The church must be able to take a decided and resolute stance on their doctrinal beliefs and convictions. Doctrinal convictions are always accompanied by practical implications. A church must be committed to “practice what they preach.” A philosophy of ministry puts wheels to theology. All good theology is practical and so a philosophy of ministry identifies how a church’s theology produces God honoring conduct. The church will focus on three commitments that reflect a love for God and His glory:
The ministry of the church must be marked by a clear presence of God’s Word. It must permeate all that is done. There are several ways the ministry of the word must be evident in the life of the church.
The church must be committed to the regular preaching of the biblical author’s original intent in order to apply God’s universal truth to everyday life.
The ministry of the word will make its way in how our ability to come alongside each other through counseling one another. This will take the form of biblical exhortation, correction, confrontation and encouragement.
God’s people must be equipped in God’s Word by studying the basics of Christian faith, sound theology, biblical interpretation, and everyday Christian living. This equipping can take place through the means of bible study, small groups, and equipping hour on Sunday.
We will promote a culture of singing throughout the life of the church in various ways—whether during Sunday services, at home with family, or in personal devotional time. Singing God’s Word is a vital priority for the church community. We will sing Bible-saturated and theologically rich songs that both promote congregational singing and point us to Christ.
The church’s love for God shows a commitment and expression of that love toward God’s people (Hebrews 6:10). The following are the ways in which our church will seek to express and apply the love of God within our Gospel community.
The local church understands discipleship as an essential part of church life. It is committed to intentionally pursuing one another’s spiritual good, encouraging believers toward greater Christlikeness.
Members will accomplish the Great Commission through intentional relationships within the church that encourage believers to be more like Christ. Whether through side-by-side discipleship or mature believers investing in those who are less spiritually mature, discipleship is a vital aspect of church membership.
The church will encourage the discipleship of those within their home. Family worship is a crucial part of not only the family but contributes to the health of the church as a whole.
The mission of the church must be devoted to the fellowship of the saints. Christians must be committed to intentionally be spending time with one another for spiritual growth and encouragement.
The church recognizes there are times when Christians struggle with specific sins that may require specialized attention. This is where the church must practice biblical counseling. It is the conviction of the church that the Bible sufficiently addresses all of life’s problems and may need to be applied in a specific way towards saints who are desperately struggling with sin. Sometimes, the struggle with sin is so severe that it may necessitate church discipline. This process is part of discipleship since the aim of church discipline is restoration and the building up of the saint.
First, a local church is not merely a gathering of any believer, but must be the local gathering of Christians who are committed to one another. This requires the church to keep track of the committed by the means of membership.
Second, the local church must be identified by their commitment to worship God.
Third, the local church is committed to spiritual growth and discipleship. Members of local churches are serious about their discipleship.
Fourth, the local church ought to be committed to the making of disciples through the proclamation of the gospel.
The church must also practice the ministry of prayer. As a corporate discipline prayer must be incorporated into the life of the church. A church devoted to prayer will be both intentional and spontaneous. The church is committed to prioritizing prayer in both its weekly gatherings and mid-week ministries, including setting aside dedicated times for corporate prayer and establishing a regular prayer meeting.
Additionally, the church will support and deepen the prayer lives of its members through resources. The church is not limited to praying in designated times. The church must be sensitive to pray at all times without ceasing. This means that church members must not hesitate to offer supplications to God in times of need. Spontaneous prayers can occur in mid-week settings and even during fellowship among members.
All discipleship begins with the proclamation of the gospel. Therefore, a church that takes disciple making seriously will emphasize an accurate practice of evangelism. Evangelism is the act of sharing the gospel. The success of evangelism is measured by the church’s faithfulness to the message. Whether or not individuals come to saving faith is not evangelism. Faithfulness is the standard, conversion is God’s work. A church that is serious about discipleship does not measure evangelism’s success based on conversions, but on faithfulness to the proclamation of the gospel.
“Missions” is the task of taking the Gospel beyond the immediate influence of the sending church in order to evangelize and to instruct in the Word of God those who have little or no opportunity to hear the gospel. The planting and strengthening local congregations is a natural goal of missions. A missionary is a servant of Christ called to proclaim the Gospel, often across geographical and cultural boundaries, in obedience to the Great Commission (Luke 24:45-47). Missionaries are set apart by the Holy Spirit for service (Acts 13:2). A godly character, faithful service in a local church, and an accurate and thorough knowledge of Scripture are key qualifications of a missionary. Furthermore, those who are sent out as pastors to establish and to lead churches are to meet the biblical qualifications for an elder (1 Tim. 3:1-7).
The church has a responsibility to pray for, identify, train, and send only those who are qualified to be missionaries (3 John. 6). A missionary is ultimately accountable to the sending church and serves under the authority of the church (Acts 14:26-27). Since they go forth as God’s representatives, the church is to send them in a way that will honor God, and in so doing, the church has the privilege of being a partner with the missionary in spreading the truth (3 Jn. 8).