Our mission: "We love because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19)
Our "Mission Verse" comes from the Apostle John's first letter to the whole Church. John understood love because he was the disciple "whom Jesus loved" (John 20:2) and before Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead he asked John to care for His mother (John 19:26-27). John was also the one who penned the most beloved verse in the whole Bible (John 3:16), "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."
A few verses before our "Mission Verse," John wrote: "Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." (1 John 4:8-11)
This is our mission and our message: We love because He first loved us. God is love (1 John 4:8). He first pours out His love into our hearts through the Good News of Jesus (Romans 5:1-5). Having been given this love as a free gift (Romans 5:15-17), we then pour out our love for our neighbor (Romans 15:1-7).
5 Ways We Are Loved By God
- As enemies of God, we have been reconciled with God (Romans 5:10-11).
- As Law-breakers, we have been justified by the Law-giver (Romans 3:26).
- As prodigal sinners, we have been forgiven by a prodigal God (Luke 15:22-24).
- As bad people, we have been baptized into the death of Jesus (Romans 6:3-5).
- As the unrighteous, we have been given Christ's righteousness (Romans 5:19).
5 Ways We Love Our Neighbor
- Having been reconciled, we seek reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-20).
- Having been justified, we remind others of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
- Having been forgiven, we ask others for forgiveness (Matthew 6:12-15).
- Having been baptized, we wash others with the Word (Ephesians 5:25-26).
- Having been given all of Christ, we freely give to all (2 Corinthians 9:6-8).