Our Values

Our nine doctrinal, leadership and missional values underpin our family of churches and who we are as Relational Mission.

 

Doctrinal Values

 

Doctrinal Value 1

Word-based

We believe in the absolute truthfulness, sufficiency and final authority of Scripture. This value is expressed through the Bible having the central place in governing doctrine, practice, ethos and patterns of church life.

Colossians 1:25 | 1 Thessalonians 2:13 |
2 Timothy 3:16-17 | 2 Timothy 4:1-5

Doctrinal Value 2

Grace-filled

The message of grace and the gospel is central to the Christian life and local church. Grace ought to be expressed in relation to salvation, church life, relationships and leadership style. We see our salvation as a work of God from start to finish.

Ephesians 2:8-10 | Acts 11:23 | Colossians 1:6b

Doctrinal Value 3

Spirit-empowered

We believe that all the gifts in Scripture are available and desirable today for building the local church and extending the Kingdom of God. We believe every believer should be filled with the Spirit as part of God’s desire to empower us for Christian life and witness.

Ephesians 5:18 | Acts 1:7-8 | Galatians 3:1-5 | 1 Cor 12:1,4-7

 

Leadership Values

 

Leadership Value 1

Elders in each local church

The Holy Spirit appoints elders recognised by the church and apostolic ministry. Church government is not a democracy nor an autocracy but rather a theocracy. Elders’ main functions involve leading, feeding, guarding and guiding the church. We see eldership as the calling of qualified men who oversee the local church in its shared endeavour.

Acts 20:28 | Ephesians 4:11-12 | 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 | 1 Timothy 3:1-7

 

Leadership Value 2

Ephesians 4 ministries

All Ephesians 4:11 gifts are valid today and help bring churches to maturity and to equip men and women to fulfil their God-given ministry. Eldership teams are encouraged to invite Ephesians 4 ministries to help bring their local church to maturity. Local elders are the final human governing authority in a local church. However, the local elders are encouraged to invite and then to receive clear apostolic input and authority.

Acts 14:21-23, 20:28 | Titus 1:5 | James 5:14 | Ephesians 4:7-16 | Romans 16:1-16

 

Leadership Value 3

Servant-hearted

Christian leadership, in its essence, is a call to be an example not an exception. Following the example of Jesus, Christian leaders are meant to serve others not be served. Christian leadership should be godly, transparent and accessible. Christian leadership exists to multiply ministry, not monopolise it. Christian leadership ought to seek partnership and collaboration with other gospel-shaped leaders, rather than to demonstrate isolation and individualism.  

Mark 10:42-45 | 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 | 1 Timothy 3:1-7 | 1 Peter 5:1-4 | Titus 1:5-9

Mission Values

 

Missional Value 1

Local church focused

We regard the local church as central to the mission and purposes of God. The local church should be the primary focus for Ephesians 4 ministries. Ephesians 4 ministries exist to serve the local church, not the other way round.

Ephesians 3:10-11 | Matthew 16:18

 

Missional Value 2

Expressed locally, globally and holistically

We desire to see local churches effectively and fruitfully engaged in local Kingdom mission. We desire to see local churches caught up on a global apostolic Kingdom mission. We desire to see local churches involved in holistic mission, engaging with all sectors of society, particularly the poor and the marginalised. Normally local fruitfulness and effectiveness leads to a wider sphere of ministry, rather than the other way round.

Acts 1:8 | Matthew 28:18-20 | Galatians 2:10

 

Missional Value 3

Contextual freedom in application

We recognise that our core values will need to be contextualised and applied differently in different contexts. Sound contextualisation means translating and applying our core values without compromising the essence of the values themselves.

1 Corinthians 9:19-23

As contemporary evangelicals, we affirm modern statements such as the Evangelical Alliance statement of faith and the Lausanne Covenant. As part of the universal church, we also hold to the ecumenical creeds (the Apostles’, Nicene-Constantinopolitan, Chalcedonian and Athanasian Creeds). As Protestant Christians, we affirm that justification is by faith alone, and stand in the tradition of Reformation confessional documents like the Heidelberg Catechism, although we believe water baptism is only for believers.