 A SPICE JAR
As Christians we are called to be salt to the world, “salty Christians”. We are to spice up the world with the flavor of Jesus Christ. As Christians, we permeate the culture with our values. At CROSSROADS we use the acrostic “A SPICE JAR” to remember our Core Values: |
| A S P I C E J A R | Authenticity |
| When God placed the vision of starting a new church on my wife and me, I spent time in a spiritual retreat of fasting and prayer. God revealed to me a vision of how we should treat one another in the church and how we should conduct the business of the church. Each value is based on God’s Word. The Scriptures reflect the meaning behind each value. After sharing the values with other committed disciples in the core group that started the church, we chose these nine values to represent the ministry at CROSSROADS. Together we affirmed these values as the ones that would permeate our church life together. The Scriptures that affirm these values follow each Core Value. -- Pastor Paul |
AUTHENTICITY To pursue vulnerability and humility so we have genuine relationships with one another and God. Authenticity involves truth telling and Biblical conflict resolution. |
| SMALL GROUPS To acknowledge that life change occurs best in a small group of Christian disciples. Small groups are the church, not a program of the church. Acts 2:46-47 Acts 5:42 Acts 16:40 Acts 20:20 |
| PROCESS To measure our success by the process (the way we do ministry) and not just the product (the ministry programs). John 13:34-35 1 Thessalonians 2:8 Matthew 18: 15-17 |
| INTERDEPENDENCE To acknowledge our dependence upon others and the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish our goals. Every member is a minister. Families matter to God and to the church. Ephesians 4:11-16 Ephesians 6:18-19 1 Corinthians 12 Romans 12:3-9 |
| COMPASSION To demonstrate compassion by modeling the servant nature of Jesus Christ. We expect to participate in missions on a local, state, national and global level. Matthew 9: 35-37 Galatians 5:13-14 James 2:14-26 |
| EXCELLENCE To be intentional in giving God our best. Excellence honors God and inspires people. Excellence requires ongoing evaluation. Excellence is doing the best with what God has given us. Leviticus 22:20-22 Numbers 18:29-30 Ephesians 6:5-8 Colossians 3:17-24 |
| JOY To experience joy produced by the Holy Spirit through studying God’s word individually, in small groups and in the larger community of faith. Joy is fulfillment, not simply happiness. Galatians 5:22-23 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Hebrews 4:12 Acts 2:46 |
| ACCEPTANCE To accept persons where they are and enable them to grow in their faith journey. To remove barriers in the church that keep people from a meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ. Fully devoted followers should expect to sacrifice on behalf of persons seeking a faith relationship. John 8:1-8 John 4:1-26 II Corinthians 6:2-10 1 Peter 2:2 |
| RELEVANCE To demonstrate the relevance of Jesus Christ where the intellectual and the emotional come together in a revelation about God. We expect continuous change in methodology. 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 John 4:24 Ephesians 5:15-20 |
