Guiding Values

Paul writes – I’m always interested in how churches describe their values and the practices that will outwork and nourish those values. Here are the guiding values for Vineyard Central in Cincinnati (via Aaron. Thanks Aaron for posting it)…

·       We seek to be Jesus-centred and kingdom orientated (I like this given this post from Jonny Baker) in our theology and practice.

·       We seek to live holistically, allowing faith to permeate every aspect of our lives.

·       We believe that beauty, creativity, and innovation are profoundly important.

·       We pursue both ancient and modern expressions of our faith.

·       We are relational and communal in our approach to ministry, faith, and organisation.

·       We seek to practice biblical hospitality, welcoming stranger, neighbour, and friend.

Typically I run “values statements” through the grid up there on the left (click to enlarge. Image via the Living Room). Do they touch the three dimensions of what I consider core DNA – core DNA centred on a triune God.

Questions I might ask as part of trying to get a sense of a particular church relative to their stated values and practices:

·            What is the purpose of this church? Why do they exist?

·            Does it express who they are uniquely called to be in their particular context

·            What kind of people are they setting out to be in relation to God, themselves (individually & with each other), and those amongst whom they live?

·            How is their relationship with God expressed in terms of values and practices? Are their values supported and nourished by practices?

·            How do their values and practices inform what it is that they as a church are going to tend, nurture, protect, and nourish amongst them, and in terms of their wider context?

·            What sense do I get, from their values and practices, of how they understand “gospel” in their particular context?

·            Do I get any insight into the place of intentional spiritual formation and discipleship?

·            Who belongs and is this expressed in terms of values?

·            What values and practices underpin how they see themselves as being called to be God's people in the world for the sake of the world?

Comments

[gordon]

"would your community miss you if you weren't there? " we like to pass what we do through that!

[len]

"Core DNA centered on a triune God." Then relating to the diagram, do each of those components correspond to one of .. Father, Son, Holy Spirit? And if so, can we have it both ways.. that is, can we have a theology of community that is Trinitarian (the together journey) but use a taxonomy that founds each piece on one member of the Trinity?

[Paul Fromont]

Len, thanks for the question - "no" I don't see each component relating to one of the 'members’ of the trinity. "Centred on a triune God" simply places God at the centre, places relationship with God at the centre, places worship at the centre, places (God is) love at the centre.

Emphases and our relatedness to God are expressed, given "legs" as it were, by way of each of the three dimensions: "Godward" (our responses to God who invites us on a journey toward God; who invites us to become...); "Otherward" (our relatedness to others with whom we are joined as "members" of one body - this is how we express that connectedness, that sense of belonging to one another, being joined to one another etc); and "Outward" (how we express being in the world for the sake of the world, for the sake of discerning and joining in on what God is doing).

[len]

Paul, makes sense. Reminds me of Augburger..

“In a tripolar community, each person’s individuality is affirmed (you can be truly you), yet joint participation is achieved (we can be truly we) because at the center we together recognize that God is present (we gather around him). Community is the setting where solitude is protected yet solidarity becomes real. Such a union of person and group is an expression of spirituality when it is attuned to its center, God, and attached to the neighbor.”