OUR VALUES

1. The centrality of the GOSPEL of Jesus Christ

The gospel, the announcement of the forgiveness of sin through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, is the source and center of the church’s life and ministry. This good news proclaims the renewal of all things, creates a culture of grace towards broken people, and anchors a conviction that both religious and irreligious people are transformed by encountering Jesus.

In 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Paul writes about the gospel—that Jesus lived, died and was resurrected—as being of first importance. Because this is the news of first importance that we bring to the world as a church, it forms the foundation and backbone of every ministry, endeavor and outreach of Four Oaks Church.

What does this look like?

2. TREASURE the gospel of Jesus Christ

We seek to treasure Christ by prioritizing gathering on the Lord’s day for expositional preaching, gospel-shaped liturgy, practicing generosity and participating in the sacraments. We also scatter throughout the week to value and know Christ in the daily rhythms of life. In this value, you might say we intend to live with an upward orientation. Upward, meaning we treasure and honor God in all that we do, knowing He is the author of salvation and the gospel and worthy of our worship and study.

Worship in the Gathered & Scattered:

Gathered

• Expositional Preaching

• Gospel Shaped Liturgy

• Practicing Generosity

• Practicing Sacraments

• Serving Teams

Scattered

• Daily life

• Ministry involvement

• Community involvement

• Works of mercy

3. GROW in the gospel of Jesus Christ

We value the pursuit of a diverse and inter-generational ministry in which we grow together by experiencing shared life in relationship. This is manifest primarily in our Community Groups, where people are equipped in their gifts, and everyone serves. In this value, you might say we intend to live with an inward orientation. Inward in the sense that we are growing in the truth of the gospel as we live out the Christian life in relationship and community with one another.

Diverse & inter-generational—the gospel is radical enough to bring the most unlikely group of people together as a family. Diversity is never a pursuit of the church for its own sake, but it is something that we believe we ought to experience in our church community because it is a natural outflow of a transformed community of Christ-followers.

The Great Commission says to make disciples. Here’s how Four Oaks attempts this:

There are many ways to imagine discipleship and care taking place in a local church. Churches have relied on a variety of methods throughout the ages including home catechism, Sunday school, small groups, counseling, one-on-one mentoring, Bible studies, etc. We don’t believe the Holy Spirit waits around until we find a perfect method or only works if you choose the right concoction. Overall, we entrust ourselves and the church to God’s care in making us more and more like Jesus.

When we recommend a model or choose methods we are not repudiating or invalidating numerous other ways you could grow in Christ. However, we do need to prioritize and organize somewhat. We understand we can’t do everything or be everything to everyone at all times. In wisdom and prayer we have considered how best to provide environments for Christian growth and care. They are, at best, environments. We can provide soil. We can water. But God gives growth. I hope that is clear.

All that being said, we have chosen one major model of care, supplemented by a few others. One primary, with lots of vital supplements.

Community Groups are primary.

Church leadership, specifically elders, are called to shepherd the local church. Once the church grows past 100 people or so, it becomes impossible to know everyone personally in a meaningful way. You might call this the Moses problem (after the account in Exodus 18:18-23). Furthermore, it is healthy and good to equip the saints for the work of ministry. In our context that means we have widened the circle of care into numerous ‘community groups.’

These could or have been called small groups, fellowship groups, life groups, missional communities or any other number of names. In general, they are small-ish groups of Christians gathering together outside of Sunday worship for intentional discipleship. These groups provide an environment where relationships can deepen and application of truth can surface. Our goals for the groups include discipleship (study), care, and mission.

Community groups have trained leaders (usually a husband and wife) who serve the church and their groups through consistent leadership and direction. These group leaders serve a vital role in church in providing personal, relational care where it would simply be impossible for pastors or staff to know every individual personally.

Bible Studies, Equip classes, Counseling, etc., are supplemental.

When we say supplemental, we do not mean unimportant. It is just that we have prioritized community groups as normative and provide other options selectively in order to facilitate growth in specific areas for specific groups of people.

4. GO with the gospel of Jesus Christ

We multiply Christians through personal evangelism and neighborhood presence, congregations through regional expansion, and churches through church planting through the HarborNetwork, and through domestic and international partnerships. In this value, you might say we intend to live with an outward orientation. Outward by going, sending, and proclaiming the gospel message to those around us who do not know Jesus.

Consumer Church —vs— Missional Church:

Consumer Church

Church is seen as a dispenser of religious goods and services. People come to church to be “fed,” to have their needs met through quality programs, and to have the professionals teach their children about God. “I GO TO CHURCH.”

Missional Church

A body of people sent on a mission who gather for worship, scatter in community, give each other encouragement and teaching from the Word, in addition to their spiritual disciplines throughout the week. “I AM THE CHURCH.”

This means that to live missionally means that “GOing” with the gospel of Jesus Christ is not restricted to formal ministry. While we work hard to plan and organize events and ministries that are outward focused and seek to serve the larger community as a whole, we also encourage missional lifestyles in which members of the church body are actively seeking to build relationship with neighbors, co-workers, classmates, and acquaintances.