Our Values

Our anchors come directly from Jesus’ example and his teachings, and they represent the heart of his message.  While there are a number of things Jesus taught about, there are three that seem to flow directly from his emphasis on the greatest commandments—that we love God and love all of our neighbors.  These three values help us see God’s heart, and they are strongly supported by passages throughout our Bible.

Loving Deeply

Jesus said, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36).  The parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10) shows us that loving our neighbors deeply is non-negotiable.  He also clearly defines our neighbors as the people who we encounter, not just our family and friends.  We don’t hold back our kindness or fail to show respect because someone has a different faith, political perspective, or way of living than we do.  Loving deeply is making room in our lives for those who are poor, sick, hurting, bullied, mocked, attacked, and ignored.  It’s stepping in and taking a risk when others refuse to.  Jesus showed us how by risking himself for us.  We strive to follow him by having deep love for others.

Walking Humbly

Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35).  He also warned us away from the kind of faith that is strongly associated with cultural traditions and ideas—the kind of faith that is concerned with performance and status.  Jesus said, “All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12). Walking humbly means that we recognize that everyone stands before God on the same level.  No one is better or more deserving than anyone else.  We are to love and serve each other.  This means we should be more interested in being loving than in agreeing on every belief.  Walking humbly is about listening to each other, respecting each other, and being able to learn new things as we encounter others with different perspectives.  The cross reveals a Jesus who chose a humble path for us, and we are all humbled by his example.

Living Justly

Jesus said, “Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness [justice]” (Matthew 6:33). Jesus spoke consistently about God’s desire for people to live justly—especially toward for the poor, the marginalized, and those society tends to hate or distance themselves from.  He said,“I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (Matthew 9:13).  In other words, true faith is not about ritual, but it’s about deep love for others.

Living justly always includes the kind of love and humility that lead to healing and reconciliation in the lives of those around us. It requires that we strive to bring our personal lives and our community in line with the heart of Jesus’ teachings about God’s love.  This means we live our lives with respect for all kinds of people, and we don't use our influence in ways that lead anyone to feel pushed aside or left behind. Power should always be used with deep love for the most vulnerable.  Living justly also means that we seek to repair the systems that have swept people aside, and that we work to restore those who have been hurt.  It’s about building a community where love isn’t just preached; it’s truly practiced.  Jesus showed us the way by suffering a great injustice to make justice possible for us.