Preamble

In light of Jesus’s parting words recorded in Matthew 28:18-20, our vision is the same as that of every Christian church throughout time and around the world. As those redeemed by the death of Jesus Christ, we long to bring him glory. The primary way we do that is through our life together as a church, as this community of Christians demonstrates Jesus’s love through our love for one another. We gather to sing his praises, offer our prayers, hear his Word, care for each other, and share Christ with unbelievers. In addition, we serve side by side to see each of us transformed into Christlikeness, and the Lord Jesus worshipped as King both here in Tempe and to the ends of the earth. To aid with clarity and memorability, the essence of this vision is expressed below as our Purpose and Values.

Purpose

A church family making disciples and helping churches for the worship and glory of God.

Values

1. Big God – Our God is glorious in every way and rules over all as the Sovereign King, so we seek to worship him passionately and submit to him completely every moment of every day.

2. Clear Gospel – We long to be known as people who are unmistakably clear that the gospel of Jesus Christ is God’s power to save sinners.

3. Word Work – The Word of God does the work of God, so we devote ourselves to hearing God speak through faithful preaching, teaching, and discipling.

4. Meaningful Membership – The local church makes the gospel visible as we gather to worship our Risen Lord, practice the one anothers, and help each other follow Jesus throughout the week: since Christ is committed to us, we are committed to each other as fellow members of Christ’s body.

5. Heavenly Diversity – Heaven will be populated by believers from every tribe, tongue, language, and nation; therefore, we yearn for this church family to be a diverse yet united group of Christians who serve as a foretaste of what is to come.

6. Conscious Dependence – Through means of grace such as bold prayer, patient suffering, consistent witnessing, mutual encouragement, and sacrificial living, we intentionally rely on the Holy Spirit’s help throughout life.

7. Joyful Obedience – As people redeemed by Jesus, we labor to be so formed by the gospel that we happily obey God in all things.

8. Strategic Witness – Since God has providentially placed Church on Mill across the street from ASU, a university of worldwide influence, we especially seek to share Christ and our lives with American and international students in hopes of their new birth and life-long ministry in Christ.

9. Glad Sending – With spiritually unreached and underserved communities abounding in Arizona, the United States, and around the world, we ask God to raise from among us pastors, missionaries, and church members to plant, revitalize, and strengthen churches elsewhere.