Christ Centered, People Focused sums up our ethos as a church. It is the philosophy that we espouse and is detailed in our set of values that guide how we carry out the work of the Ministry. We endeavor to keep sight of Jesus Christ the person, who is the True Light (John 1:9) and Jesus Christ the central message of the Gospel, who is the Power of God – unto salvation – and the Wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:18, 22-24). We also endeavor to focus on people, for whom Jesus Christ came to give life and the light of life (John 8:12)
- Our Prophetic Mandate;
Even though we live in the dispensation that is largely regarded as the dispensation of knowledge, which knowledge is supposed to be light, the world experiences the darkest of times yet. It is this contrast that gives us our compelling mandate. While knowledge may have increased as Daniel prophesied (Daniel 12:4) and is readily available at the click of a button, it is not the true knowledge that brings light or enlightenment. It is knowledge that darkens and continues to darken. We must remember that we have an enemy who disguises himself as the angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), hence a lot of knowledge in the world today is a disguise of light and hence its outcome is darkness (Luke 11: 34), and deep darkness at that (Isaiah 60:2). Our mandate therefore is to fulfill;
Isaiah 60:3 (NIV)
3 Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.How we fulfill our prophetic mandate is our Mission.
- Our Mission is;
‘Being the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in all our world’
2 Corinthians 4:5-8 (NIV)
5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.
Out of this present darkness, God is calling and drawing you and I out as light. The Lord God by his providence, grace and sovereignty has called upon us to carry the knowledge of God’s glory and shine it into the world. This glory is both upon us and in us. We have been drawn out of the prevailing darkness to boldly step up, step out and stand out as the light to this dark world, fulfilling prophecy, “for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the seas (Habakkuk 2:14).”
Our Mission is two-fold; to the world, we light up the way to the Lord and to the body of Christ, the church, we demonstrate the true light and deter apostasy for, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).
How we fulfill this Mission is our Vision.
- Our Vision is;
‘Raising a Nation of Leading Lights’
‘Leading Lights are a bold people holding fast the conviction that they are divinely set up to step up to the unique challenges of our time, step out of nominal Christianity and stand out as great influences for and in the Kingdom of God.’
Ephesians 5:13 (NIV)
13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.
- Our Message is;
‘In addition to the eternal and abundant life that Jesus Christ gives to us, He also gives to us the light of life, in which and with which we must function as light’.John 8:12 (NIV)
12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever followsme will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Psalm 36:9(NIV)
9 For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.