Valley Christian ChurchValley Christian Church

• VVitallyitally

• CConnectingonnecting

• CChristhrist

• and peopleand people

Vitally Connecting Christ & Vitally Connecting Christ & YouYou

• VVital = life-givingital = life-giving

• CConnect = relationshiponnect = relationship

• CChristian = Disciple: A person in a hristian = Disciple: A person in a life-relationship with Jesus Christlife-relationship with Jesus Christ

Our VisionOur Vision

To create Christ-To create Christ-centered communities centered communities

throughout the Red throughout the Red River Valley and beyond.River Valley and beyond.

Our GoalOur Goal

• Make vitally connected followers of Make vitally connected followers of ChristChrist

• connected to Christ in a live-giving connected to Christ in a live-giving way and connected to people in a way and connected to people in a life-giving witnesslife-giving witness

Vital CorrectionsVital Corrections

• How will we know if we are How will we know if we are achieving our goal?achieving our goal?

• As individuals in the church?As individuals in the church?

• As a group which is the church?As a group which is the church?

How will we know?How will we know?

• VVital signs of a Healthy Christ-ital signs of a Healthy Christ-followerfollower

• CCharacteristics of a Healthy Churchharacteristics of a Healthy Church

• CCore Beliefs and Valuesore Beliefs and Values

Vital Signs of a Christ-Vital Signs of a Christ-followerfollower

• ConnectingConnecting

• GrowingGrowing

• Reaching OutReaching Out

• GivingGiving

• ServingServing

Characteristics of a Healthy Characteristics of a Healthy ChurchChurch

• Empowering leadershipEmpowering leadership

• Gift-oriented MinistryGift-oriented Ministry

• Passionate SpiritualityPassionate Spirituality

• Functional StructuresFunctional Structures

• Inspiring WorshipInspiring Worship

• Holistic Small groupsHolistic Small groups

• Need-oriented EvangelismNeed-oriented Evangelism

• Loving relationshipsLoving relationships

Core Beliefs - the essentialsCore Beliefs - the essentials

• God is One: Father, Son, Holy SpiritGod is One: Father, Son, Holy Spirit

• Authority of the Word Authority of the Word

Core ValuesCore Values

• In essentials, unity… In opinions, liberty… In essentials, unity… In opinions, liberty… in all things, love.in all things, love.

• Where the Bible speaks, we speak. Where the Bible speaks, we speak. Where the Bible is silent, we are silent.Where the Bible is silent, we are silent.

• We are not the only Christians, but We are not the only Christians, but Christians only.Christians only.

• Ministry/priesthood of all believers.Ministry/priesthood of all believers.

• Centrality of the church in living our faith.Centrality of the church in living our faith.

So What’s Missing?So What’s Missing?

• How?! How are we going to carry out How?! How are we going to carry out the core mission of vitally connecting the core mission of vitally connecting Christ and people?Christ and people?

• We have a foundation visionWe have a foundation vision

• We have tools to assess progressWe have tools to assess progress

• What do we have to move forward?What do we have to move forward?

FWD: what the early church FWD: what the early church hadhad

They devoted themselves toThey devoted themselves to

the apostles teaching, the apostles teaching,

and to the fellowshipand to the fellowship

to the breaking of breadto the breaking of bread

and to prayer.and to prayer.

--Acts 2:42--Acts 2:42

FWD: the three ships of ActsFWD: the three ships of Acts

• They devoted themselves to:They devoted themselves to:

• Fellowship: the partnership of living Fellowship: the partnership of living out the out the Good News of Good News of God’s Kingdom on earth.God’s Kingdom on earth.

• Worship: the breaking of bread and Worship: the breaking of bread and prayerprayer

• Discipleship: the apostles teaching. Discipleship: the apostles teaching. The The Word of GodWord of God

Moving FWDMoving FWD

• We have the foundation of our visionWe have the foundation of our vision

• We have the means to measure We have the means to measure progressprogress

• We have the pillars of the early We have the pillars of the early churchchurch

• We need you, you are the who of our We need you, you are the who of our how.how.