Under the headship of Jesus Christ, the authority of the Bible, and reliance upon prayer, First Presbyterian Church remains committed to the following:

1. Retaining strong roots in both the Reformed and Evangelical traditions of the larger church as expounded in the Book of Confessions.

2. Providing Worship and Music that honor God through the blending of the best of the past and present.

3. Striving for Excellence and Quality befitting the character of God and his imprint on his children.

4. Discerning and responding to the Will of God under the direction of the Holy Spirit.

5. Drawing those who do not know Christ to Faith in Him.

6. Encouraging the Unity of God’s people with a spirit of compassion and grace.


Overview of the missional church
Recognizing that North America is no longer a predominantly Christian continent, and therefore a mission field, some congregations are responding by more intentionally trying to reach for Christ those who have not yet embraced the gospel. Such a congregation is today called a “missional church.” As we strive to be a missional church, our ministry will take place in the homes, neighborhoods, offices, and gathering places where everyday life happens. Each of us is committed to loving God by loving the world in a tangible and generous way, bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world and not waiting for the world to come to us.

1. The sending of God
“As the Father has sent me so I am sending you.” (John 20:21; John 17:18). The word “Mission” comes from the Latin word for being sent. At the core of our calling as a church is the notion of being sent into this world. The movement of the church should flow outward rather than inward.

2. The incarnation of Christ
In the Incarnation God became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). Following that pattern for ministry, we want to dwell among the people we are trying to reach instead of expecting them to come and dwell among us. To be missional is to send the people of the church to dwell among the people of the world (John 17:15-19).

3. The foundation of worship
The life of the missional church centers around authentic and heart-felt worship. From that experience flows the community, the service, and the transformation of lives. To effect this, the service of worship must speak to the whole person – mind, heart, and body (Mark 12:30).

4. The necessity of relationship
We are called to be in community with people who may be unlike us but are indeed part of God’s diverse family. Community is enriched as individuals focus outwardly to demonstrate the love of Christ (John 13:34-35).

5. The goal of transformation
The Holy Spirit guides the lifetime process of growth from infancy to spiritual maturity. First Presbyterian Church is committed to providing avenues for the Spirit’s work through worship, Biblical teaching, honest relationships, and service opportunities that encourage people to become more like our Lord (II Corinthians 4: 16).

6. The centrality of grace
People do not have to be “cleaned up” before entering our church body. Grace calls us to stand beside each other and be agents of truth and healing in the midst of our mutual brokenness. Grace calls us to offer and rejoice in this truth: in Jesus Christ we are forgiven! (Ephesians 2:8-9).

7. The abundance of hospitality
A grand sense of welcome pervades a missional church. Just as people in need of help, hope, and healing flocked to Jesus, so also we hope that they would flock to First Presbyterian Church. When they arrive, we are called to embrace them into our hearts and into our homes (Luke 7:36-50).

8. The heart of servanthood
A missional church has the heart of a servant. We look for ways to express care both inside and outside the church. The surrounding town should feel the blessing of a missional church as it serves and loves (Philippians 2).

9. The empowerment of the laity
Every individual has been uniquely gifted to lead and participate in ministry through the power of the Holy Spirit. Our individual gifts are amplified when we work together as the body of Christ. Every member is charged to become active and equipped in ministry, rather than merely being part of the audience (Ephesians 4: 11-12).

10. The expression of joy and love
The effect of all of these values upon the people of God is transformative. Together, they result in a congregation filled with joy and love. The very atmosphere of our church should be both contagious and inviting (John 15: 9-15).


The following Strategic Initiatives are intended to set First Presbyterian Church on a course toward becoming a more missional church. They are not intended to be allinclusive. Further, it is intended that they be carried out in a manner consistent with the above Core Values and Passions of the Missional Church and be undergirded with ongoing, powerful, and effective prayer (James 5:16).

Overarching Initiatives

The following initiatives are intended to apply church-wide and serve as the foundational elements of the church’s ministry.

Structure church ministries to be more incarnational (reaching people where they are) rather than mostly attractional (expecting people to come to us). (Acts 1:8)

• Cultivate together our relationships with Christ to reflect his passion for the world.
• Capitalize on daily opportunities to extend the love of Christ to all within our sphere of influence.
• Engage one hundred percent of the congregation in the mission of Christ.

Equip and deploy the congregation for service and leadership in the church and community. (Acts 13:2-3)

• Create a Department of Lay Ministry.
• Assist the whole congregation in finding a place to grow and a place to serve.
• Equip the congregation with the best resources for addressing contemporary issues related to faith. Become a body of well-informed believers who warmly radiate the depths of a true relationship with Jesus Christ.
• Equip the congregation to be effective in living out their faith and serving Christ in their workplace, their neighborhood, our community, and all the places where life happens.
• Encourage the congregation to be involved in community leadership (school boards, city and county government, schools, civic groups, non-profit organizations, etc) as a place to live out their faith and serve Christ.

Launch a new small group ministry for the purpose of spiritual formation and transformation. (Acts 1:14)

• Create a department of small groups and spiritual formation.
• Implement a uniform missional curriculum for use by the groups.
• Establish ongoing prayer to undergird the spiritual formation process.
• Develop a culture of grace, support, and accountability for the congregation.

Become an oasis of help, hope, and healing. (Acts 4:30-31)

• Initiate special services of worship focusing on healing and wholeness.
• Expand small groups focused on prayer and support for recovery and healing.
• Provide training opportunities and resources for the ministry of help, hope, and healing.

Create opportunities for relationships that cross generational, ethnic, economic, and social boundaries. (Acts 2:44)

• Form small groups and ministry teams with people from various walks of life.
• Encourage existing groups and Sunday School classes to embrace a missional mindset.
• Integrate and increase the participation of young adults into the life and ministry of the church.
• Increase the number of adult mentors for young adults and students.
• Include in our fellowship those we serve through our community ministries.
  

The following is a list of specific activities the church should initiate. It is not intended to be all-inclusive.

While continuing to serve existing groups, initiate or strengthen ministries to groups that are not adequately served at this time. (Acts 16:9-10)

• Create a ministry focusing on the support of Christ-centered marriages.
• Centralize, coordinate, and increase activities that build strong families.
• Invest more deeply and significantly in the lives of children.
• Evaluate and fortify our youth ministry to build the leaders of tomorrow’s church.
• Create a ministry focusing on senior adults.
• Continue to look for and include others who are not being served.

Increase our passion for the larger body of Christ. (Acts 11:29-30)

• Maintain or increase involvement with local parachurch organizations.
• Connect with seminaries to host interns in homes and ministries.
• Send people and pastors into sister communities of faith worldwide.
• Assume a responsibility to train pastors for tomorrow’s church by becoming a teaching church.
• Seek to strengthen our ties with other congregations in the Presbytery.

Strengthen our downtown presence in living out the missional model. (Acts 13:49)

• Develop an atmosphere of welcome and concern for downtown visitors.
• Encourage the congregation toward greater participation in downtown
• ministries and activities.

Supporting Initiatives

The following initiatives are intended to provide the support necessary to carry out all of the ministries of the church.

Increase the inter-connectivity among ministry areas. (Acts 4:32)

• Design our organizational structure, facilities plan, use of technology, and leadership to encourage departmental synergy and teamwork. (See Appendix for proposed groupings and inter-relations.)
• Equip existing and future staff to be coaches of lay leaders.

Focus often on stewardship of time, talent, and treasure. (Acts 4:34-35)

• Assist the congregation in identifying and using their God-given gifts.
• Create and maintain a list of areas in need of financial and volunteer support.
• Offer educational opportunities regarding finance, planned giving, and service.

Prepare for growth through facilities and technology. (Acts 2:47)

• Launch a new facilities study with special emphasis on a new sanctuary and nursery facilities.
• Improve and expand the use of communications and media technology with a special emphasis on the church website.
• Establish an endowment to provide for the ongoing maintenance of the church facilities.
• Explore the planting of a satellite campus and/or daughter church.