Purpose

Our purpose can be summed up the “Mission and Values” statement that our parish adopted in 2015:

OUR MISSION : To know Jesus and make him known.

TO KNOW JESUS:

“Jesus” is a name that it known almost universally in the western world. With public celebrations like Christmas and Easter being part of most calendars, most people could even tell you that Jesus was referred to as the Son of God and that he came to earth to save sinners. However, to truly say that you “know” Jesus is a deeper and more meaningful thing.

During his ministry on earth, Jesus revealed “I and the father are one” (John 10:30), that is, Jesus himself is God in the flesh. To “know” Jesus is not only to see him as a good person, or a moral teacher, but as God in the flesh fundamentally changes the way that we relate to him. We are not just random pieces of matter floating in an emotionless universe, we are created, and we are loved by the one who made us.

To know Jesus is to know the one who made us and cares for us. More importantly, Jesus came to earth to deal with the fact that we so often turn from him and pursue our own desires, even at the expense of his hopes for our lives. This desire to make ourselves “little gods” instead of God himself, is what the Bible calls sin. To know Jesus is to know that he dies on the cross, paying the penalty for our sin, so God, rather than looking at us and seeing rebellious sinners, looks at us and sees children, bought at a cost.

To be a Christian, at its heart, is simply to know this truth and to accept Jesus’ efforts on your behalf. However, we are also called to act upon our knowledge. To truly know Jesus as God, to know who he is and what he has done for us, calls for a response. The first way we can respond was summed up by Jesus himself when he noted the greatest commandments, to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” and to “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39). Additionally, the Bible calls Christians to “fix our eyes on Jesus” (Heb 12:2) and to try and be more like him.

Christians aren’t perfect. We still sin, and we struggle day-by-day to be the people that God has called us to be, but as we grow in our faith, and as we come to know Jesus more closely, we do become more like him.

TO MAKE JESUS KNOWN:

One core aspect of the Christian gospel is sharing the good news with others. Believing that Jesus is “God in flesh,” that he loves us, dies for us, and offers us new, eternal life through his sacrifice on the cross and subsequent resurrection, is the single best piece of news that has been given to mankind. It changes our trajectory from being a life of maybe 80-odd years, where our goal is to seek out as much fun as possible, to having the promise of eternal life!

Knowing this news, we can’t help but want to share it with others. The offer of absolute forgiveness is one that is made to every man, woman and child if they come to Jesus. We are tasked with the job of making sure people hear the good news, and also making sure people see what it is to live with this good news. Making Jesus known is not just a matter of preaching sermons and going to Bible studies, but living transformed lives which show the world around us what it is to be loved by God.

“To know Jesus and to make him known” is a short statement, but it offers eternal life, and calls for a transformed life in the present.

OUR VALUES : Locally

We value…

Worship: Acknowledging God as Lord of all
Biblical Teaching: Truthful, relevant teaching that changes lives
Fellowship: Supporting each other in following Jesus
Evangelism: Sharing the good news about Jesus
Serving our Lord: Actions that reflect God’s love
Prayer: Expressing dependence on God

OUR VISION

We dream of a church …

where God’s word is exalted, studied with excitement, taught with relevance, heard with anticipation and obeyed with passion and sincerity
where the gospel is our motivation for everything we do, where grace is extended, and where we regularly see people converted
where prayer undergirds all we do and every new initiative we take
where all of our members are involved in a small group where they can grow and be held accountable as disciples of Jesus
where people experience the love of God, where we love one another as family, where we look forward to meeting together and where we are saddened when we go our separate ways
where we yearn so much for the lost that we each go out of our way to find them
where we all are able to give an answer as to the hope we profess and where we are able to witness to Jesus and what he has done for us
where those who are in need can come and experience healing that leads to wholeness
in which we celebrate as we see each other becoming more like Christ
where the gifts that the Spirit has given are discerned and used so that God’s work may flourish through us
where people are given the freedom to take risks as we attempt new things for God’s glory
where there is always room being made for new members of church family and where new congregations flow out of this growth
where our facilities are not a burden but rather free us to worship God and to grow, individually and as a family – in buildings that are safe, comfortable and attractive to outsiders
where we are informed and concerned for our brothers and sisters throughout the world in areas that are gospel poor or where they face persecution because of their faith in Jesus
in which we try new ways so as to reach the lost in our community
where children, youth, singles, marrieds, parents and grandparents are all nurtured in their faith so that we all stand firm and look to how we can each serve our risen Lord
where we can move beyond our own traditions to embrace worship and ministry that reaches beyond ourselves
where relationships are cultivated and partnerships formed to enable a more effective impact in our community so that every person is given the opportunity to hear about Jesu
where every one of our members is an effective minister of the gospel
where God is worshipped joyfully and reverently so that those who come among us know that they are in the presence of something far greater than ourselves
that engages in ways that positively impact our community so that our views are respected and God’s ways are made known
where we impact our Diocese for the growth of the Gospel
where those outside of our church who use our facilities feel experience the love of Christ
where the heart of every member is on how they can welcome and make room for newcomers

Going Deeper

If you’d like to know more about our beliefs here in the parish of Kincumber, you can go to our beliefs page (click on the link, or find it in the “about” drop-down menu).