Our Priorities

Christian Life:

• The ultimate purpose of my life is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
• My desire is to grow in conformity to the likeness of Christ and to see the gospel work.

Pastoral Priorities:

• I am to seek to serve not be served, to daily learn to love all people sacrificially like our Lord
• I am to focus on equipping the saints and nurturing members to be equally valuable partners and co-workers who share the ministry laboring in His harvest together
• I am to be more fearful of offending God in preaching and doctrine than offending my generation
• I am to be His humble bondslave open to the family’s correction while courageous and resolute to lead
• I am to do the work of an evangelist and boldly preach the true Gospel of God in season and out
• I am to grow in the knowledge of God and personal character then let God grow His church
• I am to remember pastoral ministry is an undeserved privilege by fulfilling my divine calling
• I am to persevere in integrity by doing right rather than being tempted to do “good” (pragmatism) or by placating religious consumers
• I am to invest in personal spiritual transformation of individual souls I can name over professional trend surfing for attempts to win at culture wars ultimately lose the war and novelty is usually church history tragically repeated
• I am to submit to the authority of Scripture in every area of my life and be a diligent student, teacher, disciple, and guardian of its life-giving and life-changing truths
• I am to learn the freedom of authenticity rather than the imprisonment of superficiality
• I am to install personal safeguards of accountability to protect the name of Christ in ministry and marriage
• I am to build healthy relationships not just complicated programs in the church
• I am to be a compassionate personal witness in my own neighborhood and spheres of influence
• I am to model loving family for the church by treasuring and protecting, not exploiting or sacrificing to ministry, my own wife and children
• I am to not build my own kingdom but to submit to the Headship of Christ over HIS church as I learn the benefits of perseverance rather than the elusive attractions of advancement
• I am to be man of prayer in dependence upon God’s mercy waging battle on my knees
• I am to connect in love as I confront because of love.
• I am to pace my life and ministry to finish well rather than make a grand initial impression

Church Priorities:

• God’s people are to prioritize the Depth of their ministry and let the Lord take care of the Breadth of the ministry as obedience is the believer’s responsibility and the results are God’s prerogative.
• God’s people are to live Christian Discipleship not as an option but as a divine blessing, command, and love response to the grace of God
• God’s people are to seek to serve not be served by actively being equipped for personal ministry with their gifts for the Body and for personal evangelism to the lost and in mission to the world
• God’s people are to prioritize ministry quality and care of its staff before newer facilities and other important but peripheral needs
• God’s people are to forgive one another in light of God’s Grace and practice the ministry of reconciliation both within and without the family of saints
• God’s people are to submit to the authority of a plurality of qualified elders as they also mutually submit to the authority of God’s Word in the spirit and practice of teamwork and Christian unity
• God’s people are to pray regularly as they care for their church, their pastors, their family, their local community, their nation, and their world
• God’s people are to be obedient to the Great Commission as the church’s life and mission
• God’s people are to give generously and of their very selves to the work of foreign missions.
• God’s people are to love the lost wholeheartedly and wholistically, seeking them out in the name of Christ with a God-driven not seeker-driven ministry that meets their truest, deepest, and most crucial need of forgiveness and reconciliation with their Creator, rather than appealing to carnal desires or using manipulative "bait & switch" tactics.

My Nonnegotiables:

• The Authority and Sufficiency of God’s perfect Word for all matters of life and practice (Sola Scriptura)
• The Lordship of Christ over every life issue for the historic Christian faith once given for all the saints
• Biblical Discipleship is the Christian life such that all Christians are disciples in a lifestyle of radical discipleship to their Lord and Savior Jesus
• The Absolute and Supreme Sovereignty of God over His Creation in all times and circumstances
• Justification is by Grace alone through Faith alone in Christ alone (Sola Gracia, Sola Fide, Solo Christo)