Guiding Principles
- Jesus is Lord and Savior
- Pray
- Listen
- Be inclusive of all of God’s people responding to God’s will with action
- Demand justice
- Seek to offer relationship and healing
Church of the Abiding Savior Guiding Principles
As a family of faith, we are firm in our faith with the basic principle that: Jesus is Lord and Savior. With that as our base, ordered by the principles we find most important to do God’s mission, we are called to: pray and listen. be inclusive of all of God’s people responding to God’s will with action; demand justice; and seek to offer relationship and healing.
Jesus is Lord and Savior
Acts 2:25-28:
25 For David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken; 26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; moreover my flesh will live in hope. 27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One experience corruption. 28 You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
Our congregation believes we are called to be God’s people, and disciples who spread the good news. We obey God’s commandments. We invite others to fellowship with us, even when they are different from us in some way. When our neighbors join us, we are open to listening to their perspectives, even as we share our beliefs.
Pray and listen
Acts 2:42- They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship to the breaking of break and to prayer.
James 1:19- My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry
Prayer is the foundation of our church action, for in prayer we understand God’s word. Individually and together we strive to pray in our teaching, singing, fellowship, worship, as well as in the many other kinds of work and play we do as a congregation.
We will be inclusive of all of God’s people, responding to God’s will with action and we will demand justice
John 13:15-17: 15 For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. 16 Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
As a congregation of faith and action, we will seek to embrace all who come through our doors with God’s grace and love. We seek to go beyond our comfort zone to make our community and world a better place. We will move into the future with passion and commitment that will enable us to grow and become even more vital with outreach to our community. We are committed to following Jesus’ example of serving each other and those in need, confronting racism and calling for justice for all people, despite ethnicity, culture, economic background, language, or gender.
We will seek to offer relationship and healing
Acts 10:36-38: 36 You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. 37 That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
We seek to offer relationship and healing through Jesus Christ. We value sharing and demonstrating the good news of Jesus through outreach and valuing each other.