The values of an organization reflect principles that guide our behavior and decisions. They are fundamental to who we are and how we try to live our mission. At First Church, our values reflect practices and principles that everyone can do individually and together to become better disciples of Jesus Christ. As we make decisions we try to help people understand and get better at these things so that we become closer to Jesus. The Bible teaches us that we should these things, and they are a critical part of our church heritage. Our experience is that the more we do them the better we know and love God. At First Church, we are intentional about giving people chances to do these things and helping people learn how to do them better.
- WE BUILD RELATIONSHIPS: Everything about a church comes back loving relationships. Jesus teaches us that the greatest commandments are to love God and to love our neighbors as ourselves. We invest our time, energy, and other resources to know God better. It’s also important that we meet new people so that we might share the love and good news of Jesus with them.
- WE GROW IN FAITH: It is important that once we know Jesus, we work to learn to live and love more like He does. We often describe being a disciple of Christ as a journey. A journey implies movement from one place to another. We move from who we were to who we can become in Jesus.
- We do this by praying. Prayer is critical in the life of a disciple because it keeps us in conversation with God.
- We study the Bible. Learning the truth of God helps us know God better. We can learn this by reading the Bible and exploring questions and issues with other believers.
- We grow by worshipping God. Worship is the celebration of who God is and what God has done. People can worship individually, but worshipping together as the body gives us a unique way to experience God through the sharing of gifts and talents.
- We grow by serving God. We perform acts of service and kindness to reflect the love of God.
- We also by sharing our witness. Sharing these stories of the difference Jesus has made for us, are powerful ways to help others come to understand who God is.
- WE SHARE THE LOVE OF JESUS: Jesus teaches that we should do things that make love real in the lives of others. By offering a cup of water, giving food to the hungry, caring for the sick, or other actions that help people, we are able to show that God is alive and working in the world. Through these gestures, people might come to understand who God is and the difference knowing Christ can make in their lives.