| [The
Big Three]
The Big Three represent how we see our Mission Statement
being lived out in our life together. It articulates
our mission into three major areas helping us to mobilize
our prayers and energy in a clear way. The people we
are becoming shares the calling to connect itself to
these three statements or it should not be done. They
are all part of the trunk, not offshoot branches of
FirstLight.
1. Make Disciples of Jesus Christ. This requires calling
new people and current Christians to walk out their
faith and become followers of Jesus Christ.
2. Join the God of the Oppressed in the care of the
poor, the marginalized, and the invisible.
3. Care for
and Disciple Children and Youth
1. Make Disciples of Jesus Christ. This requires calling
new people and current Christians to walk out their
faith and become followers of Jesus Christ.
We are not interested in people becomes passively
connected to the religion of Christianity. We want
what God wants, for all people to follow Jesus Christ
(Matthew 4:18-25). We keep the word ‘Christ’ to
remind us that Jesus is the Messiah, the King who will
make all things right. We keep the word ‘Jesus’ to
direct our lives and the lives of those we reach to
the Biblical example of Jesus’ Life, Crucifixion,
and Resurrection. Jesus tells the Eleven, to “go
and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching
them to obey everything that I have commanded you (Matthew
28:19).” This Great Commission includes the
a.) spreading of the Good News of Jesus to new people,
b.) Baptizing people as a sign of their commitment
to shed their old life and follow Jesus Christ, and
c.) teaching people to obey the teachings of Jesus
which we hold in our Holy Bible. Our commitment to
making disciples, includes an Evangelistic Component
as we reach out to new people with this Good News we
have found in Jesus AND a Training or Discipleship
Component where we guide people into what obeying Jesus
looks like.
2. Join the God of the Oppressed in the care of the
poor, the marginalized, and the invisible.
The term “God of the Oppressed” states
a certain belief into who we understand God to be. “God
of the Oppressed” means that we understand God
to be especially aligned with the widow and the orphan
(James 1:27), the hungry, imprisoned, sick, naked,
stranger, thirsty (Matthew 25:31-46), the enslaved
and those crying out (Exodus 3:7-8), the teenage mother
(Luke 1:46-48). Because our bodies and souls are intertwined,
claiming that God is the “God of the Oppressed” also
states our belief that God dwells with sinners, those
oppressed by the power of sin in their life (Matthew
9:10-13). True worship of God cannot be done apart
from the care of the poor, marginalized, and invisible
whom God loves (Isaiah 1:12-17).
At FirstLight, we believe that our God, the God, is
the “God of the Oppressed.” Our entire
life together will reflect this belief if we are to
be faithful to God’s vision laid out for us.
Joining the God of the Oppressed looks like a.) acts
of mercy to those who are hurting, b.) acts of justice
which seek systemic change, and c.) acts of friendship
with those hurting, when possible, to instill community
and build relationships rather than drive by care.
3. Care for and Disciple Children and Youth
The Care and Discipleship of Children and Youth is
not relegated to Children’s and Youth Ministry.
They are not tangents to our life and ministry at FirstLight,
but deserve a central place. Children and Youth bless
us by offering an image of what the Christian Life,
life in the Kingdom of God should look like (Matthew
18:1-5). Care and Discipleship of Children and Youth
happens best when all adults see themselves as mentors
and role models for what it looks like to follow after
Jesus Christ. There is a vulnerability to Children
and Youth which requires a large commitment of compassion
from adults. |
