Our Core Values

Simply put, we are a church family focused on three things:

1. Loving God - the greatest commandment in scripture
2. Loving Others - the second greatest commandment in scripture
3. Sharing Hope - the great commission Jesus gave to His followers

From that mission above, our leaders were led to value four things as a family, our Core Values. We see Core Values as both descriptors and markers- they describe what our culture is like, but more importantly, what we strive for as a church family. They are the road map for ministry in our church.

We describe our core values with the term MADE Disciples.

• Missional
• Authentic
• Different
• Engaged...

... disciples of Jesus!

We believe a disciple of Jesus is someone who is:

• Following Jesus
• Being changed by Jesus
• Partners with the mission of Jesus!

As a church and as a part of the C&MA, we fully believe and desire to live out what Jesus commanded, “As the Father has sent me, so send I you.” Being a MADE disciple of Jesus means making His mission your own. That mission is to spread the good news of the hope and salvation we can find through faith in Jesus. Whether by the preaching and teaching of the word, the planting of local churches, or supporting international missions, we must be about the Father’s work. So "Missional" living is part of who we are called to be in Jesus- disciples who live out the hope they carry, demonstrate a life saved by Jesus, and are willing to go where that message of hope needs to be taken!

How we are being changed by Jesus should be visible in how we live for Jesus. Those changes should draw us into a lifestyle of accountability and authenticity. As the Word of God impacts our everyday life, we find the need to be authentic and open with others in community about what it is saying to us and how we are responding. Being a MADE disciple of Jesus means living without the mask that covers up our true self. Every facet of our walk with Jesus and the encouragement we give one another should be intentional and real. To be "Authentic" is to accept the truth of God's Word, the truth of needing to be changed by Jesus, and sharing that journey with the church family.

Our mission and calling, as a church and as disciples, is to all peoples, regardless of ethnicity or culture. God as our Creator made us unique- and our differences are needed to function together for the glory of God. Though we are different and have different gifts, we are unified by Jesus and His work on the Cross. Jesus calls us to look different from the world around us- we believe MADE Disciples are ready to live that out by reaching, serving and loving people of all races, backgrounds, and stories using all the unique gifts He has given us. And because God created us uniquely, we believe our leadership as a church family should honor those differences- that's why our leadership is built around a team of people who are willing to share their unique gifts and honor our differences through unity and community in Christ.

A MADE disciple does not sit on the sidelines. There is a responsibility to encourage one another and ourselves to engage in following Jesus. "Engaged" means you will use your time, talents, finances, prayers, joys, and accountability to spur the church family on in following Jesus. We apply this from the ground up by expecting the church family to participate and support the community. We apply this from the top down by expecting leadership to listen to and care for our people. We apply this from the inside out by studying the Word of God, being dedicated to prayer, serving others (both inside the body of Christ and those who do not know Him yet).

As a diverse family of believers, we're at different points in our journey's of being changed by Jesus. So as you recognize the need to grow as a follower, you seek out leaders in the church family who help equip you to grow and mature in faith and good deeds. Likewise, leaders in our church family are always creating and looking for opportunities to see disciples grow into disciple-making disciples. Sometimes that means finding a mentor to help you one-on-one. Or you join a life group and learn to study God's Word and share your testimony with other believers. Or learn to give generously to the church or the Great Commission fund, asking God to be center of your finances. Whether you start the process of being discipled in a particular area, or someone encourages you in the next step, there will be opportunities to grow.

You will be asked to serve. It might look like joining a Sunday morning team, learning to serve the church family to cultivate a love for others. Or you might be called to lead a new ministry, spearheading the effort to invite new opportunity to share the hope of Jesus! Maybe you'll be called to the mission field, letting go of the familiar and comfortable to go to the unfamiliar and uncomfortable to share the Gospel with those who need to hear it.

Here's what we do know- as you follow Jesus, you will be changed by Jesus. You will become a person who loves, lives and serves differently (in a good way). And your heart will break for people who aren't following Jesus and experiencing the beautiful life-change Jesus brings. We are going to help you grow as a disciple, and help equip you to answer the call "to go and make disciples" in whatever capacity God leads you in that call on your life!

Have a question about what next steps are to grow as a MADE Disciple? Have an idea or call to ministry you want to explore? Or just want to talk to a Hope Church leader about our core values? Click the button below to get started!