Philosophy of Ministry
We view our ministry in three dimensions. There is the vertical dimension reminding us of our absolute dependence upon the sustaining grace of God which calls us to worship, prayer, and praise. There is the circular dimension which refers to the quality of life together in a Christian fellowship, centered in Jesus Christ as Lord, which calls us to growth toward Christ-like maturity. There is the horizontal dimension as the church exists for its mission in the word, which calls us to share with others outside Grace Church.
To put it another way, we feel that we are called:
- to love, worship and serve God,
- to live together in true Christian community as a witness to the character and love of God as He revealed Himself in the Lord Jesus Christ, and
- to be the agent of God's mission on earth, i.e. to confess Christ as Lord, to love and serve others in his name, and to proclaim His gospel to the ends of the earth.
In all three dimensions of our ministry, we gladly acknowledge the central place and essential roles of the Bible and the Holy Spirit.
We think of the church as the "church gathered" and the "church dispersed." The "church gathered" is not primarily a soul-winning station, a forum for contemporary issues, or an entertainment center; it is a worship center and a school for training and equipping Christians to share the Gospel and to do the work of the ministry. Thus, we concentrate on worship and teaching the Bible. We perceive our "church dispersed" to be the family units of the church functioning in their God ordained roles, and individual Christians as they represent and present Christ in all their relationships.