Convictions

Here is a summary of some important principles which shape 12Church

  • The primary purpose of any single church is to glorify God by making disciples/followers of Jesus Christ
  • Disciples are best made by churches whose efforts balance winning the lost, building believers, equipping workers and multiplying leaders
  • Churches need clarity about what a disciple is and what it then means to “make a disciple.”
  • The activities of each church (ministries, programs, staffing, budgets) should be determined by what is needed to achieve this
  • Biblical church leadership is an essential foundation for church health and effectiveness
  • Christian leaders are called to lead first by example, to “be what we are calling God’s people to become”
  • The greatest current challenges to the church are internal not external, and can often be traced to an absence of deliberate disciple-making
  • Ministry should be carried out in a way that is sustainable over the long term, not requiring pastors or lay people to sacrifice physical, spiritual or family health
  • The discipleship of children is the responsibility of Christian parents. Churches should equip parents for such discipleship
  • Centralized church facilities are often a hindrance to disciple-making, and will increasingly be so in a hostile culture.
  • Denominational alignment and loyalty, while never superseding loyalty to Jesus Christ or the Word, can be a contributor to healthy and effective churches.
  • The primary purpose of any denominational structure is to aid local churches in the task of making disciples locally and globally.
  • Disciple-making is a partnership with the One to whom all authority has been given. Therefore those joining him in his mission are assured of his presence and power through the Holy Spirit.
  • Disciples makes disciples.