9 Principles for Ministry Enablement
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We Are A House Of Prayer
Jesus emphasized the importance of prayer by cleansing the temple when it was misused (Matthew 21). At Living Faith, corporate prayer is a priority because we depend on God’s guidance and provision for the mission he's given. We believe that God loves and answers our unified prayers according to his will. To reflect this commitment, we ensure that prayer is integral to our activities and maintain a posture of dependence on God. Examples include regular prayer meetings and making corporate prayer central to our ministry every time we come together.
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We Are Always Making Disciples
Living Faith embraces the mission of making disciples as outlined in 2 Timothy 2:2. We do not believe that is a ministry of the Church, but the ministry that God has called us to fulfil in this age. Thus, we encourage members to align their ministry efforts with this mission, ensuring that all activities contribute to making disciples rather than just filling schedules. Too often churches get trapped in a program or activity-based model of doing ministry, and in actuality it is just busyness that is void of real spiritual fruit.
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We Have A Final Authority
At Living Faith, the Bible is our ultimate authority, guiding our doctrine and practice (1 Corinthians 2:10). We trust the Holy Spirit to reveal truth as we study Scripture. Unlike trends that elevate human opinions and philosophies over God’s Word, we adhere solely to the Bible’s teachings. While we allow various translations, our teaching exclusively uses the KJV (or Reina Valera) to maintain consistency and clarity in sound biblical doctrine.
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WE ARE ALWAYS FISHING
Christians have been reconciled to God, and therefore they are ambassadors of God's grace. Jesus called his disciples to be fishers of men (Matt. 4:19), which means evangelism must be a central part of our lives. We believe every Christian should actively share their faith, following Jesus' command rather than relying solely on church programs. Moreover, this principle challenges us to prioritize personal evangelism, avoiding the trap of passive church attendance, and ensuring that our efforts are aligned with God's will.
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Our Members Engage In Ministry Service
Living Faith rejects the model where church staff do all the work while others only critique. According to 1 Corinthians 12, every member has a role and is gifted to serve. We encourage active involvement in ministry, reflecting the biblical view of the church as a functioning body where all members contribute. Members are urged to identify their gifts and serve actively, ensuring that the church operates effectively and biblically.
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Our Leaders Are Servant Leaders
Leadership is essential for the church’s edification (Eph 4:11-13). In our church, leaders serve others rather than lording over God's flock (Matt 20:26). Like Paul (Phil 2:17), Peter (1 Pet 5:3), and Jesus (Matt 20:28), we embrace selfless service to others as the highest priority. Jesus said in Mark 10:45, For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. This too should be our heart.
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We Rest in the Gospel Daily
This principle is vital for church health and applies to all areas of ministry. (Eph 2:8-10) Though loving and serving others can be challenging (2 Cor 11:23-28), it should never be spiritually exhausting. Most Christians believe that the gospel is the power of God unto eternal life (Rom 1:16), but it is also necessary unto our functional life for our daily sanctification (Rom 6:4, Gal 3:1-3). By resting under Christ's yoke and walking in the Spirit (Gal 5:22-25), we find that our burdens are light, and our labor is easy (Matt 11:28-30).
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We Endeavor to Protect Unity
God has unified his church. Now, our responsibility is to keep (or protect) it, because it is always under attack. The Bible tells us that God finds great pleasure when his children dwell together in unity (Psalm 133:1, John 17:21), and the enemy finds joy in sowing division and discord. This is why we actively safeguard unity by avoiding gossip, maintaining clear communication, and addressing issues biblically (Matthew 18:15-17). We also seek to prevent disunity by handling all conflicts with grace and humility toward one another. (Pro 6:3)
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We Operate in Light of Spiritual Realities
We acknowledge that we do not just live in a physical world (Matthew 1:23, 1 Peter 5:8). We understand that challenges and suffering are part of the spiritual battle we face (Romans 8:18, 2 Timothy 3:12), some of those trials coming from a physical origin, and others a spiritual one. By keeping these realities in mind, we stay encouraged and diligent in our mission, focusing on God’s power and not being disheartened by difficulties. This perspective helps us move forward in faith and ministry knowing that persecution is a promise for those that live godly in Christ Jesus.