Our primary focus is to pattern ourselves, as closely as possible, to the Church as seen in the pages of the New Testament. This involves commitment to the following core values:
Core Value #1 – We are committed to being a God-centered church.
Fairbluff Bible Chapel (FBC) exists for God. In every person and ministry, God is first, and our ultimate goal is to please and glorify God. We desire for people to experience and encounter God in our fellowship by means of our corporate worship services, and through the godly personal lives of our members. If God is not glorified through our fellowship, we have failed, no matter how much outward success we may enjoy.
Core Value #2 – We are committed to exalting Jesus Christ.
In every ministry, we will endeavor to exalt Jesus Christ and His marvelous work of redemption through His death on the cross and His glorious resurrection. We desire for others to see Jesus in us, while at church and in our daily lives. Our fellowship will not be people or program driven, but driven by an all-consuming passion to exalt our Lord, Jesus Christ.
We believe that Christians are called to pursue a supreme relationship with Jesus Christ out of which every other relationship and activity is defined and directed. The greatest call of every true believer is a personal devotion to the person of Jesus Christ as both Savior and Lord. We believe that there is no higher calling than the pursuit of an intimate relationship with Christ. It is this devotion and submission to the Lordship of Christ that determines one’s perspective and conduct in all matters of life. That relationship is maintained and developed through fellowship with the Lord in the practice of the spiritual disciplines of the Christian life (e.g. prayer, Bible study, worship, fellowship, fasting, etc.) and the pursuit of holiness. This is a calling for every true believer, not just some. We therefore believe that complete devotion to Christ and His cause should be the normal disposition reflected in every Christian.
Core Value #3: We are committed to worshiping God.
We believe that the Church exists to worship and glorify God. We are called to honor and glorify God, seeing Him as the center of our lives, our church, and all reality. This innate urge to worship will find a home in some object, and if not God, in something or someone else. We at FBC believe that the only object worthy of our praise is our Creator. We also believe that it is through this worship that we can know the profound and true joy that we were created to experience. And as we delight and rejoice in our Lord, this brings Him glory. Finally, worship is not simply a Sunday activity, but a life that we live in constant awareness of and in response to God’s mercy, greatness, and love (Rom. 12:1). In this spirit, worship extends beyond times of singing to times of learning, prayer, Christian fellowship, etc.
Core Value #4 – We are committed to being a Bible-based church.
FBC is all about the Bible. Every ministry of our church must be rooted in God’s Word. The Bible is inerrant, infallible, and God-breathed, and therefore, must be the final authority for everything our church believes and does. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Scripture pierces the mind and heart, affecting every aspect of our beings that we might love the Lord with all our heart, soul, body, and mind. It is only in hearing the Truth of God’s Word that one is formed more and more into the likeness of Christ through the working of the Holy Spirit. Thus, Jesus prays concerning His disciples: “Sanctify them by the Truth; Your Word is Truth” (John 17:17). Genuine spiritual growth cannot occur without Scripture. Furthermore, the Bible equips God’s people for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16). We believe that the preaching and teaching of God’s Word is the catalyst for change in people’s lives, and therefore, holds the highest priority. Also, our members should be striving to live out God’s Word, daily. Learning and living the Bible should be natural and normal to our church.
Core Value #5 – We are committed to making prayer a central focus of our church.
In the church where God’s people have a lively prayer life together, regenerating power is present, life is there, and the lost are saved. Where prayer is not the central focus, there may be an outward shell of growth and productivity, but within it is empty, dry, and dead.
Core Value #6 – We are committed to evangelizing the lost.
We believe that the Church must touch unbelievers with the reality of Jesus Christ. This is the primary purpose of the Church in this world. Jesus said His main mission was “to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10). He gave His Church the same mission when He said, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations…” (Mt. 28:19-20). As we have been and are being transformed by the Gospel of Christ, we are now called to spread the Gospel to those around us. We believe that the Church must be active in reaching the lost for Jesus Christ through relevant and relationship-based evangelism. This value for the growth of His Kingdom ultimately reveals our desire to glorify the Lord.
Core Value #7 – We are committed to equipping and growing believers in their faith.
Believers should be learning, growing, and changing as Christ lives His life through them. We believe that every Christian should be growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ. Our church assists Christians in this process through our various ministries. We are constantly exploring new methods to better equip believers in their spiritual walk with Christ.
Core Value #8: We are committed to serving others.
We believe that it is in the manner of true kingdom greatness to lower ourselves in serving others. We desire to be a church that sees serving as a privilege, not a burden; a joy, not a drag; a calling, not a preference. In Matthew 20:26-28, Jesus indicates that true greatness consists in serving others when he said: “…whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve….” Our call then is to not serve others because we have to, but rather because to do so is in the manner of kingdom greatness as modeled by our Lord. It is our aim to become a community consisting of members who genuinely delight in what we can do for each other.
Core Value #9 – We are committed to world-wide missions outreach.
The heavenly kingdom of Jesus Christ is far greater than any local church. It includes believers all over the world. Our passion is not to see how big our local church can become, but rather, how much we can grow the Body of Christ around the world.
Core Value #10: We are committed to faithful stewardship.
We believe that all Christians are called to minister and to utilize their resources for the advancement of God’s Kingdom. – Church is not just a place where Christians come to fuel up on spiritual food once a week. It is a place for believers to be trained and equipped to do the work of the ministry. We believe that every believer has been given resources (talents, finances, positions, time, etc.). And every Christian has been uniquely gifted by the Spirit to contribute to the greater good of the community (1 Cor. 12:7). This means the church is to operate as a unified family of servants who faithfully steward the gifts that God has placed in them. We want to be a healthy Fellowship of believers who invest their talents, gifts, resources, and time in God’s Kingdom.
Core Value #11: We are committed to unity in diversity.
We believe that the Body of Christ is called to unity in diversity. We want to create a worship environment that welcomes and embraces the rich diversity of God’s people. Whether this translates into diverse ethnic, economic, or social backgrounds, we here at FBC believe that God has called us to be a church that represents and reflects the diversity of His Kingdom, and also the diversity present in our community. Furthermore, rather than producing “cookie-cutter” Christians, we welcome and celebrate the unique personalities that God has created and brings to this Fellowship.
Core Value #12: We are committed to excellence in everything we do.
We believe that excellence and quality must characterize everything we do. First Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” Colossians 3:23 tells us, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” We believe that “good enough” is not good enough when it comes to honoring God through our ministry. In response to His holiness and greatness, and in gratitude for His grace and mercy, our aim is to offer to the Lord our very best in everything that we are called to do. This is not obsessive perfectionism but an attitude of excellence that permeates all that we do in the church, since what we do as Christians reflects upon the Master we serve.