The Ecclesial Minimum
When studying the New Testament, we find when any given church (“ecclesia” in Greek) is connected to Christ, certain values emerge. The values are what characterizes Christ himself, so it is no surprise that his body, his bride, his temple would possess these attributes.
Churches within the Radius Greenville network aim relentlessly at Christ and find these values to be the expected (or minimal) outcome of believers who unite around Jesus. We call this the ecclesial minimum.
Gospel Centered Disciples
The Gospel fundamentally and continually changes everything about us. We value understanding and placing faith in the integrity of the holistic Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. We desire to stand daily upon the life, love, authority and power of knowing God. We strive to remain in close, affectionate intimacy with Jesus as he remains in us. Only in Jesus can we bear fruit. Knowing God is the essence of eternal life. As disciples, our greatest discipline and highest joy is that of continually seeking to know God in all of life.
[John 15, Romans 1v16, Acts 17v27-28, John 17v3]
True Worshippers
Worship is a response to God’s incredible love for us demonstrated in the life, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Abiding in God in all of life creates a response of worshipping God with all of our life by loving Him with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength. The Spirit, given to us at salvation, longs to fill us and produce fruit in/through us. In response to the grace of God demonstrated in Jesus, we choose to yield control to the Holy Spirit so that we may live holy, full lives. We want our lives to reflect just how much we treasure God.
[John 4v24, 1 John 4v19, Mark 12v28-31, 1 John 2v6, John 14v15-17]
Devoted Family
Jesus desires his followers to live life together as a collective bride, a diverse body, and a powerful temple of the living God. We believe the Holy Spirit of God unites followers of Christ to live in deep, authentic community. Within the commonality of Christ, the spiritual family celebrates the unique diversity of each member. Family celebrates together, suffers together, eats together, matures together. We see the church simply as a relational family; deeply devoted to Christ and one another.
[John 17v20-23, Matt. 12v48-50, Phil. 2v1-4, Eph. 4v3, Rom. 12v4-5, 1 Corin. 12v12]
Spirit-Filled Missionaries
As the Spirit indwells us, so does the mission of Christ: to go and make disciples of all nations. Just as all of life is worship, all of life is simultaneously mission. As we learn to yield to the authority and power of the Holy Spirit within is, we find ourselves partnering with God to eternally influence those around us. Jesus was sent to guide the lost, give to the poor, mend the broken and free the oppressed. As Jesus was sent, so are we. We are all missionaries, indwelled with the missional Spirit of God.
[Luke 4v17-21, John 20v21, Acts 1v8, Matt. 28v16-20, Eph. 5v18, 2 Corin. 5v11-21]
Suffering Sojourners
We understand heaven to be an already-and-not-yet reality. As we journey in the space between as the church, we expect to suffer. We embrace suffering with joy and anticipation of how God will reveal His glory. Our focus is not on attaining temporary comfort, but in seeking the presence and will of God in our suffering. Our lives are not comfort-driven, rather, we are driven by love for God and for neighbor. As we journey through suffering, we find strength not only in Christ but in the shared journey of the church.. In our struggle along the journey, our hope is fixed upon the day in which Jesus will establish His kingdom fully. On that day, we will dwell with God and suffering will be no more.
[1 Peter 5v10-11, Romans 8v16-17, 1 Peter 4v12-19, 1 Peter 4v1, 2 Corinthians 4v17]
