Our Values
Power of the Gospel
From Romans 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes..."
The Gospel (God's good news) has the power to transform a person and transform the County of Marin, socially, spiritually, and culturally. The Gospel has the power to change the very nature of a soul and redirect its eternity.
Proficiency of the Scriptures
From 2 Timothy 3:16-17, "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God's way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do."
The Bible is the revealed truth of God. It is the foundation of our message, the fuel for our hearts, and the guide for our journey.
Potential of People
From John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
There are no accidents with God. Every person, no matter where they have been or what they have done, has the capacity in Christ to be an adopted, loved, accepted, valuable, world-changing child of God.
Priority of Service
From Matthew 20:25-28, "But Jesus called them together and said, 'You know that in this world kings are tyrants, and officials lord it over the people beneath them. But among you it should be quite different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must become your slave. For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many.'"
There is no greater expression of gratitude or means of personal spiritual development than service. It is the most important thing a Christian can do in living out a genuine love for God and people. We are most like Christ when we are serving others.
Persuasiveness of Quality
From 1 Corinthians 3:11-14, "For no one can lay any other foundation than the one we already have - Jesus Christ. Now anyone who builds on that foundation may use gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But there is going to come a time of testing at the judgment day to see what kind of work each builder has done. Everyone's work will be put through the fire to see whether or not it keeps its value. If the work survives the fire, that builder will receive a reward."
God is the most important and most beautiful being in all of heaven and earth. He is worthy of our best, and how we approach him and his calling on our lives communicates what we believe about God and it helps others understand how valuable and wonderful God is. The least we can give God is our best.
Practicality of Celebrations
From Philippians 3:1, "Whatever happens, dear brothers and sisters, may the Lord give you joy. I never get tired of telling you this and I'm saying it for your own good."
An ancient catechism says, "The chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying him forever." Heaven is a picture of a celebration, and the Christian community is to exhibit the hope of that eternal life. It is not only fun, but practical. We're a community of joy.
Passion of Caring
From John 15:12-13, "I command you to love each other in the same say that I love you. And here is how to measure it - the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends."
God loved and cared for His people enough to become like them and be humiliated for them. That same love is to be shared with others through His children's loving touch. We want to learn how to "walk across a room," and engage in relationship building for the sake of faith. We believe that evangelism is our desired result in serving others, but not our ulterior motive. We believe that relationship is the key to creating influence in our community. We believe that ministry is meeting the present need in the life of another with the resources that God has given to each of us. We believe that small things done with great love over time will change the world. We are called to be agents of peace, reconciliation and justice in the world.
Principle of Connection
From Galatians 6:10, "So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith."
We are a congregation of the Church of Jesus Christ in Marin County and of the Church Around the World. We want to express a spirit of love and cooperation with all followers of Christ for the good of our communities and for the good of the world. We believe that success is measured by God, not by our human standards; by eternity not time; and by kingdom growth, not by congregational growth.
