The three values of our church…
Values are both characteristics and benchmarks. You can observe a person’s life – where they spend their time, money, energy, and thoughts – and gauge their values (Matthew 6:21). Values may also serve as a benchmark, an ideal, to attain. Missio’s values operate in both ways. Our values are characteristics that define us as well as benchmarks that tether us to tangible outcomes for our lives and ministries.
The three values of Missio Dei Church are easily remembered by thinking of the abbreviation for Missio Dei Church as MDC. Our values are:
M – Mission
D – Doctrine
C – Community
Mission
It’s been said that the mission of the church is missions, and the mission of missions is the church. The church does not exist for itself, but for God and for those whom God will save and call His people, the church. We desire, pray for, and work toward more and more people finding satisfaction and joy in knowing Jesus Christ as their sole sufficiency, meaning, and purpose in this world (Galatians 2:20).
Doctrine
In an era of immense confusion and uncertainty, definition and precision matters. Although doctrine can be a scary word for many, it comes from the Latin word doctrino and simply means “I believe.” Some may say that “doctrine divides but love unites,” which is itself a doctrinal (“I believe”) pronouncement upon which dividing lines are drawn. We believe doctrine unites us around Jesus as we live by faith in him while striving to love him and others the way he defines it (1 Timothy 4:16; 1 John 3:11-24; 5:1-3).
Community
When God saves us he saves us into community (Ephesians 2:14-15; Colossians 1:18; 1 Peter 2:9-10). The idea of a lone Christian, plodding along the journey of life in isolation is a foreign concept to the Bible. In his book, Gospel in Life, pastor Tim Keller identifies three marks of God’s call for gospel community: affirmation, sharing, and service. The church affirms each other’s strengths, importance and value in Christ, all the while loving each other (Romans 12:10; 1 Thessalonians 3:12). We share each other’s resources and gifts so that needs are met and burdens carried (Galatians 6:2). Finally, the church serves one another through mutual accountability (Romans 15:14; James 5:16), forgiveness and reconciliation (Matthew 18:15; Colossians 3:13), and self-sacrifice (Romans 15:1-2; Galatians 5:13; Hebrews 10:24).