Our vision for ministry flows out of our understanding of what a local church is. I believe a right understanding is reached by viewing the church through two lenses:

1. As a community of discipleship.
   
   A church is a group of believers who have committed to help one another follow Jesus and to lead others to do likewise (see Ephesians 4:11-16).
   
   
2. As a family of faith.
   
   The members of a church are more closely knit together than any natural family outside of Christ, for we have been made one in Christ, have been given a new Head and a shared mission, and have committed to self-sacrificial love of one another (see Mark 10:28-30).

In bringing these two perspectives together, we can describe the church as a discipling family of faith.

This understanding of what a local church is causes us to collectively direct our gaze toward the one group that is almost always the largest and most accessible group of unbelievers and new converts within our immediate sphere of influence: the young children of our members.

Truly being a discipling family of faith means collectively placing a priority on partnering together with parents to evangelize and train up their children. God has designed this to be a whole-church effort (“it takes a village”). Let us all consider how we can contribute to this mission!

May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all. (1 Thessalonians 3:12)

Blessings in Christ,

Pastor Evan

(See follow-up article here.)