Our Vision

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Welcome!

What you hold in your hands is the beginning of what we hope will produce much gospel fruit in the years ahead. To borrow a phrase from the software industry, you can think of this as the 2.0 version of CrossPointe Winter Park. This is not to denigrate what happened in 1.0, and subsequent versions each year (1.1, 1.2, etc.) but to build upon a solid foundation, that by God’s grace, has been established. It has been the hope and prayer of your elders that what is presented here would bring even greater clarity, alignment, and passion for the incredible endeavor we have before us to make disciples. This booklet has 3 components (adopted from the book Center Church, by Tim Keller): 1. 2. 3.

Doctrinal Foundation Theological Vision Ministry Expression

These components form a framework that is designed to ensure that day-to-day ministry practices “grow naturally out of reflection on both the gospel and the distinctness of the surrounding culture” and can then be clearly articulated and shared with partners. As you read through perhaps you will find yourself in one of three camps: 1. You don’t fully understand or grasp something about it; 2. You don’t fully agree with something about it; 3. You adopt and embrace it, either because you’re already doing it or because you are inspired to start To the first, we say that it is our sincere desire to spend a lifetime further exploring these concepts with you. To the second, we say that it is our sincere posture that this document is neither exhaustive nor perfect, and that we desire to spend a lifetime further exploring and improving the concepts contained within. To the third, we say that it is our sincere desire to join you as both leaders and fellow co-laborers in the gospel.

Your Elders

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. - Matthew 28:18-20

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SECTION 1

DOCTRINAL FOUNDATION Convictions on doctrine & discipleship. SECTION 2

THEOLOGICAL

VISION

A vision for what we will do with our doctrine in a particular time & place. SECTION 3

MINISTRY

EXPRESSIONS The actual ministries & programs that exist throughout our congregation. 2

SECTION 1

DOCTRINAL FOUNDATION Convictions on doctrine & discipleship.

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l a n i tr s c o D viction om on on fr d C adopstpeel Coaliti o G e Th

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Confessional Statement 1. The Tri-une God We believe in one God, eternally existing in three equally divine Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, who know, love, and glorify one another. This one true and living God is infinitely perfect both in his love and in his holiness. He is the Creator of all things, visible and invisible, and is therefore worthy to receive all glory and adoration. Immortal and eternal, he perfectly and exhaustively knows the end from the beginning, sustains and sovereignly rules over all things, and providentially brings about his eternal good purposes to redeem a people for himself and restore his fallen creation, to the praise of his glorious grace.

2. Revelation God has graciously disclosed his existence and power in the created order, and has supremely revealed himself to fallen human beings in the person of his Son, the incarnate Word. Moreover, this God is a speaking God who by his Spirit has graciously disclosed himself in human words: we believe that God has inspired the words preserved in the Scriptures, the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, which are both record and means of his saving work in the world. These writings alone constitute the verbally inspired Word of God, which is utterly authoritative and without error in the original writings, complete in its revelation of his will for salvation, sufficient for all that God requires us to believe and do, and final in its authority over every domain of knowledge to which it speaks. We confess that both our finitude and our sinfulness preclude the possibility of knowing God’s truth exhaustively, but we affirm that, enlightened by the Spirit of God, we can know God’s revealed truth truly. The Bible is to be believed, as God’s instruction, in all that it teaches; obeyed, as God’s command, in all that it requires; and trusted, as God’s pledge, in all that it promises. As God’s people hear, believe, and do the Word, they are equipped as disciples of Christ and witnesses to the gospel. 5

3. Creation of Humanity We believe that God created human beings, male and female, in his own image. Adam and Eve belonged to the created order that God himself declared to be very good, serving as God’s agents to care for, manage, and govern creation, living in holy and devoted fellowship with their Maker. Men and women, equally made in the image of God, enjoy equal access to God by faith in Christ Jesus and are both called to move beyond passive self-indulgence to significant private and public engagement in family, church, and civic life. Adam and Eve were made to complement each other in a one-flesh union that establishes the only normative pattern of sexual relations for men and women, such that marriage ultimately serves as a type of the union between Christ and his church. In God’s wise purposes, men and women are not simply interchangeable, but rather they complement each other in mutually enriching ways. God ordains that they assume distinctive roles which reflect the loving relationship between Christ and the church, the husband exercising headship in a way that displays the caring, sacrificial love of Christ, and the wife submitting to her husband in a way that models the love of the church for her Lord. In the ministry of the church, both men and women are encouraged to serve Christ and to be developed to their full potential in the manifold ministries of the people of God. The distinctive leadership role within the church given to qualified men is grounded in creation, fall, and redemption and must not be sidelined by appeals to cultural developments.

4. The Fall We believe that Adam, made in the image of God, distorted that image and forfeited his original blessedness—for himself and all his progeny—by falling into sin through Satan’s temptation. As a result, all human beings are alienated from God, corrupted in every aspect of their being (e.g., physically, mentally, volitionally, emotionally, spiritually) and condemned finally and irrevocably to death—apart from God’s own gracious intervention. The supreme need of all human beings is to be reconciled to the God under whose just and holy wrath we stand; the only hope of all human beings is the undeserved love of this same God, who alone can rescue us and restore us to himself.

5. The Plan of God We believe that from all eternity God determined in grace to save a great multitude of guilty sinners from every tribe and language and people and nation, and to this end foreknew them and chose them. We believe that God justifies and sanctifies those who by grace have faith in Jesus, and that he will one day glorify them—all to the praise of his glorious grace. In love God commands and implores all people to repent and believe, having set his saving love on those he has chosen and having ordained Christ to be their Redeemer. 6

6. The Gospel We believe that the gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ—God’s very wisdom. Utter folly to the world, even though it is the power of God to those who are being saved, this good news is christological, centering on the cross and resurrection: the gospel is not proclaimed if Christ is not proclaimed, and the authentic Christ has not been proclaimed if his death and resurrection are not central (the message is: “Christ died for our sins . . . [and] was raised”). This good news is biblical (his death and resurrection are according to the Scriptures), theological and salvific (Christ died for our sins, to reconcile us to God), historical (if the saving events did not happen, our faith is worthless, we are still in our sins, and we are to be pitied more than all others), apostolic (the message was entrusted to and transmitted by the apostles, who were witnesses of these saving events), and intensely personal (where it is received, believed, and held firmly, individual persons are saved).

7. The Redemption of Christ We believe that, moved by love and in obedience to his Father, the eternal Son became human: the Word became flesh, fully God and fully human being, one Person in two natures. The man Jesus, the promised Messiah of Israel, was conceived through the miraculous agency of the Holy Spirit, and was born of the virgin Mary. He perfectly obeyed his heavenly Father, lived a sinless life, performed miraculous signs, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead on the third day, and ascended into heaven. As the mediatorial King, he is seated at the right hand of God the Father, exercising in heaven and on earth all of God’s sovereignty, and is our High Priest and righteous Advocate. We believe that by his incarnation, life, death, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus Christ acted as our representative and substitute. He did this so that in him we might become the righteousness of God: on the cross he canceled sin, propitiated God, and, by bearing the full penalty of our sins, reconciled to God all those who believe. By his resurrection Christ Jesus was vindicated by his Father, broke the power of death and defeated Satan who once had power over it, and brought everlasting life to all his people; by his ascension he has been forever exalted as Lord and has prepared a place for us to be with him. We believe that salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name given under heaven by which we must be saved. Because God chose the lowly things of this world, the despised things, the things that are not, to nullify the things that are, no human being can ever boast before him—Christ Jesus has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.

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8. The Justification of Sinners We believe that Christ, by his obedience and death, fully discharged the debt of all those who are justified. By his sacrifice, he bore in our stead the punishment due us for our sins, making a proper, real, and full satisfaction to God’s justice on our behalf. By his perfect obedience he satisfied the just demands of God on our behalf, since by faith alone that perfect obedience is credited to all who trust in Christ alone for their acceptance with God. Inasmuch as Christ was given by the Father for us, and his obedience and punishment were accepted in place of our own, freely and not for anything in us, this justification is solely of free grace, in order that both the exact justice and the rich grace of God might be glorified in the justification of sinners. We believe that a zeal for personal and public obedience flows from this free justification.

9. The Power of the Holy Spirit We believe that this salvation, attested in all Scripture and secured by Jesus Christ, is applied to his people by the Holy Spirit. Sent by the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ, and, as the other Paraclete, is present with and in believers. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and by his powerful and mysterious work regenerates spiritually dead sinners, awakening them to repentance and faith, and in him they are baptized into union with the Lord Jesus, such that they are justified before God by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. By the Spirit’s agency, believers are renewed, sanctified, and adopted into God’s family; they participate in the divine nature and receive his sovereignly distributed gifts. The Holy Spirit is himself the down payment of the promised inheritance, and in this age indwells, guides, instructs, equips, revives, and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.

10. The Kingdom of God We believe that those who have been saved by the grace of God through union with Christ by faith and through regeneration by the Holy Spirit enter the kingdom of God and delight in the blessings of the new covenant: the forgiveness of sins, the inward transformation that awakens a desire to glorify, trust, and obey God, and the prospect of the glory yet to be revealed. Good works constitute indispensable evidence of saving grace. Living as salt in a world that is decaying and light in a world that is dark, believers should neither withdraw into seclusion from the world, nor become indistinguishable from it: rather, we are to do good to the city, for all the glory and honor of the nations is to be offered up to the living God. Recognizing whose created order this is, and because we are citizens of God’s kingdom, we are to love our neighbors as ourselves, doing good to all, especially to those who belong to the household of God. The kingdom of God, already present but not fully realized, is the exercise of God’s sovereignty in the world toward the eventual redemption of all creation. The kingdom of God is an invasive power that plunders Satan’s dark kingdom and regenerates and renovates through repentance and faith the lives of individuals rescued from that kingdom. It therefore inevitably establishes a new community of human life together under God. 8

11. God’s New People  We believe that God’s new covenant people have already come to the heavenly Jerusalem; they are already seated with Christ in the heavenlies. This universal church is manifest in local churches of which Christ is the only Head; thus each “local church” is, in fact, the church, the household of God, the assembly of the living God, and the pillar and foundation of the truth. The church is the body of Christ, the apple of his eye, graven on his hands, and he has pledged himself to her forever. The church is distinguished by her gospel message, her sacred ordinances, her discipline, her great mission, and, above all, by her love for God, and by her members’ love for one another and for the world. Crucially, this gospel we cherish has both personal and corporate dimensions, neither of which may properly be overlooked. Christ Jesus is our peace: he has not only brought about peace with God, but also peace between alienated peoples. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both Jew and Gentile to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. The church serves as a sign of God’s future new world when its members live for the service of one another and their neighbors, rather than for self-focus. The church is the corporate dwelling place of God’s Spirit, and the continuing witness to God in the world.

12. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper We believe that baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordained by the Lord Jesus himself. The former is connected with entrance into the new covenant community, the latter with ongoing covenant renewal. Together they are simultaneously God’s pledge to us, divinely ordained means of grace, our public vows of submission to the once crucified and now resurrected Christ, and anticipations of his return and of the consummation of all things.

13. The Restoration of All Things We believe in the personal, glorious, and bodily return of our Lord Jesus Christ with his holy angels, when he will exercise his role as final Judge, and his kingdom will be consummated. We believe in the bodily resurrection of both the just and the unjust—the unjust to judgment and eternal conscious punishment in hell, as our Lord himself taught, and the just to eternal blessedness in the presence of him who sits on the throne and of the Lamb, in the new heaven and the new earth, the home of righteousness. On that day the church will be presented faultless before God by the obedience, suffering and triumph of Christ, all sin purged and its wretched effects forever banished. God will be all in all and his people will be enthralled by the immediacy of his ineffable holiness, and everything will be to the praise of his glorious grace. 9

p i h s e l p s i c s on i i t D onvic ne Projectybnye Cted from TlhleaVnid Tony Pa adap n Marsha Coli

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A Disciple Is: someone engaged in

transformative learning and transformed living based on a relationship with God in and through Jesus Christ; a forgiven sinner who is learning Christ in repentance and faith. This kind of learning and living describes the totality of the Christian life as spiritual disciplines are practiced inwardly, outwardly, and corporately. 11

Why make disciples?

The world we live in is not neutral territory. It is in urgent need of deliverance from the darkness of sin, suffering, evil and death; and God is doing just that: he is rescuing a people from every nation by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. If we needed more imperatives alongside the explicit one in Matthew 28, this picture surely provides them.

We make disciples because God’s goal for the whole world and the whole of human history is to glorify his beloved Son in the midst of the people he has rescued and transformed.

What is a disciple?

There’s not much controversy or difficulty about the meaning of the word translated ‘disciple’ in the New Testament (the Greek word mathētēs). It basically refers to a learner or student, someone who is apprenticed to a teacher to learn from him. ‘Disciple’ (or ‘learner’) is therefore just another name for ‘Christian’ — someone who has renounced the lie that used to be at the center of their lives, who has recognized the dark and lost state they were living in, and who has turned to Christ in faith as their Master, Savior and Teacher — to learn to be like him, to learn to keep all his commandments, and to live out that commitment daily and weekly and yearly for the rest of their lives.

A disciple, therefore, is someone engaged in transformative learning and transformed living based on a relationship with God in and through Jesus Christ.

A disciple is a forgiven sinner who is learning Christ in repentance and faith. This kind of learning and living describes the totality of the Christian life as spiritual disciplines are practiced inwardly, outwardly, and corporately.

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How are disciples made?

The making of disciples is God’s work, achieved as his word and Spirit work through the activity of other disciples and in the hearts of those they speak to. Disciples are made by the proclamation of the word of God, by the people of God, in prayerful dependence on the Spirit of God, persevering in obedience to God.

As God’s people prayerfully proclaim God’s word by God’s Spirit, the godly fruit that goes forth can be summarized as love. Love drives us to think of others, to care for others, and to sacrifice our own interests for the sake of others. Love motivates us to reach out to others with the gospel. Love also shapes the manner of our speaking and encouraging and teaching of others — not overbearing, impatient or impersonal, but the kind of gracious, nourishing, encouraging teaching that parents give to their children. And love compels us to persevere in laying down our lives and suffering whatever may come, for the sake of seeing people come to Christ and learn Christ. The methods for making disciples are inevitably and enduringly personal. Each person has their own struggles. Just as it is important to affirm how united church life is, it is just as important to say that the body is made up of many individually different members. Christ-learning is differentiated learning. It meets each individual learner where they are, and seeks to move them forward.

Who makes disciples?

It is the joy and privilege of all God’s people to be involved in disciple making. God by his Spirit opens the mouths of all disciples to speak the word of Christ, in a richly varied way. Speaking the word of God to others for their salvation and encouragement is an expected and necessary component of the normal Christian life. A healthy church culture is one in which a wide variety of word ministries are exercised by a constantly growing proportion of the membership.

An expository pulpit is the foundational word ministry that feeds and regulates and equips and builds an ‘expository church’, in which the word of the Bible is being ministered at multiple levels in a rich variety of ways by the congregation. By their preaching, training, and example, pastors equip every Christian to be a Christ-learner who helps others to learn Christ. 13

Where are disciples made?

Put simply, ‘learning Christ’ happens wherever the word and Spirit of God are at work over time through people. Making and growing ‘Christ-learners’ is not just something that happens with new Christians, or in small groups, or in one-to-one counseling.

It is the basic activity that should be at the center of everything we do as a church, including and especially the Sunday gathering.

The missional or evangelistic side of making Christ-learners is not something that only happens overseas in traditional ‘mission work’. The ‘where’ of making more learners of Christ is all around us — in our families and streets and communities, in every corner of this present darkness (Eph. 6:12) in which people are so desperately in need of the saving gospel of Christ. Disciple making happens in every facet and activity of the transformative learning communities we call churches; and through our churches, it also happens in every corner of every ministry through the intentional relationships on which they are built.

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” - 1 Peter 2:9

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SECTION 2

THEOLOGICAL

VISION

A vision for what we will do with our doctrine in a particular time & place.

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Our Mission

POINTING

OUR

COMMUNITIES

TO JESUS. 16

Our Vision

TO SEE OUR COMMUNITIES

INFORMED &TRANSFORMED

BY THE POWER OF

THE GOSPEL

FOR THE

GLORY OF

GOD. 17

Gospel Rhythms

SUPPRESSION to CELEBRATION DISTRACT ION to CONNECTION ISOLATION to COMMUNITY CONSUMPTION to CONTRIBUTION and the contested space we inhabit. 18

Most churches have a strong and clear doctrinal foundation but then immediately jump to ministry programming without reflecting deeply on the distinctness of their surrounding culture.

Those that do think about their culture often fail to document or articulate their findings in a manner that is useful to others in the church. Between one’s doctrinal beliefs and ministry practices should be a wellconceived vision for how to bring the gospel to bear on the particular cultural setting and historical moment. We must discern where and how the culture can be challenged and affirmed, and the answers to these questions have enormous impact on how we preach, evangelize, organize, lead, disciple, and shepherd people. Here’s what we’ve discerned about our modern culture in Winter Park, FL.

We Inhabit Contested Space

Fundamental to making disciples is a recognition that everyone, everywhere is being discipled. The question isn’t, ‘are you a disciple?’ but rather, who (or what) are you a disciple of? Put another way, everyone is a disciple of a particular vision of the good life. As followers of Jesus we want to take our cues from how He describes the good life, instead of how the culture would describe it. The tension between these competing visions of the good life (and the narratives surrounding them) is the CONTESTED SPACE in which we are called to make disciples, and the space we inhabit.

We Need a Movement of Grace

We have attempted to frame discipleship in our context as a movement of grace. It’s a movement from one place to another; similar to the way Jesus says we move from darkness to light, or from death to life. Though death to life is a clear binary, perhaps the picture of darkness to light is best for illustration purposes because it’s often progressive in how it plays out. As you watch a sunrise, it’s clear that you are still in darkness before the sun creeps over the horizon. However, at some point light begins to break through, though it is still considered dark outside. But eventually, there does come a moment when the dawn has broken and the darkness has been dispelled. When this precisely happened isn’t always clear, but you do know when you can see.

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From Suppression to Celebration (Romans 1:18-23)

It is clear from the scriptures that we are not spiritually neutral. If we are not celebrating the truth of God’s story then we are suppressing the truth. We desire to help people move from suppressing truth into a fullblown celebration of God’s truth. Life is ultimately about worship and when we suppress the truth, we end up worshipping lesser things. This is what Paul speaks of in Romans 1:18 when he says, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” It should be noted that it’s not just unbelievers who suppress the truth, but also as Christians anytime we choose to ignore God’s clear calling on our lives and instead do what we want to do. All of our idolatry is ultimately a suppression of the truth.

Therefore, we must help people move toward the truth through a rich variety of word ministries, because Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.

From Distraction to Connection (Luke 10:38-42)

The average Christian in our church would unequivocally say they desire for their story to connect with God’s story, but why do we so often fall short? Distraction. Take Netflix for example. There’s nothing wrong with Netflix, but it can become a way that people seek to medicate their souls. Instead of engaging in spiritual disciplines like hearing from God’s word and speaking to God in prayer, it’s easier and seemingly less costly to start binge watching a television show. It’s easier to be distracted because we are often afraid of what we might find out about our hearts if we started allowing God through His word to examine our hearts and lives. Distraction takes place whenever we over indulge in a good gift and the affluence of Winter Park affords much opportunity for distraction. Connection is about being cut to the heart and repenting of our idolatry - our love of lesser things.

Therefore, we must help ensure that people habituate their heart with the spiritual disciplines that will lead to a greater love of Jesus. 20

From Isolation to Community (Acts 2:42-47)

Though people regularly give lip service to their need for community, the reality is that it’s easier to drift toward isolation. Why? Because community is hard. It takes effort. Busy schedules coupled with proximity challenges create a situation that is ripe for isolation. Beyond the external challenges there is the internal, heart level issues that inhibit true community. Part of this is the shame that we carry and we worry that we will be rejected. Thus it is so vitally important that people really do know the TRUTH so that they can combat their shame with the power of the Gospel. The challenge in all of this is it’s often in community that we are reminded of the truth of the gospel, and yet when we isolate we move further and further from the very source of proclamation and reminder.

Therefore, we must offer many opportunities for people to participate in multiple forms of community with a great diversity of people.

From Consumption to Contribution (Mathew 28:18-20)

Perhaps the dominant narrative of our Western culture is one of consumption. We are bombarded constantly by marketing campaigns that treat us as though consuming is all we were created for. However, the true narrative of the Bible tells us that we were made as contributors, as stewards. To be an image bearer is to be a contributor. This has implications on how people utilize their time, talent, and treasure. By God’s grace we have a strong serving culture as it relates to people serving on teams, responding to crisis situations, being hospitable, etc. Where we believe we need to grow is in regards to every Christian taking seriously the call to be a disciple who makes disciples. Not everyone will be called to local church leadership, but every Christian is called to make disciples.

Therefore, we must train, encourage, and equip all of our partners to be disciples who make disciples.

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SECTION 3

MINISTRY

EXPRESSIONS The actual ministries & programs that exist throughout our congregation.

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GATHER GIVE GROW GO 23

er h t , a g n i G ach

e ts r p h g amen ou r h t cr p a i s h wors ong, and s 24

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” - Hebrews 10:24-25

National Attendance Declining

Have you ever wondered why you should go to church? The fact is lots and lots of people are asking that question and opting to not participate – and we’re not talking about those who are not Christians. We’re talking about Christians. Nationwide, even in growing churches, people are attending church less and less. Now we don’t propose to have the answer to why that is or the solution as to how to remedy the situation. But one thing that is worth exploring is WHY we believe the weekly gathering is of utmost importance.

The Reason We Gather

We gather because it is the foundational way, albeit not the only way, that God uses to form us as His people. What happens on Sunday is counter-formation - as we are constantly being formed each week by things like the shopping mall, the sporting events, the university, to name a few. Counter-formation can happen in many environments, but it should never be to the exclusion of the Sunday church gathering. Why? Because to not gather is to deny the very identity you have been given. A Christian is a called out one and the church is simply a called out gathering for the called out ones. When we gather, part of what happens is that we are being formed more and more into our called out identity.

Your Presence Matters

Your presence on Sunday matters. Your actual physical, bodily, flesh and blood presence matters. It is not enough to simply listen to a sermon from home. God has designed the Sunday gathering as a significant part of your formation as a disciple. To not gather is to deny yourself an opportunity to live more fully into your true identity. If formation was simply a matter of cognitive intake, then listening to sermons online would be great. But formation is more than taking in information. To gather is to be reminded, though all the facets, or liturgy of the service, that we belong to God solely through His grace. Being a called out person who stays in goes against the grain of who you are. If you are a called out person you should get out and gather with God’s people. Not because this saves you, but because it forms you.

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e v Gi treasure d n a , t n e l a

t , e tim

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At CrossPointe we call our partners to a life of giving and stewardship. This fleshes itself out in three distinct, yet overlapping areas of our lives: time, talent and treasure.

Time

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:15-17

Talent

“Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.’” Jeremiah 1:4-5

Treasure

“Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7

Gathered Ministry Teams Operations: Setup, teardown, and A/V support for worship services Kids: Biblical instruction and care for children ages 0 to 5th grade Connections: Sunday hospitality, greeting, and the serving of elements Worship: Musicians leading the congregation in worship through song

Scattered Ministry Teams Community: Events, groups, classes, and cohorts coordinated by staff and led by deacons and volunteers Care: Visitation, benevolence, prayer, meals, and counseling Outreach: Missional, social, and mercy ministries to the surrounding communities Hospitality: Facility, logistics, and food preparation for church events

Tithes & Offerings We call our partners to join us in giving regularly, generously, and sacrificially.

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ow r G el-centered

p ty s o g h i n g u throu comm 28

Joseph Myers in The Search to Belong, with the help of sociologist Edward T. Hall, identifies four kinds of spaces in which we find a sense of belonging. 

PUBLIC SPACE

Public Space is about sharing a common experience in a larger space (50 or more), like a public worship service, or if the church isn’t large, a regional or city gathering of some type. Biblically this was when they gathered in places like the temple, or where crowds gathered. This space becomes missional if it reshapes people to inhabit God’s story in their everyday life. 

SOCIAL SPACE

Social Space is where people select a community – people with whom they want to go deeper than casual acquaintance – to belong to. In the congregational setting, this space is more like a mid-sized group of 20 to 40 people.  Biblically this space is what the New Testament calls oikos, a Greek term typically translated ‘house’ or ‘household.’  It refers to the basic building block of ancient society and its close network of relationships, like a large extended family.

PERSONAL SPACE

Personal Space is where we connect through private relationships. Personal space includes the eight to fifteen people whom we feel close to, whom we spend a lot of time with, like Jesus and the Twelve. This is a key area for discipleship to take place in a deeper way.

INTIMATE SPACE

Intimate Space is where we share experiences, feelings and thoughts. Intimate relationships are those in which another person knows the ‘naked truth’ about us, without us feeling ‘ashamed.’ This is like the space Jesus had with the three, Peter, James and John. 29

Organized

PUBLIC SPACE

Organized

50+ PEOPLE

Sunday Services

SOCIAL SPACE 20-40 PEOPLE

Men’s & Women’s Events

Equipping Classes

PERSONAL SPACE 8-15 PEOPLE

Community Groups

Organic

Men’s & Women’s Groups

INTIMATE SPACE 2-5 PEOPLE

Gospel Cohorts

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Organic

As a reflection of our Creator who exists in community as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we will create environments of community and belonging. We will encourage people toward an authentic expression of sharing life with fellow journeyers in Christ.

Men’s and Women’s Events

Our purpose is two-fold: to equip and connect. Three to four times per year men and women gather (separately) to explore relevant, gospelcentered topics from teachers both inside and outside our congregation. Each gathering is designed to facilitate new connections and further develop existing ones in deep and meaningful ways.

Equipping Classes

Equipping classes are short-term classes that provide opportunities for deeper study on topical, practical, theological, missional, and/or biblical subjects. Examples include studies on finances, marriage, parenting, heaven, end times, missional living, Bible reading, & systematic theology.

Community Groups

Community Groups are co-ed groups of diverse, imperfect people who gather weekly throughout the city to wrestle with the implications of the gospel in everyday life. Community Groups follow a sermon-based study that facilitates gospel transformation in our lives, by the power of the Holy Spirit, as we establish a culture of relational authenticity and transparency rooted in God’s Word.

Men’s & Women’s Groups

The purpose of our Men’s and Women’s groups mirrors the two-fold purpose of our Men’s and Women’s events: to equip and connect. The primary difference between our events offering and our groups offering is simply frequency and size. Whereas our Men’s and Women’s events take place several times per year and regularly have 40+ participants, our groups meet weekly and range from 5-25 participants.

Gospel Cohorts

Cohorts represent our most intimate and organic setting for discipleship. These groups of 2-5 exist to help believers grow in their understanding of the scriptures while fighting sin and unbelief through prayer and gospel application. Cohorts emerge naturally as connections are made through our larger, more organized offerings. The best way to get into a cohort is to participate in a variety of larger community offerings first and develop relationships with fellow believers. 31

GOof all nations

s e l p i disc d from

e pte k a d a a m ontent c with

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t

ec oj r P ine The V

How

PROCLAIM

All God’s people must have their mouths opened to speak God’s word by his Spirit — to one another and to the world. They will do so in different ways, in different contexts, taking up different opportunities, with different levels of gift, and indeed different levels of responsibility (some will be pastors and teachers)— but that God’s word would be proclaimed on the lips of all his new covenant people is a given in the New Testament.

PEOPLE

This word is not only proclaimed by all; it is of course lived out and exemplified by all. People, motivated by God’s love are driven to think of others, to care for others, and to sacrifice their interests for the sake of others. Love motivates us to reach others with the gospel and shapes the manner of our speaking and encouraging and teaching — not overbearing, impatient or impersonal, but the kind of gracious, nourishing, encouraging teaching that parents give to their children. Love compels us lay down our lives and suffer whatever may come, for the sake of seeing people come to Christ.

PRAY

We cannot control or determine what sort of soil the word falls into. Only when God’s Spirit is present in our hearers to soften the heart, to open the eyes, to make the soil fertile, then the words we speak become for our hearer the words of eternal life. Our level of trust in this principle will be demonstrated by our constant dependence on prayer for God to give the growth. Prayerlessness, like Wordlessness, is a classic symptom of a sick disciple-making culture.

PERSEVERE

The Christian life happens in one enormous, momentous step from death to life; it also takes place step by step, as we learn to observe all of Christ’s commandments, as the suffering we endure for Christ produces in us endurance, character and hope. The kind of learning we are engaged in is transformational — both in a decisive, once-off transformation (from death to life), and in a day-to-day transformation by the constant renewing of our minds. 33

Who

SELF

How much time do we spend each day on inward spiritual disciplines such as reading, studying, and meditating on God’s word? What about private prayer for ourselves and others? Is the practice of fasting part of our walk with Christ? What fresh commitments can we make to practice outward disciplines such as simplicity, solitude, submission, and service?

HOUSEHOLD

How are we seeking to move our spouse, or children, or family members toward Christ through the word and prayer? What can be done to insert regular Bible reading, discussion and prayer into the rhythm of our household lives? 

CHURCH

Many of us are involved in small groups of different kinds - Bible study groups or Community Groups, or ministries to particular groups of people. How are you doing with moving people toward Christ in these contexts? Is there someone you could meet with to read the Bible oneto-one for a period of time? What could you do differently on Sunday morning - whether in your attitude, your conversation with people, your welcome of newcomers, and so on?

COMMUNITIES

Think about your workplace, the school your kids go to, your neighbors, your friends and acquaintances - who in that sphere do you have regular contact and relationship with? What could you do to move them toward Christ, through the word and prayer? 

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What

ENGAGE

Some people are very ‘far away’ from Christ and his kingdom; they may not have ever met or spoken with a Christian person. Very often the first thing they need in order to take a step toward Christ is to meet and engage with a Christian.

EVANGELIZE

Others have met and engaged with Christians or Christianity in some way. The next step for them is to hear the gospel; that is, to be evangelized. 

ESTABLISH

For those who have responded to the gospel in faith and repentance, their next step is to be established as a Christian, to send down roots, and to begin to grow in godliness and Christlikeness (a ‘walk’ that will continue for the rest of their lives).

EQUIP

As Christians are established, and grow in love and knowledge, they will become increasingly concerned with helping others grow in whatever way they can. They will benefit from being equipped to do so through teaching, encouragement, coaching, and prayer.

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STAGE 1:

ENGAGE Most churches in the Western world have little or no engagement with their local communities. It is very hard to evangelize the thousands of people living all around us if we don’t know them or have any contact with them.

Personal Relationships

We need to encourage and help our partners to get to know non-Christian people, to mix with them, to form friendships, and to become engaged with the subculture or community in which they live and work. If our partners aren’t inviting people into their homes and lives, it’s no use urging them to invite people to church events and activities. Eugene Peterson, in his book The Message paraphrases John 1:14 as, “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood” to underscore the importance the role neighborhoods play in missional living.

Third Places

First place is where we live, second place is where we work, and third place is a setting of common ground. A third place is a setting that hosts regular, voluntary, and informal gatherings. It is a place to relax and enjoy visiting, providing the opportunity to know and be known. Third places offer a unique opportunity for missionary-minded people to do life in close proximity to others. In addition to identifying third places that already exist, we also need to create third-place environments where they do not. Turn the simple space of a patio into a place for weekly cookouts that encourage neighbors to eat together; turn the driveway into a place by operating a fire pit that neighbors gather around for conversation.

Social Action & Mercy Ministries

Disavow the love of material wealth and temporal comfort by pursuing relationships with the marginalized. Mission takes place where God’s people bear their testimony in the form of a servant fighting against exploitation, discrimination, hunger, and violence, bringing about healing, liberation, reconciliation and righteousness. Mercy ministries are a tangible way to demonstrate God’s love to a community prior to (and during) evangelism. Such ministries are a vital part of alerting people to the reign of God through Christ and can be summarized as love – love that drives us to think of others, to care for others, and to sacrifice our own interests for the sake of others. 36

STAGE 2:

EVANGELIZE Once someone has been ‘engaged’, what comes next? How are they going to hear the gospel?

Speaking the Word

Building on the relationships that naturally develop as you engage, serve, and love those in your communities, every partner should also feel comfortable articulating the gospel, using words, person-to-person. It is our role as the church to ensure that every partner can ‘speak’ the word of God. We use ‘speak’ as a general catch-all word — in the New Testament there is a wide range of overlapping and related terms that describe different purposes or styles of speech that are directed towards learning Christ (evangelizing, teaching, exhorting, proclaiming, encouraging, admonishing, instructing, reminding, rebuking, and so on). There are many ways in which this biblical word can be spoken. It can be by letter (as much of the New Testament is); it can be in a private home late at night (Acts 20:7-9); it can be in a marketplace (Acts 17:17-18), in the open air (Acts 16:13-14), or in a lecture hall (Acts 19:9); it can be in the form of public reading and preaching in church (1 Tim 4:13), or in the form of conversation in a private vehicle (Acts 8:29-35).

Reading the Word

Help people understand more of God in a way that is simple and personal, and doesn’t rely on getting them to a church program or event. The easiest way is to simply offer to read the Bible with someone on a regular basis. Not all instances of the word being spoken require the Bible itself to be open. When we sit on our child’s bed, and encourage them to trust Jesus in the midst of anxieties or fears, we’re engaged in a form of proclamation. However, had we not been regularly reading the word ourselves we may not have known what to say.

Living the Word

This word is not only proclaimed by all; it is of course lived out and exemplified by all. ‘Learning Christ’ is not an academic or theoretical discipline but a new way of life that seeks to keep the commandments of Christ. The theme of imitation, modeling and example as a means of learning and growth is a common one in the epistles. The word is proclaimed by people who show its truth and character by living it out, thus instructing and encouraging others, who in turn embrace the word and live it out. 37

STAGE 3:

ESTABLISH ‘Establishing’ is the growth phase of a learner after they repented and turned to Christ, where they increase in knowledge and understanding, set down deep roots of faith, and learn to grow in godliness as they ‘keep all his commandments’. The maturation process of the Christian life is lifelong. It includes following up a new believer, helping a solid Christian grow further in understanding or deal with a particular sin, encouraging and strengthening believers as they deal with hardship and suffering, and so much more.

Establish the Word as Central

The word of God doesn’t consist of two different words — an evangelistic word for non-Christians, and an edifying word for Christian disciples. The word that is proclaimed at the beginning is the same word that is proclaimed in the middle and at the end, and every day in between. This gospel word concerning God’s grace to us in his Son is what crashes into our lives and turns us around, and it is also what continues to teach, instruct and admonish us to godliness and faith every day as we await his return. Of course, we will understand the word more deeply as we go along. We will grasp with greater clarity how black is the darkness we were rescued from, how mind-blowing are God’s eternal purposes, how sure and glorious is our hope, how wonderful is the justification and reconciliation that came by Christ’s blood, and how liberating and challenging is the life we are now called to live in ‘keeping all his commandments’.

Establish New Believers

This is one area where personal, relational one-to-one ministry and Bible reading is vital. If there is any stage in ‘learning Christ’ where we need intensive personal mentoring and coaching, it is this one. Every new believer should be paired with someone who can walk beside them and help them learn Christ at this vital stage. 1-to-1 Bible reading by David Helm is an incredible resource to be used in this context.

Establish Newcomers

People who walk through our doors as newcomers present a special kind of challenge. We have the organizational goal of establishing them as potential partners of our church but the more significant goal is working out how to move newcomers one step toward Christ - starting from wherever they happen to be. 38

STAGE 4:

EQUIP Everything we want to do requires people who are motivated and equipped to be involved. This is why the ‘Equipping’ stage is perhaps the most important in designing pathways to move people toward Christ. By ‘equipping’ we mean that phase of Christian growth where Christians embrace the concept of helping to move others toward Christ and they realize that the love that God has poured into their hearts pushes them outwards to other people, to long to see other people come to Christ and grow in Christ where such Christians are taught and trained and mentored and supported in this outward-focused ministry to others. Equipping takes place during leader syncs and throughout ongoing equipping classes and community offerings, all of which include teaching and instruction on how to make disciples. Specifically, we desire that all our partners will know and understand: •

The core doctrines of the Christian faith

•

The why, what, how, who, and where of disciple-making

•

How to missionally engage and pursue the lost

•

How to speak the word of God to themselves

•

How to speak the word of God to their households

•

How to speak the word of God to their neighbors and co-workers

•

How to read the Bible prayerfully as a regular part of life

•

How to practice spiritual disciplines inwardly, outwardly, and corporately

•

How to speak about Christ with non-Christians

•

How to answer common questions about Christianity

•

How to read the Bible one-to-one with someone else

•

How to establish a new Christian in their faith

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How to encourage and minister to others on Sunday

•

How to minister to and disciple their families

•

How their ministry services maps to a bigger picture 39

p i h s er

n o t g , Parather, give, grow g

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“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” - Hebrews 10:24-25

The elders of CrossPointe believe the Scriptures take seriously the call for Christians to partner with a local church and the local church caring for Christians. We consider it a privilege and find great joy in following Jesus and caring for His church. Per this, we have crafted our partnership covenant around the following ideals:

Gather

Regularly attend Sunday services for expository preaching, worship through song, and the administration and celebration of the sacraments.

Give

Give of your time, talent and treasure by: (a) Serving on one or more of our Gathered Serving Teams; (b) Optionally serving on one or more of our Scattered Serving Teams; (c) Giving tithes and offerings in a manner that is regular, generous, and sacrificial.

Grow

Grow in gospel-centered community by living and participating in at least one form of regular and on-going personal-space or intimate-space community offering such as Community Groups, Men’s and Women’s Groups, and/or Gospel Cohorts.

Go

Commit to making disciples through the prayerful proclamation of God’s word, persevering in love and obedience to Christ’s commandments as you engage communities, evangelize the lost, establish new and existing believers, and join us in further equipping the saints for the work of ministry.

Annual Covenant Renewal

We are calling our partners to reflect, remember, and renew their partnership covenants annually. Our desire is to create space each year for two-way communication around engagement and connectedness within our ministry expressions, as well as ensuring that we, as elders, are serving you well in your walk with Christ. 41

p i h s er d s a on e c L dea & , s er d l e , s u s e J 42

“Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” - Acts 20:28

Jesus: The head of the church Jesus plants the church (Hebrews 3:1) Jesus leads the church (1 Peter 5:4) Jesus is head of the church (Colossians 1:4, 2:10, 2:19) Jesus grows and builds a church (Matthew 16:18) Jesus shuts down a church for faithlessness or fruitlessness (Revelation 2:5)

Elders: Senior leaders under Jesus Govern/Lead: Staffing, budgeting, ministry departments, legal, facilities, equipment, logistics. Modeling Christ in everyday living. Teach/Feed: Preaching, content, curriculum, doctrine, equipping. Deacon Care: All elders care for deacons intentionally and specifically. This happens during leader syncs and within respective ministries. Partner Care: Partnership interviews, church discipline, exit interviews, straying sheep. Elder Care: Elders care for one another and look to recognize other men who are able and desire to serve in the role of elder. Pastoral Care: Pray for partners, the church, the city, the world, sacerdotal, visitation, intentional discipleship.

Deacons: Lead servants in the church Deacons are exemplary partners responsible for leading gathered ministry teams (worship, kids, ops, connections), leading scattered ministry teams (community, care, outreach, hospitality), and providing ongoing care for partners through group ministries. 43

SUMMARY OF

CHANGES 1. We have an official confessional statement articulating our doctrinal convictions. 2. We have clarified, expanded, and more fully articulated our views on discipleship. 3. We have reflected deeply on our local modern culture and articulated a vision for how we are to conduct ministry in and throughout our surrounding communities. 4. We have expanded our serving teams and better defined how they integrate into the life of the church and interrelate to one another. We are now in the process of finding leaders for each team as part of our deacon ministry. 5. We have expanded our community offerings and introduced new language for thinking about the spaces in which we experience belonging. We are now in the process of finding leaders for these offerings as part of our deacon ministry. 6. We have laid out a framework for each stage of the discipleship process, along with practical ideas for helping people take steps toward Christ in each one. We are in the process of researching and preparing training material to help further equip people as they make disciples. 7. We have created pathways to better reach the lost in our communities. This includes neighbors, co-workers, and the marginalized in our surrounding areas. We are in the process of creating partnerships with local organizations and identifying leaders for Care and Outreach as part of our deacon ministry. 8. We have better defined and more fully articulated the roles played by elders and deacons. In doing so, we now also have better systems of care for leaders and volunteers serving in the church. In conclusion, we have cast a vision for discipleship and provided a structure within which it can take place in our local ministry context. What we need now are eager disciple makers with a passion for ministry, because our goal is not simply to recruit people to our ministry, but also to empower them for theirs.

“It’s almost always better to build ministries around people rather than ideas. Look around the room. See who God has given you - their age and gender and ethnicity, their interests and skills, their contacts and networks - and think creatively about how they could engage and evangelize the people around them.“ – The Vine Project 44

Next Steps 1. Prayerfully consider the call to GATHER, GIVE, GROW, and GO. 2. We invite you to visit cpwp.life to renew your partnership covenant and communicate to us: (a) Your commitment to regularly and consistently GATHER; (b) Your commitment to GIVE of your time, talent, and treasure; (c) Your commitment to GROW through gospel-centered community; (d) Your commitment to GO and make disciples; (e) Where you need further training & equipping in any or all of these commitments.

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