To see our vision, slowly read the two descriptions on our home page, (both of them start with the word “imagine”), then close your eyes and pause for a moment … can you see it?
Values:
- Jesus – The most important thing to us is Jesus, who He is, and everything He said and did.
- The gospel – Because of this, we affirm that the gospel of His Kingdom is:
- Good news for the poor.
- Release for the captives.
- Recovery of sight for the blind.
- Freedom for the oppressed.
- The time of God’s favour.
- A culture that honours God – We believe that culture is shaped through shared values, and that values become shared when we have to wrestle through tough issues in the context we are called to serve. Our constant aim is a culture that reflects and affirms the presence, now, of God and His Kingdom, as well as the hope for their full and future presence. Our bedrock understanding of this Kingdom culture comes from God’s revelation of his own character, of what HE values. The Exodus story recounts a conversation between Moses and God, in which God makes a commitment to Moses; “My presence will go with you.” (Ex 33:14) Moses asks in response for God to go with the people, and makes this request “Now show me your glory”. What follows is the first explicit description, by God, of his character, of the things He values, as His glory passes by.
- The seven characteristics listed in that passage are:
- Compassion
- Grace
- Being slow to anger
- Abounding in love
- Faithfulness / Mercy (different ways of describing the same characteristic)
- Forgiveness
- Justice
This passage is more frequently quoted and referenced elsewhere in scripture than any other passage, and these characteristics are demonstrated throughout all the ways God interacts with His people … most clearly in the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus. These are the bedrock character qualities that we aim to see reflected in our culture and values. Through God’s presence with our communities in their faithful life and service, these qualities also define the culture and values we aim to see more present in the places we are called to serve.
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