Values

Hearing God's call to be an obedient people, having God's presence, power, provision and promises to obey His call, and holding God's purpose, to be an obedient people, we commit to be a dynamic community of faith which is endeavoring to impact the world by experiencing, living, modeling, and communicating authentic faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Increasingly, our intention is to become fully: (1) A worshipping, caring and sharing community: Exalting the Savior. (2) A learning community: Equipping the saints. (3) An influential community: Evangelizing our world.

Continuing to live out our vision we proclaimed on October 24, 1993, we stand and declare again the core value for West County Community Church is "Christlikeness." We believe that this can be summarized by the following distinctives:

1. Holiness - Our first value is personal holiness. God empowers, and we obey in experiencing practical holiness. We agree corporately that this is God's standard and our intention.

"For it is written, 'Be holy, because I am holy.'" 1 Peter 1:16

2. Stewardship - We believe that all we are and have is a gift from God, and in truth belongs to Him. Therefore, we are continuously making a concerted effort to manage our lives and resources wisely for the glory of God, and let all we do be done with godly excellence.

"Moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful." 1 Corinthians 4:2

3. Biblical - Our standard for faith and practice is God's Word rightly interpreted and honestly applied.

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17

4. Compassion - Knowing that compassion for people marked our Lord's earthly ministry, we choose to see worth in every individual and commit ourselves to minister to and encourage those within our sphere of influence.

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Colossians 3:12-14

5. Servanthood - Knowing that Jesus came, not to be served but to serve, we choose to model servanthood as God's method for touching the world, and God's will for each believer. The servant's primary task is to accomplish the will of the Master.

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." Philippians 2:5-7

6. Humility - Knowing that we have not arrived spiritually, and that we are constantly dependent upon the lord Jesus Christ and His Spirit for empowerment and guidance, we choose to be life long learners and a people of devoted prayer.

"And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1Thessalonians 5:14-18

7. Development - Knowing that growing to spiritual maturity and ministry effectiveness is a continual process, we choose to set upon a course of life long development ever striving to be conformed to the image of Christ. We choose to be seeking constantly new and relevant ways to improve our ministry and impact our world for Christ.

"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heaven-ward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:12-14

8. Integrity - Knowing that Jesus Christ always lived out a strict alignment between what He knew and believed, and what He did, we also choose to insist on absolute integrity of character as God's standard for our lives.

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." James 1:22

9. Leadership by Example - Our model for leadership is Jesus Christ Who led by example. We desire to impact our world through Christlike leadership.

"But if anyone obeys His word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did." I John 2:5-6

10. Reproduction - Just as Jesus Christ reproduced Himself in the ministry of the Apostles, we believe it is our responsibility as individual believers and as a church to win and disciple every person possible within our corporate sphere of influence.

"Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'" Matthew 28:18-20

Conclusion: Understanding our salvation, how could we ever desire or expect less?
1 Corinthians 6:19-20