Vision & Values

Our Theological Commitments

At the center of our life is the gospel of Jesus Christ. We believe that the gospel tells us one truth about humanity and four truths about God. The gospel tells us that:

  • Humanity is broken and alienated (from God and one another)
  • God intervenes in our brokenness and alienation
  • God accomplishes the work of salvation and restoration
  • God draws men and women to Himself
  • God completes what He begins
  • These theological commitments shape every aspect of our life at St. Andrew’s.

Our Mission

To connect people to the presence and power of Jesus Christ.

Jesus once asked the crowd that was following him “are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

This promise is as true today as when he spoke it. Everything we do is to help the people of the Tri-County area and beyond experience the love of God and be transformed by God’s power.

Our Vision

To play our part in the re-evangelization of our society and the transformation of our culture.
Vision is a clear picture of what we see the church being and doing. Vision is the product of God’s work in us – He creates the vision we receive it. To fulfill our vision these are some of the things God has worked into our hearts and is stretching us to become:

  • A church where people will encounter Jesus Christ through worship, teaching and ministry.
  • A church that is marked by both personal and corporate prayer.
  • A church where lives are changed and hearts are healed through the power of the Word and the presence of the Spirit.
  • A church marked by a radical obedience to Jesus Christ and His teachings.
  • A church where every member is a minister living out God’s purposes for their life.
  • A church that reproduces other churches.
  • A church that reflects God’s compassion for those on the margins of society.
  • A church that believes that the world is its parish.
  • A church that embraces a diversity of worship styles reflecting the diversity of humankind.
  • A church that not only welcomes and receives children but actually devotes a significant amount of time, energy and money to serve their needs.

Our Values

If vision paints the picture of where we are going, values determine how we get where we are going. Our values reflect our belief in God, the ideas we have, and the attitudes we cultivate. Just as our vision can be summarized in the word, “kingdom,” so too, can our values be summarized with a single word, “grace.” We believe that grace is the chief value of God’s kingdom and fundamental to His work of salvation. Therefore, we aim to demonstrate grace to one another and to all whom we minister (John 1.16-17; Ephesians 2.1-10). All our values flow from grace:

  • We value RELATIONSHIPS. We believe that people grow in faith only in the context of relationships. Therefore, we seek to develop a community of people gathered around the Lordship of Jesus Christ who not only share a common belief, but our very lives as well. As we share our lives we commit to live together in unity, vulnerability and grace.
  • We value PIONEERING. We seek to create a church that risks boldly bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ to our community and the world.
  • We value being SPIRIT-LED. We welcome the ministry of the Holy Spirit and we seek to be responsive to the Spirit in our life and ministry.
  • We value GENEROSITY. Jesus said, “freely you have received, freely give.” We believe that in the kingdom of God you only keep what you give away.
  • We value AUTHENTICITY. We seek to speak truthfully, deal honestly, and live uprightly in our relationships with God, others and ourselves.
  • We value being CULTURALLY ENGAGED. We aim to develop an atmosphere of ease by using music, terminology and outreach methods that are in touch with the needs of our community.
  • We value JOY. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit. We desire to reflect the joy of our salvation in our life and ministry as we serve the Lord.