Leading Convictions

Work of Christ Church (WoCC) doesn’t have a mission statement, we are a mission statement.

In the accomplishment of our mission, we employ a reproducible Purpose & Process derived from our understanding of the person and work of Christ--everything starts with Jesus. Contextualizing these processes to our mission field for maximum gospel effect is a critical step. The following leading convictions help WoCC do just that:

We are Christ Centered:

A people focused always on the person and work of Jesus Christ
A people holding to the life of Jesus as revealed in Holy Scripture as the primary source for the equipping and sending of Christ followers
A people whose understanding of Jesus Christ will inform everything we ever do or become
A people believing and living an “it’s all about Jesus” worldview

We are a Church:

A people...not a place...covenanting together under the headship of Jesus Christ
A people acting as God's missionary tool in the world
A people equipping each other in the ministry of Jesus’ gospel
A people exalting Jesus Christ to the glory of God the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit
A people assembling regularly to pray, preach God’s Holy Scripture, respond to God’s presence, praise and worship Jesus, participate in the ordinances of Communion and baptism, and fellowship with one another

We are Gospel Oriented:

A people who understand that the gospel is Jesus Christ himself; the action of God that both reveals God’s passion for the world and achieves God’s purpose for that world (Guder)
A repentant people redeemed by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone
A people committed to the respectful proclamation, in word and deed, of Jesus’ gospel
A people growing in love for others because we were loved first by God
A people desiring that everyone know personally and sense deeply God’s saving and transforming grace in Jesus Christ

We are Missionaries:

A people primarily committed to the missionary calling of God on our lives
A people determined to align our lives and combined resources with the reconciling work of God in our world by the will of the Father, through the work of the Son and by the power of the Holy Spirit; with the goal to always expend as much on those outside the church as we do on those inside the church
A people who haven’t given up on the culture, but instead choose to live in it as a sign, foretaste, agent and instrument of the Reign of God (Guder)
A people who understand that, as a church, we have a marginalized status in our post-Christian host culture with no privileged position of influence; influence will be gained in large part by serving the common good
A people recognizing that as disciples of Jesus, we are conformed to the image of Christ best in the context of mission
A people committed to adopting a missionary mindset and lifestyle
A people desiring to be known for what we do as much as we are known for what we believe
A people committed to never creating a church culture that is isolated, primarily attractional and culturally inaccessible to the people of our community; understanding, instead, that it is our responsibility to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in moving non-Christians closer to Jesus
A people who work diligently against the cultural flow of spiritual consumerism/safety; calling ourselves to an alternative lifestyle of death to self and radical generosity
A people who will de-emphasize buildings and facilities, preferring instead to inhabit the cultures outside our places of corporate assembly

We are Spirit and Truth Worshipers:

A people who believe that worship is an action…an on-going process of our responding to God’s revelation
A people worshiping Jesus relationally and with elements that witness to non-believers and build the church:
- Nearness to God – a Sense of God’s Presence
- Knowledge of God – Worship Centered on Christ
- Vulnerability to God – Opening Up to God
- Interaction with God – Participating in a Relationship with God and Others

We are Covenanted:

A people held together in a counter-cultural community, pursuing God's mission for reaching lost people
A people who welcome anyone but recognize the distinctiveness of those covenanted together
A people who always invite others to join us in covenanting around these beliefs/commitments:
- Public profession of Jesus as personal Lord and Savior followed by baptism
- Active participation in the missionary calling of Jesus on their lives
- Devotion to the fellowship of missionaries at our church
- Submission to the spiritual authority of our church’s leadership; to include accountability for godliness and growth, and discipline if required
- Cultivating community with the people of the church for the purpose of establishing a witness to the world, learning to love other people well, and ensuring everyone is cared for and supported

We are Church Planters:

A people who value reaching the unchurched and unsaved and who recognize that the most effective method of evangelism is planting new churches
A people who will plan, work toward and align our resources so that we can plant one new church every five years, at minimum

We are Prayerful:

A people who will pray ahead of, in the midst of and after all we do