Guiding Principles

CORE VALUES

As an organization and as individuals WE VALUE...

A vital Christianity

The message of God's love, given to us in the Bible, challenges us to love Him and love each other.  Through our plans and efforts we strive to do just that in living out our Statement of Faith.

The Great Commission

Jesus Christ commands those who desire to commit their lives to Him to tell about His love and care for everyone in the world.  We are committed to sharing this message among unreached peoples and assisting those who would commit to Him to become more fully devoted and maturing followers.

The visual presentation of the Gospel

Illiteracy and misunderstanding of the Christian message plague many that have not heard of God's unconditional love.  We are committed to the clearest presentation of this message through the effective use of visual media.

Compassion

We are called to express our love through our actions and deeds.  We are committed to humanitarian acts that provide relief for those suffering from the effects of poverty, illness and disease.

Cultural Relevance

We believe that all people groups are created by God to be unique.  We are committed to respecting culture through the creative visual adaptation of the Gospel message and utilizing well-trained national missionaries to share this message with others in their culture.

Partnerships

God has created us to cooperate in unity with one another drawing on each others' strengths and gifts.  We are committed to working with each other as employees; with our overseas ministry partners and our donors.

The Local Church

The Bible establishes local, geographically connected groups of people as the foundational expression of God's purposes.  We are committed to establishing, strengthening, encouraging and enabling the local church where none may exist among unreached people.

Responsible Stewardship

·        The Bible is God’s personal introduction of Himself to all people of the world.   It is authoritative on all matters that it speaks.   It exists as both boundary and map for approaching life and its challenges.

·         There is only one God, the creator of heaven and earth, who exists eternally as three persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Each is fully God, yet each uniquely distinct and identifiable from the other.

·         All people are created in God’s image and matter deeply to Him.   The core message of the Bible is that God loves people.

·         A very real part of that love is the capacity that has been given to all people to enter into an intimate relationship with God and in caring community with each other.

·         A caring creator offers choice in response to his expression of love and care. Sin may be a response.   It separates man from God and destroys relationships.  

·         At the heart of the Bible is the presentation of God’s only son Jesus Christ. As He died on the cross He was and is God’s only solution to a sinful, alienated, hurting world.   He is also God’s only salvation to human beings, individually and personally.   He is the provider of forgiveness.  

·         The Holy Spirit exists to point mankind toward Jesus Christ.   He is present in all believers to enable them to live Christ-like lives and gives them spiritual gifts both to serve the church and to reach out to a world in need.

·         Discipleship to Jesus Christ is the greatest opportunity human beings have in life and the only hope corporate mankind has of solving its insurmountable problems.

·         There is a final reckoning.   It is in the eternal plan of God for mankind.   There is consequence for sin and the promise of eternal fellowship with God for those followers of Jesus Christ.    

·         Those who are followers of Christ are members of the true church universal, the body of Christ.

·         A primary purpose of the church is to further God’s missionary purpose in neighborhoods and nations.

·         The local church at home and abroad was established to be a reflection of God’s character.   It exists to draw people to Christ and enhance their lives through intentional discipleship.

·         Through worship, instruction, prayer and bearing with one another in community, we are to reestablish Christ as living teacher in the midst of His people.