for worship & prayer, recognizing one another’s gifts & partnering together to extend God’s kingdom.
Servant Heartedness – The Gospel gives us the same attitude of Christ
Just as Jesus came not to be served but to serve, we want that same attitude to characterise all we do together & all we do for God & others. We want to joyfully do what we do not for what we can get out of it but simply to bring glory to God & bless others. We desire to serve one another & our community with the servant-hearted & sacrificial love of Christ. Jesus also taught that servant-heartedness is the foundational mark of leadership in his kingdom.
Everyday Mission & Evangelism – The Gospel is a message that must be shared
While gathering with other Christians is essential to truly following Jesus, we also believe church & Christian living is much more than a location or worship service. Church is a dynamic movement of people whose whole lives have been set apart by the grace of God for the mission of God. Church is God's people gathering in Christ-centered community & it is also God's people living Christ-like lives in the wider community every day. Part of the purpose of our weekly times together is to remind us who & what we are called to live for everyday & who we are called to be because of the amazing grace of God!