FAITH CHURCH
An Evangelical Free Church in Allentown, Pennsylvania
What do we desire in the progress of Faith Church in the next 20 years?
A Picture of the Preferred Future
Why Does Faith Church Exist?
The main purpose for our existence can be summarized in three words: "To worship God." We acknowledge that God has ultimate worth by living for His pleasure in all we do. The purpose of our ministry is: "To make more worshipers" by proclaiming the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ; "to make more mature worshipers" by growing together in our relationship with God; and "to make sure God does the work and gets all the glory" by relying on the Holy Spirit, by praying faithfully, and by faithfully teaching the Word of God.
May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, "Let God be exalted!"
(Psalm 70:4)Ministry Focus
We envision the ongoing development of a wide range of ministries designed to
introduce individuals to Jesus Christ and to encourage them and guide them into
a loving and intimate relationship with Him. Our desire is to meet both the
spiritual and physical needs of individuals in our congregation and community,
and to provide the staff, facilities, and training required to meet these needs.
We desire to be a congregation that ministers to all ages, at all levels of spiritual maturity, and to all individuals, including those who are differently-abled. We envision a congregation that welcomes people from all ethnic, social and cultural backgrounds.
Loving Relationships
We envision a congregation that radiates the unconditional love of Christ. We
desire to be a congregation that encourages, exhorts, forgives, and admonishes
one another, thus demonstrating Christ's love in practical and sacrificial ways.
Spiritual Growth
We envision a well-defined path to spiritual maturity and desire that each
person knows his or her spiritual gifts and uses them for the glory of God. We
will value and provide training and mentoring opportunities that equip
individuals at all levels of spiritual maturity to grow in their knowledge and
application of God's Word.
Spiritual Health
We envision a congregation that practices and displays a passionate spiritual
life, both personally and corporately, which is characterized by prayer,
worship, dependence on God, and obedience to God's Word. We are committed to
becoming a congregation of devoted followers of Christ whose highest priority is
to honor Him in all aspects of life - both inside and outside of the church.
Corporate Worship
We envision inspiring and joyful worship that glorifies God and engages the
heart, mind, and spirit of people with God. We are committed to a proclamation
of God's Word that is clear, doctrinally sound, and relevant, leading people to
please God by applying His Word to every aspect of life. It is our desire to be
sensitive to the various worship needs and preferences of our congregation in
order to create, as the Lord leads, the most effective worship environment
possible for the glory of God.
Leadership Development
We envision a congregation committed to identify, prepare, and place individuals
into leadership roles. We will strive to train, encourage, and mentor staff and
lay-leaders at all levels of ministry.
Community Impact
We envision a congregation that has high visibility within our community, and is
known for its love and personal involvement in the community at large. We see
this happening through a variety of opportunities such as caring for those in
need outside our congregation, opening our facilities for various events, and
supporting outreach ministries within our geographical region. Through our
community involvement we desire to honor Christ and share His love.
Ministry Facility
We envision a worship center with a seating capacity of 1500 that can
accommodate a congregation of three to four thousand in multiple services. We
anticipate additional quality educational space, the ability to handle multiple
ministries, and facilities that would allow us to be a regional resource center
for ministries in the Lehigh Valley. Our dream is for a facility that can
support significant ministry to the community.
Outreach
We envision a church that places a strong emphasis on introducing people to
Jesus Christ through personal involvement, intentional strategies, and active
prayer ministry. We will be diligent in removing barriers that inhibit people
from finding Christ through our church.
In global missions, our desire is to see 200 full-time missionaries sent from Faith Church to worldwide fields. We envision all of our congregation personally involved in world evangelization and hundreds of our members actively involved in short-term missions through going, giving, and praying.
We desire to see the church focus in a special way on one or several regions of the world where we can have ongoing strategic involvement.
It is our ultimate goal that 50% of our church budget be targeted for outreach ministries including local, national, and international activities.
As part of our regional outreach, we will keep aware of opportunities to begin new congregations in places that will fulfill our vision to spread the Good News throughout the areas we serve.
It is our desire to start these new works with sufficient people and staff to provide maximum effectiveness and impact.
Our Commitment
Our staffing, budgets, and priorities will reflect our commitment to achieve our desired future.
Vision statement approved January 16, 1999, by Faith Church Board of Elders (Revised December 7, 1999)