We believe that the mission of the local church should be based on the mission that Jesus Christ Himself gave to the church, otherwise known as the Great Commission:
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Matt 28:19-20)
Mission Statement
To reach the world, teach them God's ways, and release their potential as fully devoted followers of Christ.
Mission Description
The Great Commission is a clear statement of what God wants us to achieve. We may restate it in modern English, but we do not have the liberty to change its intent.
You'll notice that there are three parts to our Mission Statement. The first is to reach. This is probably the easiest thing in the Christian life to neglect. Christians love to fellowship, to worship, to study the Bible. But so often churches become inward-looking and fail to remember that there is an entire world that needs to hear the life-giving message of the Gospel.
So our first responsibility is to be outward-looking, and do our best to reach a dying world with God's love and grace.
The second part of our Mission Statement is to teach. We see teaching as the God-ordained way of imparting truth to people so that they can grow in their faith. But teaching doesn't stop at just conveying information. It needs to be internalised and put into practice. This is what real growth is all about, and such growth needs discipleship. Discipleship is not just teaching the masses; it's getting alongside others to help them grow.
The third part of our Mission Statement is to release. This is the ultimate goal, where believers now are released into their potential for serving God. This is two-fold. Every believer must learn to serve the church, and every believer must learn to reach others for Christ.
In this way, the whole process begins again, and ensures the continuity and effectiveness of the Church in the world.
Missional Framework
To Reach, Teach, and Release
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