Values
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Our "Core Values" are
those commitments that guide our vision and strategy. These values define who
we are and where we are headed.
"I am a sinner" and
"Jesus is the Savior for sinners." These are the twin truths of the
Gospel, which the apostle Paul says "is the power (dunamis or dynamite) of
God" (Romans 1:16). The Gospel is God's explosive power that changes
everything.
First, the Gospel makes us
Christians. You cannot be a Christian unless both sides of the Gospel come
together. "I am a sinner" without "Jesus is the Savior"
leads to drivenness, guilt and ultimately despair. "Jesus is the
Savior" without "I am a sinner" has no meaning. As a result, we
see Jesus merely as a great teacher or a good role model, but not as the answer
to our greatest need. But when both of these truths collide you have the Gospel
and everything changes. God forgives your sin, declares you righteous in
Christ, gives you eternal life, adopts you as His child, and ushers you into an
intimate relationship with Himself.
Application: We will minister with
great hope and confidence. Since we are saved by the Gospel, which is the power
of God, there are no hopeless cases. No one and no situation is beyond the
Gospel's transforming power. The Gospel can change anyone.
Second, the Gospel grows us. Most
people think we become Christians by believing the Gospel, and then we grow by
mastering biblical principles for living. They believe that the Gospel is the
starting point, but then we must move on to more advanced teaching to grow. But
the Gospel is not merely the way we enter the kingdom, it is also the way we
make all progress in kingdom living. The Gospel is not the ABC's but the A to Z
of the Christian life. It is the way of righteousness "from first to
last" (Romans 1:17). Therefore, the Gospel is the solution to all of our
problems. At the root of all of our problems is sin, specifically the sin of
looking to someone or something other than Jesus for our significance, strength
and satisfaction. This root sin manifests itself in all of our various problems.
God intends that my problems drive me to see in a fresh and deeper way that
"I am a sinner" and "Jesus is my Savior". And so change
continues, just as it began, through the power of the Gospel (Romans 6:1-4).
Application: We will preach the
Gospel to believers, not just unbelievers. Since, the Gospel not only makes us
Christians (justification), but also grows us as Christians (sanctification),
the most desperate need of both unbelievers and believers each and every Sunday
is to hear and appropriate the Gospel to their lives.
Third, the Gospel empowers us to
serve. Some would warn that if we focus on the Gospel of grace that we will
produce lazy Christians. Their logic is: If we tell people "Jesus has done
it all!" then they will have no motivation to serve others. Nothing could
be further from the truth. Only the Gospel can produce unselfish love and
service. Apart from the Gospel we will either avoid serving out of fear of
failure, rejection, or inconvenience, or we will be driven to serve in order to
ease our guilty conscience and gain approval from God and people. But when
"I am a sinner" and "Jesus is my Savior" come together, our
old motivational structure is demolished. We are no longer driven by fear,
guilt or the need for affirmation. The Gospel gives us a whole new motivational
structure. Paul says: "Christ's love compels us" to live for others
(2 Corinthians 5:14-15; cf. Romans 12:1). To claim we believe and yet not be
engaged in the needs of our world reveals that our faith is not in the living,
powerful Gospel of Christ (James 2:17). For the Gospel changes everything!
Application: We will motivate with
grace not guilt. We will refuse to use guilt trips to drive people to serve.
Rather, we will motivate with the Gospel, which sets us free to love and serve
unconditionally in response to God's grace in Christ.
The Gospel changes everything.
This is our central value. We will draw out the implications of the Gospel in
other aspects of our life and ministry.
Cities are central to Jesus'
mission. For example, Jesus chose as the text of his first recorded sermon
Isaiah 61, which proclaims that the Messiah has come to
"rebuild...restore...renew the ruined cities" (4). Jesus underscores
the city-focus of his sermon and mission by declaring shortly after this
sermon, "I must preach the
First, cities are "population
centers." Cities are filled and becoming more filled with people. Soon in
the 21st century, more than one-half of the world's population will live in
cities. These are people made in God's image whom Christ loves and calls his
church to love.
Application: We will encourage
Christians to live in the city and to love and respect the people of the city.
Second, cities are "places of
refuge." Cities are filled and becoming more filled with great needs.
Homelessness, aids, drugs, child neglect and abuse, lives filled with despair,
corruption, greed, oppression, war-zone schools, the list goes on of
needs/problems that exist all over
Application: We will partner with
the people of the city in seeking to serve the physical as well as the
spiritual needs of the city.
Third, cities are
"cross-roads." Cities are filled and becoming more filled with great
potential. Cities bring us in contact with a great diversity of people. This
challenges our perspectives, reveals our prejudices, and causes us to grow.
Cities also bring us in contact with a great number of very talented people.
This challenges the people of the city to reach more of their God-given potential.
As a result, not only do cities need Christians but Christians need cities.
Application: We will encourage
Christians to learn from the city how to celebrate diversity, accept and love
all people, and strive for excellence in all we do.
The early Christians lived and
ministered in the cities. The result was that by the year 300 A.D. over 50% of
the urban centers in the
"When the righteous prosper,
the city rejoices...Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted"
(Proverbs 11:10). What kind of a church will cause the whole City of
The Gospel changes everything.
Nowhere is the change more radical than in prayer. Take a moment and read Luke
11:1-13 and Galatians 4:1-7. These passages teach us that the Gospel renews
prayer in at least four ways:
First, a new relationship. The
most radical thing about Jesus' teaching on and example of prayer is that we
address God as "Our Father". Without the Gospel our relationship with
God is like an employee with an absentee boss. Our prayers are a religious duty
done to appease or gain the approval of a demanding boss. We are never sure he
hears and we don't know if he will answer, because we don't know if we have
earned his favor. But the Gospel ushers us into a radically different
relationship. We are his children. He is our Father. He welcomes us into his
presence, embraces us in his perfect love and delights to hear and answer our
prayers, all because Jesus has earned God's favor for us. "Abba,
Father," is the heart of Gospel-prayer-immediacy, intensity and intimacy
with our God. Everything else flows from this.
Second, a new purpose. Notice that
"Our Father" is followed by "hallowed be Thy Name". This is
the way the Gospel works. As soon as the Gospel enables us to pray "Our
Father," it gives us a totally new purpose in life and in prayer. Before
the Gospel comes into our lives our purpose and prayers are centered on
promoting "my name"-my success, my reputation, my well-being, my
comfort. But the Gospel teaches us that, through Jesus' life and death on our
behalf, all that we have ever longed for--and far more--will one day be ours.
Therefore, our lives are no longer consumed by these things, but rather by the
desire that our Father would be glorified throughout the earth, that He would
gain for Himself a great reputation, and that all people would know His love
and honor and serve Him as Creator and Redeemer.
Third, a new attitude. The Gospel
causes us to pray with an unique combination of humility and confidence. We
approach God humbly because the Gospel teaches us that we are far more sinful
than we ever dared imagine. And we approach God confidently because the Gospel
teaches us that in and through Jesus Christ we are far more loved than we ever
dared dream. "I am a sinner" without "I am loved in Jesus"
leads to "humility" without confidence. "I am loved in
Jesus" without "I am a sinner" leads to "confidence"
without humility. Only the Gospel gives our prayers the unique combination of
humility and confidence. In and of ourselves, we have absolutely no resources
to fulfill our God-given purpose of sharing His love with others. As Jesus says
in Luke 11, we don't even have the most basic resource--"bread". But
we do have a "Midnight Friend", a "Good Father". And so we
come humbly and confidently knocking and asking Him to give us what we need to
do His will for Jesus' sake.
And fourth, a new request. So for
what do we pray? What is the "bread" we need in order to fulfill
God's purpose for us? And what is it that our "Midnight Friend", our
"Good Father", is so eager to give to His children? Jesus tells us:
"If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to
those who ask Him! (Luke 11:13). Every Christian receives the Holy Spirit at
the moment they first trust in Jesus. But then we experience more and more of
the fullness of the Spirit as we humbly acknowledge our need and confidently
come to our Father for more of Himself.
Application: None of us ever
"arrive" in our prayer life, because none of us ever fully get the
Gospel. As a result we continue to be bored by prayer and boring in our
praying. But once you taste the reality of Gospel-shaped prayer you will want
more. As a church we commit ourselves to growing in prayer by: 1) teaching
people how to develop a prayer life, 2) providing opportunities to pray with
one another in various settings especially small groups, and 3) continually
preaching the Gospel of Grace to one another, for only the Gospel can make us
people of prayer.
The Gospel breaks down all
barriers (race, class, gender, age) and makes all who claim Jesus as Lord and
Savior one in Him (Galatians 3:28). Unity cannot be overemphasized. The Father
decided in eternity not merely to save a collection of individuals, but to
redeem a people (Ephesians 1:4). Jesus died to shatter everything that
separated us from one another and to make us one in Him (Ephesians 2:13-15).
The Holy Spirit takes very different persons, makes us one (1 Corinthians
12:13), and miraculously enables us to love one another. Why? Why does God want
His church to experience such diversity in unity? There are at least three
reasons:
First, God is an Evangelist. Jesus
prayed that "all [believers] may be one...so that the world may believe
that you sent me" (John 17:21). The strongest argument against the claims
of Christianity is the divided church. To be an effective witness for
reconciliation in the world, the church must demonstrate what it declares. It
must show those outside that inside it has done the job of reconciling like and
unlike. The supernatural miracle that authenticates the Gospel message is
neither unity nor diversity. It is diversity in unity. It is natural for
"birds of a feather to flock together" but when different persons
become one people, the world sits up and takes notice. "What brings such a
group together?" "What do they have in common?" Our answer is
simple: the Lord Jesus Christ, who has loved us and given His life for us. By
His Spirit He has made us one."
Second, God is a Teacher. People
learn best when they discuss God's truth in a setting of peace (unity) with
people from very different backgrounds (diversity). Developing relationships
with Christians from different races and ethnic groups: a) strengthens our
faith as we experience the power of the Gospel to transcend cultures, b)
challenges us to consider if our convictions are truly Christian or simply
middle-class American, and c) enables us to learn from the strengths of
different cultures and Christian traditions. Diversity in unity is essential
for authentic Christian growth (1 Corinthians 12).
Third, God is a Father. Few things
bring a father greater delight than to see his children loving and enjoying one
another. On the other hand, nothing brings more sadness than if his children
went their own ways, wanting nothing to do with each other. How much more so
must our heavenly Father be deeply grieved when He sees His children fighting
with each other or living in "peace" at a distance. On the other
hand, how it must bring Him delight when He sees all His very different
children loving each other because they know His love for them (1 John.
4:19-21).
Application:
1. We will seek to be a church
that reflects the diversity of
2. We will celebrate what Christ
is doing in and through other churches and ministries.
3. We will partner with them to
learn from them, and to serve one another and the City.
4. And we will continually
preach the Gospel to ourselves. The cause of disunity is sin--in particular,
pride and fear. We look down on those we view as inferior to us (morally,
culturally, or financially). We are intimidated by those we view as superior.
Only the Gospel can humble us (we are saved by grace) and make us confident (we
are in Him), so that we "accept one another as Christ has accepted
us" (Romans 15:7).
"Christ has accepted
us!" That means that, in spite of our pride, fear and divisions, one day
we will stand before Him with a "great multitude, which no one can count,
from every nation, tribe, people and language" (Revelation 7:9),
worshipping Him as one people. Until then, we will seek to be a herald, a sign
and a foretaste of that great day.
Through the Gospel, Jesus makes us
a people for others. His Gospel gives us deep respect and great hope for every
non-Christian, and frees and empowers us not to live for ourselves but for our
friends, neighbors and associates who don't believe. The Gospel makes us a
people and a place where non-Christians are expected, welcomed and respected.
Their questions and objections are invited. Their struggles and doubts are
taken seriously. They are loved not that we might evangelize them, but we evangelize
them because we love them.
The gospel of Christ overcomes the
three main obstacles to an authentic outward face:
1. The joy of the gospel
overcomes our apathy. There is a tendency toward uncaring inwardness in each of
us. But the gospel fills our lives with such joy that we have tremendous energy
for declaring the great things that God has done in Christ (Luke 2:20). When
the reality of the gospel grips us, we simply cannot keep our mouths closed.
2. The grace of the gospel
overcomes our pride. There is a tendency for Christians to think and act as if
they were superior to unbelievers. But the gospel humbles us--we are saved only
by God's grace and not our own goodness or cleverness (Luke 18:13). As a
result, we approach unbelievers without superiority and with lots of respect,
recognizing that often their wisdom and compassion exceeds our own.
3. The love of the gospel
overcomes our fear. There is a tendency not to share the love and gospel of
Christ out of fear of criticism or inconvenience. But in the gospel we are
embraced by a love so great that it drives out all our fear (1 John.4:18), and
frees us to love people with reckless abandon.
Application - Strategy
1. We will take a friendship,
not combative approach. We will utilize the webs of relationships God has
already given us to build bridges for the gospel. We will seek opportunities to
present the gospel through authentic relationships, not inappropriate
confrontations.
2. We will take a process, not
crisis approach. We will provide multiple exposures to the gospel. We will
communicate not just what we believe but why, in a way that invites questions
and engages people in dialogue, so they can receive information about
Christianity that relates to where they are.
3. We will take a presuppositional
approach. This means we believe that every person already does believe in God
(Romans 1:18-25). God has already been witnessing to them. Therefore, we will
help them find "God-pointers" (insights into truth) that they already
have, and use them to direct them back to their Creator and Savior.
Application - Tactics
We will always be expecting and
hoping that unbelievers will be "looking on and listening in"
wherever we are as a body or as individuals.
1. In our daily life. We will
love our neighbors. Through the testimony of a transformed life, deeds of love
and kindness, and hospitality, we will actively cultivate authentic
relationships with non-Christians and invite them to church that they might
meet Jesus (Luke 5:29).
2. In our worship services. We
will be determinedly conscious of and welcoming to non-Christians in our midst.
We will worship in such a way that unbelievers can understand and be included
(1 Corinthians 14:24-25). We will provide classes after worship so people can
ask questions and get more information about Christianity (Acts 2:12-14).
3. In our small groups and
service teams. We will have most of our groups and teams open to all people
regardless of where they are on their spiritual journey. These small groups and
service ministries made up of believers and unbelievers will be significant
places where people can find Christ and grow in Him.
Bottom Line: The Gospel will make
us a community where Christians say, "This is the place to bring my
non-Christian friends."
The "body of Christ",
"a living sacrifice", "a temple of living stones", "a
holy nation", "the family of God". The authors of the New
Testament thought of themselves primarily as a community, rather than as
individuals. They knew the reality of what we have failed to see and
experience: that Jesus came not merely to save individuals but to create a new
community. The individualism of our day and age has blinded us to the radical corporate
nature of salvation. The result: a flabby church with virtually no impact on
its members or society.
What Is "Christian
Community"?
Jesus calls us a "city on a
hill" which "cannot be hidden" (Matthew 5:14). What a vision
for the church! Notice three things:
1. We are a "city".
Jesus creates and calls us to be a "city" within the city of
2. We are a "city on a
hill." We are to be in the city of
3. We are a "city on a
hill" which "cannot be hidden." This is how the church will
impact
Why Is "Christian
Community" Important?
We need community to be fully
human. God said before the fall: "It is not good for man to be
alone." Adam was lonely not because he was imperfect; he was lonely
because he was perfect. God has wired us in such a way that we cannot be what
he meant us to be unless we are living in community. We need community for
three reasons:
1. To Grow. We grow in Christ's
likeness in community not in classes. Classes are important for conveying truth
content, but real change comes in community. Jesus and his disciples lived
together, ate together, experienced life together. Jesus modeled to his followers
what it meant to love God and neighbor in very specific situations. Community
allows us to "look over the shoulders" of mature Christians as they
accept people who are different, grieve the death of a loved one, handle
unemployment, resolve conflicts, grow old in grace. We need to live in
community so that the gospel can be passed onto the next generation.
2. To Serve. The quality of our
community is the real secret to finding our calling in life. God has given each
of us gifts-special abilities and skills-to serve him in the world and in the
church. But how do we discern what our gifts are and how to best employ them in
service to others? It is by living in a community of believers where we can
discuss our passions, test our gifts, and be encouraged, counseled and prayed
for by those who know us.
3. To Witness. "A city on
the hill cannot be hidden." The quality of our life together is a witness
to the world. Jesus prays in John 17:23, "May they be brought to complete
unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you
have loved me." Our unity in community is the main way that people will
believe the gospel.
How Can We Be A "Christian
Community"?
1. By Preaching the Gospel to
One Another. Christian community is a gift that is received through the Gospel.
In Ephesians 4, we are commanded to "maintain the spirit of unity"
not establish it. Christ has already established it through His cross and His
Spirit. We are ushered into this unity the moment we believe in Christ. It is a
gift that is received but it is also a gift that is cultivated. We will
cultivate Christian Community by continually reminding one another of the
Gospel-we are far more sinful than we ever dared imagine, but in and through
Jesus we are far more loved than we ever dared dream.
2. By Devoting Ourselves to One
Another. Christian community is cultivated as people believe the Gospel and in
response devote themselves to the Lord and one another. When Luke describes the
early Christian Community he says immediately after believing the Gospel
"they devoted themselves...to the fellowship" (Acts 2:42). The word
"devoted" means they "set as a priority", "committed
to", spending significant time with one another. They ate together in
their homes, discussed God's Word, worshipped, prayed, and shared their
resources with one another. That's why the basic building block of Harbor
Presbyterian Church will be our Community Groups-small groups that meet to
experience Christ's presence in community. The promised result: "a city on
the hill which cannot be hidden" (look at Acts 2:47).
Religion makes nice people; the
Gospel makes new people. Religion reforms you on the outside; the Gospel
transforms you from inside out. Religion says: "If you live a good life,
then God will love you." As a result religion leads to a deadly
combination of pride and despair. Pride when we are superficial enough to think
"I'm a good person", and despair when we are honest enough to see
"I am so self-centered." On the other hand, the Gospel leads to a
unique combination of humility and confidence. For the Gospel says: "None
of us is good in fact we are far worse than we think (humility), but through
Jesus Christ we are far more loved than we ever dared dream (confidence)."
When the Gospel comes to us it radically changes us-we are "a new
creation" (2 Corinthians 5:17). This profound change can be summarized by
saying: We are in Christ; and Christ is in us.
We
are in Christ.
At the moment that you believe the
Gospel, you are united with Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). This changes
everything.
First, you have a new identity.
"In Christ" is the repeated New Testament refrain that defines the
Christian's new identity. This means who you are is not determined by what you
do, where you live, or who your parents are. Rather, your identity is
determined by Jesus' life, death and resurrection for you. This means that
everything that is true about Jesus is true about you "in Him". This
is so prevalent a theme in the New Testament that space prevents us from
completely spelling out your identity, but here's a taste. "In
Christ", you are righteous and holy (Ephesians 4:24), you are a saint
(Ephesians 1:1), you have died with Christ to sin's rule (Romans 6:1-6), you
have been raised with Christ (Romans 6:11), you are seated with Christ in
heaven (Ephesians 2:6), you are a joint-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17), and
when Christ returns you will be like Him (1 John.3:1,2).
Second, and most important, you
have a new Father. "In Christ", you are God's child (John 1:12;
Ephesians 1:5), you are loved by the Father from before creation (Ephesians
1:4), you have been reconciled to the Father (2 Corinthians 5:18-19), you are
free from the Father's frown and condemnation (Romans 8:1), you are an heir and
therefore rich (Galatians 4:6,7), you are the Father's work of art (Ephesians
2:10), the Father loves you with the same infinite love He loves Jesus
(Colossians 3:12), the Father is pleased with you (Luke 3:22), the Father
rejoices in you (Zephaniah 3:17), you have direct access to the Father-He
always welcomes you and listens to you (Ephesians 2:18), the Father will never
let you go (John 10:29), the Father will never leave you or forsake you
(Hebrews 13:5).
Third, you have a new family. Your
new identity is not merely an individual identity it is a family identity.
Because we belong to Him, we belong to one another. "In Christ", all
barriers--race, class, gender, ethnic--are broken down (Ephesians 2:14), we are
all one (Galatians 3:28), we are brothers and sisters (Hebrews 2:11), we are a
new ethnic (1 Peter 2:9), a new people belonging to God (1 Peter 2:10), we are
all members of the same body (1 Corinthians 12:12), we are His flock (John
10:27), we are His temple made of living stones (1 Peter 2:5), we are the
branches He is the vine (John 15), we are a new city (Matthew 5:14).
Christ is in us.
In addition to being "in
Christ", "Christ is in you". Being in Christ gives you a totally
new status. And having the Spirit of Christ in you enables you to increasingly
experience and live consistently with your new status in Christ.
First, you have new wisdom. You
are no longer dependent upon the wisdom of the world. The Holy Spirit, the
Spirit of Truth (John 14:17), who directed the writing of the Bible (2 Peter
1:21), gives you "the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:13-17).
Through scripture the Holy Spirit enables you to know God (Ephesians 1:17), to
know who you are in Christ, and what God's will is for you (Ephesians 1:18).
Second, you have new love. You are
no longer a slave to your own selfish motives. The Spirit of Christ brings a
whole new motivational dynamic by pouring out His love into your heart (Romans
5:5). The Spirit working through God's Word, empowers you to know God's love
(Ephesians 3:16-19), assures you that you are God's child (Romans 8:16), and
causes you to love God (Galatians 4:6; Romans 8:15) and people (1 John
4:16,19-20).
Third, you have new power. You are
no longer helplessly stuck in life-defeating patterns of sin. The Spirit
enables you not only to know and desire God's will but also to do God's will
(Philippians 2:13). By the Spirit you grow in Christ-like character (Galatians
5:22-23), you minister with confidence in weakness (2 Corinthians 3:5-6), and
you boldly witness even in the face of opposition (Acts 4:31,7:54-60).
If you have believed the Gospel,
then you are in Christ and Christ is in you. And that changes everything. Your
status changes once and for all. And the Spirit of Christ begins a process in
you. He progressively changes you inside-out into the person you already are in
Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). And although that process is never completed in
this life, you can be "confident of this, that He who began a good work in
you will carry it out to completion" (Philippians 1:6). For when Christ
appears, "we shall be like Him" (1John 1:2).
On Pentecost, the exalted Lord
Jesus poured out the Holy Spirit on his church to empower bold preaching of the
gospel and, through that, to energize a multiplying church planting movement. Throughout
the Book of Acts, Luke calls our attention to how the gospel spread, lives were
changed and people were incorporated into vibrant new churches. Follow the
story and see what the gospel can do.
In Acts 1:8, Jesus commissions his
church to be his witnesses to "ends of the earth". They were to win
the world for Christ--an impossible task for a church numbering 120 members
(1:15).But then the Spirit comes and Peter is filled and overflowing with the
gospel and in one day "three thousand were added" (2:41).They began
to meet in house churches and a church planting movement was born. The gospel
grew and "the Lord added to their number daily those who were being
saved" (2:47).Then "many who heard the message believed, and the
number grew to about five thousand" (4:4).Then "the word of God
spread. The number of disciples...increased rapidly" (6:7).The gospel is
picking up momentum and new churches are multiplying.
Then "a great persecution
broke out against the church...and all except the apostles were
scattered...those scattered preached the word wherever they went"
(8:1,4).Now it is not just the apostles. The gospel is running like wildfire. It
cannot be contained. Pour water on it here and it breaks out in five new
directions. "Throughout Judea, Galilee and
In Antioch, "a great number
of people were brought to the Lord" (11:21); churches were planted and
from those churches Paul and Barnabas were sent out and world-wide church
planting was inaugurated (13:1-3).Paul and Barnabas went to Iconium and "a
great number of Jews and Gentiles believed" (14:1).In Derbe, "they
preached the good news...and won a large number of disciples" (14:21).
And it goes on and on. To this
very day, the same gospel continues to spread, changing lives and gathering
people into new churches. Churches that not only grow but churches that plant
new churches for new people because the gospel cannot be stopped.
Why is Church Planting so
Important?
Here are at least three reasons:
1. New Churches Are Needed. In
1900 there were 27 churches for every 10,000 people in
2. New Churches Are More
Effective In Evangelism. Powerful internal pressures cause long established
churches to allocate most of their resources to the care of members. As a
result, most churches plateau in size during the first two or three decades of
their existence. By contrast, new congregations are oriented toward outreach
and on average 1/3 of its members were previously unchurched.
3. New Churches Mobilize More
Believers For Ministry. In older churches, ministry positions (especially
leadership roles) are held by long-standing members. It often takes awhile for
new members to be given an opportunity for meaningful ministry. The planting of
new churches, however, opens new ministry opportunities and therefore leads to
greater mobilization of believers.
Harbor Presbyterian Church is
committed to being part of Jesus' gospel-driven church planting movement. By
God's grace and the energizing power of the gospel we hope to not only plant
churches but to plant churches that plant churches.
THE VALUE EXPLAINED
The gospel renews the marketplace
by awakening us to two things. First, all of our work matters to God. So-called
"secular" work is as valuable and God-honoring as Christian ministry.
Second, God matters to all our work. The gospel enables Christians to work in
their vocations both with Christian distinctiveness and excellence, the result
is that the culture of the city is transformed from the inside out.
WHAT IS A
1. It will meet mid-week in or
near the business district during the lunch hour (a light lunch will be
available). It will orient its message and ministry to the people in the
marketplace.
2. It will not be merely a Bible
study or a preaching event but a church. It will offer: small groups, mentoring
relationships, seminars, spiritual counseling, ministry opportunities, etc. It
will not replace the Christian's Sunday church but will augment it.
WHY A
1. Spiritual Growth. Christians
highly committed to their vocation are often too busy to have adequate exposure
to the "means of grace" (teaching, prayer, community,
accountability). Local churches often do not address spiritual issues peculiar
to a particular profession. There is a need for prayer, nurture, support and
counsel for Christians in particular professions.
2. Effective Evangelism.
Christians in the marketplace have many non-Christian friends and acquaintances
with whom they work and do business. One of the best ways to have a credible
witness is to invite these people to church. However, distance and schedule
often makes it inconvenient for the person to accept the invitation. But
reconnecting the church with the marketplace makes the Christian more effective
in inviting people in the marketplace to church.
3. Professional Excellence.
Although some Christians in the marketplace come together for fellowship and
nurture, there are very few attempts at intentional cooperation among
Christians in a particular profession. There is a need for mentoring
relationships, joint ventures, new companies and institutions, professional
associations, and "opening doors" for one another. 4. Christian Distinctiveness. Although some Christian professionals meet for networking and mutual encouragement, there are very few examples of Christians in particular professions thinking and discussing how to approach their vocation in a distinctively Christian way. There is a great need for Christians in particular professions to come together to do the hard work of theological reflection and discussion aimed at answering the question: "What difference does Jesus make in how we think about and do our particular work?"
Nothing is more clear or strong in
the Bible than the call to care for the poor. And yet, most people talk about
care of the poor as if it was an option--one of many. Perhaps that's why
Matthew's version of the Sermon on the Mount is so much more popular than
Luke's. Matthew says: "Blessed are the poor in spirit." But Luke hits
it head on-"Blessed are the poor...But woe to you who are rich..."
Care for the poor is central. The Gospel, to the extent that we get it, calls
us and enables us to know the poor, become the poor and love the poor.
KNOW THE POOR
The poor are mentioned over 200
times in the Old Testament. But who are the poor?
1. The Poor Are Needy. They have
little or nothing of what the world values and as a result the world discards
them. Now the Bible does say that some people squander the world's goods and
end up poor as a result of irresponsibility. But what is striking is this-80 to
90% of the passages on the poor do not say they had wealth but were
irresponsible. On the contrary, there is reference to the fact that
irresponsibility is a result of poverty not the cause of poverty. For example,
Proverbs 10:15: "The wealth of the rich is their fortified city, but
poverty is the ruin of the poor." Here in
What is to be our response to the
poor who are needy? Mercy. Overwhelmingly, the passages on the poor are not a
rebuke to the poor but a call to God's people to show them mercy. "Do not
be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother...Give generously to him
and do so without a grudging heart" (Deuteronomy 15:7-11).
2. The Poor Are Powerless. As a
result they are oppressed. They have little that the world values but the
little they have the world takes away. "A poor man's field may produce
abundant food, but injustice sweeps it away" (Proverbs 13:23). "A
poor man is shunned by all his relatives-how much more do his friends avoid
him! Though he pursues them with pleading, they are nowhere to be found" (Proverbs
19:7). You see it is not just a matter of irresponsibility. Things are broken.
The poor are powerless; as a result, the little that they have is taken away
from them.
What is to be our response to the
poor who are oppressed? Justice. God calls us to defend the cause of the
oppressed (Psalm 82). "Seek justice, encourage the oppressed, defend the
cause of the fatherless, and plead the case of the widow" (Isaiah 1:17).
But the problem goes much deeper than any social program can deal with. And so
the Bible not only exhorts us to do justice but also to look to the day when
God will come and make all things right. "The needy will not always be
forgotten (Psalm 9:18)...'Because of the oppression of the weak and groaning of
the needy, I will arise,' says the Lord" (Psalm 12:5). And so Jesus begins
his ministry reading from Isaiah 61 - "The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor." Central to
what it means to be a follower of Jesus is to bring relief to the poor through
mercy and justice. The Gospel helps us to know the poor and the Gospel helps us
to...
BECOME THE POOR
In Matthew, Jesus does say,
"Blessed are the poor in spirit" (Matthew 5:3). The Gospel comes to
you only if you get rid of your middle-class spirit and get the spirit of the
poor. That means three things:
1. Acknowledge That You Are
Needy. The middle-class spirit says: "If I live a good life then I will
have something of value to present to God. If I give to the poor, show mercy
and do justice I can present something to God that he will value. I can do
it." But the Gospel says: "No one is good, no not one." Even our
good deeds are filthy rags. They stink of self-righteousness. Because they have
been done to feel superior to others and to get leverage with God so that He
owes us a good life. They have absolutely no value to God.
2. Acknowledge That You Are
Powerless. The middle class spirit says: "Okay, if I have failed I will
just pick myself up and try harder. I will turn over a new leaf. I may be down
but I am not out. I'll double my effort. Never say never, think positive,
visualize success-I can do it. I will do it!" But the Gospel says:
"Not only are you spiritually bankrupt with nothing of value to present to
God but you are totally incapable of reversing the situation." It is like
a drowning man trying to pull himself out by his own hair. No, it is worse. It
is like a dead man trying to dig himself out of the grave. The Bible says: You
are spiritually dead and totally powerless to do anything that would merit
God's approval.
3. Acknowledge That Your Only
Hope Is A Poor
LOVE THE POOR
To the extent that the Gospel
works in your heart you will love the poor in three ways:
1. You Will Identify With The
Poor. You will see that they are just like you. You will see their dirty,
tattered clothes and think: "All my righteousness is a filthy rag, but in
Christ we both are clothed in his white robes of righteousness." You don't
pity them. You have empathy for them, but you don't look down on them. You
respect them. Instead of serving them in a paternalistic way you see them as
partners in ministry-people from whom you have much to learn.
2. You Will Be Generous To The
Poor. Does the Bible call us to give everything away? No. Does it call us to
stay rich? No. The Bible calls us to become incredibly contented and daringly
generous with what we have because our riches are in heaven.
3. You Will Stand With And For
The Poor. That's what it means to do justice for the oppressed. The Gospel
frees us from our obsession with our reputation and our comfort and enables us
to so identify with the poor that we are willing to stand with and for them
against injustice and oppression.
The Gospel of Jesus is for the
poor and only the poor-the spiritually poor and especially the materially poor.
For the Gospel to come to you, you must become poor. When that happens the
Gospel enables you to know and love the poor.
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