Vision and Purpose
Our Purpose: Loving God, Loving our Neighbor, Loving the World
How does West County Assembly of God make disciples? Another way to say it might be, what is our process for making disciples? Is the process deliberate or does it happen by accident? Discipleship, broadly defined (Matthew 28:19-20), describes the complete process of spiritual transformation, from salvation to growth to ministry. This is our vision, therefore, to help people grow through the complete process of spiritual trnasformation, from salvation to growoth to ministry.
The 3 L's, Loving God, Loving our Neigbor, Loving the World, describe our purpose.
The first L, loving God, happens most consistently in large group worship services (Sunday mornings). It also happens when we provide opportunities for people to encounter God in small groups, special events and other gatherings.
The second L, loving our neighbor, is something that rarely happens on Sunday mornings. Loving our neighbor means living with them in community. It's where discipleship (less broadly defined) takes place, and discipleship requires a level of interaction that is impossible in a worship service. The second L can only be fulfilled in a small group setting of some sort, a setting in which members are able to share their needs, struggles and triumphs and pray for each other.
The third L, loving our world, is something that only happens as men and women ahswer the call to use their gifts to build up the church in whatever capacity that may be (whether serving in the church kitchen, as a greeter, small group leader, children's group leader, prayer partner, etc.). In addition, they can love the world when they get involved in sharing the love of Christ with the world.
The 3 L's should answer the what and the how question. That means that we require from our members that they attend worship services (L-1), that they participate in a small group (L-2) and that they serve in one (not limited to) ministry of the church (L-3). That is the process. We provide opportunities for people to experience God's grace and forgiveness, then grow in community and finally serve God's church.
