We Value...

Gifts Ministry

The operation of the fivefold ministry gifts described in Ephesians 4:11 is imperative for

the maturing of the church. Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers are essential for equipping God's people for the work of ministry. Local congregations are encouraged to receive from the grace-gifts of fivefold leaders.

Team Ministry

We believe that teamwork and ministry teams are the right approach to ministry. We are committed to the success of one another and place a higher value on team accomplishments than on individual accomplishments. "Two are better off than one because together they can work more effectively." (Ecclesiastes 4:9 GNB)

Cultural Relevancy

We believe that there is a fairly small number of theological non-negotiables that must be maintained, but that in other matters, the church should allow itself to be molded by contemporary culture in order to maintain relevance and maximize its potential to reach the lost within its cultural setting. We approach our post-modern American culture as a competing harvest field that requires both contemporary strategies and creative planning. Our relational network intends to operate as the "sons of Issachar" who understood the context of their times and knew what had to be done.

Church Planting

We value the practice church planting as essential to our mission, and will aggressively promote it as a goal for all healthy churches. We intend to support and engage in planting churches both nationally and cross-culturally. We intend to partner with emerging national leaders who are gripped with a passion to establish New Testament churches aimed at the remaining Unreached People Groups.

City-Reaching

We value city-reaching as a part of God's end-time plan and we will do our part in complying with the John 17 prayer mandate of Jesus to encourage functional unity of ministry leadership in cities and communities to bring about both community transformation and maximum harvest.

Strategic Prayer

We will model and fan the flames of a passionate and pervasive prayer movement in the local communities of our Vanguard Partners. We desire that fruitful personal and corporate prayer be a hallmark of our leaders, churches, and ministries.

Generational Targeting

We will emphasize the priority of resources and personnel to reach the younger generation to prepare them to give leadership in the greatest harvest in history.

Beauty in Diversity

We value relating to each other as a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, and multi-gifted blend of leaders and churches whose focus is not on social, economic, racial, or gender distinctions, but on our unity and identity in Christ. We will unashamedly and intentionally promote the development of multi-ethnic leadership teams and ministries as an expression of the heart of the Father for authentic reconciliation ministry.

Relationship-Based Ministry

We consider healthy, authentic relationships to be indispensable for spiritual leaders. Our network will be based on the foundation of interpersonal relationships which the Holy Spirit inspires and nurtures. We maintain that an effective organization must emerge from personal relationships. We will encourage the practical relational designs of mentoring, coaching, discipling, and cell-based ministry strategies to balance the "one-winged" traditional church meeting paradigm.

Character & Integrity

We recognize servant leadership, integrity, and a godly character as the standard for all ministry and leadership. As humans we tend to value gifts and skills as the most important, but God places the priority on character and heart issues. We believe that while talents and gifts are useful, they must function from a foundation of godly character.

Local Church

We have a high view of the local church, "the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way." We understand the local church as God's chosen and preferred instrument. The foundational instruments of Kingdom expansion within a culture are spiritually vibrant and culturally relevant churches rooted in, and ministering throughout, that culture. A functioning and healthy local church is the greatest visible expressions of God's love, grace, and purpose on earth.

Signs & Wonders

We believe in the full expression of the spiritual gifts (I Corinthians 12:8–11) manifested through a filter of love and compassion. We further affirm that the purpose of power ministry is to validate the spoken message in the continual effort to evangelize the lost and complete the Great Commission.