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Vision

LIFE (Living in Faithful Evangelism) is a two-year congregational growth process. It combines prayer, study, planning, and action to enable a congregation to fulfill God's purpose for the church in its own community.

The LIFE process proceeds through four themes inviting us to:

Discover a vision for personal and congregational outreach

Welcome new people to come to Christ and the church

Share the joy and blessing of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord

Expand our experience of Christian community among ourselves and with persons new to the faith and the congregation

These four themes grow out of the strategy of Christ's Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20:

"All authority in heaven and on earth" . . . We need to discover again an awe and reverence of Jesus, the Savior of the universe, yielding to His almighty challenge of reliving within our lives His compassion and vision for the world.

"Go therefore" . . . We need to take the love of Jesus to our neighbors, persons who have needs that can be met through the healing Christ, always extending a warm welcome and showing hospitality to persons who may differ from us in culture, race, economic status, and religious background, including them in meaningful ways within our congregations.

"Make disciples of all peoples, baptizing them" . . . We need to share the good news of saving faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in winsome and non-manipulative ways, inviting them to be part of God's forever family, and providing meaningful spiritual friendships that will help them grow.

"Teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you" . . . We need to engage Christians in discipling relationships and ministries, leading believers, both old and new, toward Christlikeness, through the mutual support and encouragement of small groups of believers, and increasing the number of groups with an outreach orientation.

Throughout the LIFE process, we want to respond to Christ's Great Commission, declaring:

This LIFE was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and declare to you the eternal LIFE . . . (1 John 1:2, NRSV).

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