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Our mission: Willowlake Baptist Church is committed to loving God and sharing His love with others,
as commanded in Matthew 22:37-39, 28:18-20.
Our vision: We strive to be a community where God is worshipped,
where we reach out to people and introduce them to Christ,
where people grow in their faith and experience life together.
Willowlake Baptist Church core values:
We value incarnational living. We believe that God calls us to be the people of God living under the reign of God wherever we are.
Therefore, we will practice:
- developing meaningful relationships outside of the church family (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)
- hospitality in our homes (Hebrews 13:2)
- generosity with our neighbors (Luke 10:25-37)
- community involvement and being attentive to the needs of the community (Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:8)
- modeling Christ in our work places (1 Peter 1:13-16)
- social justice that alleviates suffering (Micah 6:6-8)
- advocacy
- evangelism (Matthew 28:18-20)
We value the centrality of Scripture. We believe that God communicates His will through the inspired word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Therefore, guided by the Holy Spirit, we will practice:
- using the Scriptures as our final authority for matters of faith and life
- using the Scriptures as our inspiration and comfort for daily life
- using the Scriptures as the shaper of our lives
- taking seriously cultural change as well as the authority of the Scriptures
We value mission work. We believe that God calls us to be involved in His mission, both locally and internationally
(Matthew 28:18-20). Therefore, we will practice:
- obedience to God’s leading in our lives
- prayerfully and financially supporting CBWC and other ministries where the opportunity to show God’s love exists
- providing opportunities to participate in missions
- being ministers of reconciliation to touch a broken world with the life-changing message of the Gospel
We value discipleship. We believe that God calls us to follow and grow in our relationship with Him and to equip others to do the
same. Therefore, we will practice, individually and corporately:
- the spiritual disciplines, such as:
- prayer (Matthew 6:5-15)
- Scripture reading (2 Timothy 3:14-17)
- stewardship of our time (Ecclesiates 3)
- stewardship of our talents (1 Corinthians 2:12-31)
- stewardship of our possessions and money (Acts 2:42-47)
- fasting (Matthew 6:16-18)
- contemplation and meditation (Psalm 119:97-102; Matthew 14:13)
- worshipping God with our lives (Romans 12:1)
- pursuing continual learning and mentoring (1 Timothy 1:18-19)
- participating in ministries and service opportunities that foster spiritual growth for all ages (1 Corinthians 12:1-11)
We value community (internal). We believe that God calls us to care for each other and to develop good relationships within our
community of faith. Therefore, we will practice:
- loving and serving each other with mutual respect and accountability (1 John 4:7-12, Mark 10:42-45, Ephesians 4:2-6)
- unselfishly considering others as better than ourselves (Philippians 2:3)
- submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:21)
- speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15, 25)
- dealing with conflict in every aspect of our lives in ways that model the teachings of Jesus (Matthew 18:15-20)
- forgiving each other as God in Christ has forgiven us (Colossians 3:12-15)
- living in peace with each other (Colossians 3:12-15)
- bearing each other’s burdens (Galatians 6:2)
- hospitality with one another (Romans 15:7)
- generosity with our time, money, and possessions (Acts 2:42-47, 2 Corinthians 8:3-5)
We value corporate worship. We believe that God calls us to gather to express worship to Him and to be transformed by Him
(1 Corinthians 11-14). Therefore, we will participate:
- by allowing the Holy Spirit to work in our midst
- by encouraging and allowing people to use their giftings in the arts
- by gathering as a body
- by preparing to encounter God
- by expressing our praise to God
- in corporate prayer
- by allowing God’s Word to transform our lives
- by celebrating the Lord’s table (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
- by dispersing with God’s blessing into the world
We value leadership development. We believe God calls us to develop leadership in His people. Therefore we will practice:
- praying for those in leadership (1 Thessalonians 5:25, Hebrews 13:18)
- seeking out leaders who encourage, equip and empower each believer in the Body of Christ to serve in their area of passion and spiritual giftedness (Matthew 20:25-28, Ephesians 4:11-13)
- showing appreciation and blessing, giving support and encouragement to leaders (1 Corinthians 9:14, 1 Timothy 5:17-18)
- giving time, permission, financial support for continued education for those in leadership/staff
- encouraging volunteers and staff to take time for rest and rejuvenation, and respecting those times (Mark 2:23-28)
- making resources and funding available for training opportunities
- inviting all to participate in training opportunities for personal growth
- networking with our denomination and other local churches
We value diversity. We believe that God values each person, regardless of age, gender, ability, ethnicity, resources, or
faith background. Therefore, we will practice:
- welcoming and being open to all, respecting each other’s differences (Luke 14:7-14)
- recognizing and encouraging each other’s giftedness (1 Corinthians 12)
- being open to learn from each other
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