VISION
A vision is a God-given dream of what could be. It is a call by God to join Him in a kingdom-building journey as individuals and as a body of believers. By God’s grace and the guiding of the Holy Spirit, First Free will seek to make, mature and multiply fully-committed followers of Christ. Every First Free believer’s spiritual gifts are vital in reaching out and engaging our community and world. We prayerfully rely on God to make this vision a reality and do abundantly more than we could ask or imagine.
Engaging the Lost
First Free will be a People who Build Relationships
in Our Community and World
We actively invest in the lives of others in order to show God’s love and point them to Christ. We look for ways to encourage and support our neighbors and those in the community who are struggling, hurt or burdened with life’s problems. We share the Gospel message, the ultimate answer to the problems of human sin. As we address the needs of neighbors, the community and world, we confidently bring Christ into the center of our conversations and relationships. Because we believe each person is important to God, every encounter is an opportunity to build Christ’s kingdom. As a result of our outreach, the majority of our growth in the future will come from new believers.
We desire to be ambassadors for Christ wherever we go, to whomever we meet.
Following After Christ
First Free will be a People of True Worship
Authentic worship is our response to a holy and sovereign God. In gratitude we glorify God for His work in our hearts and lives. We daily respond by living for His glory and service. A heart of worship grows in us, allowing us to take bold steps of faith in prayerful obedience and dependence on God as a body of believers and as individuals. As a result of our focus on a holy and awesome God and not on ourselves, we will be united as a church in our heart for worship.
We desire to be a people living lives of worship, glorifying God in everything we do.
Relating to Each Other
First Free will be a People in Life-Changing Communities
God made our hearts to yearn for relationship. In relationship God reveals Himself to us, and through relationships He allows us to love and care for one another. Thus, we are a people who celebrate fellowship in communities. We understand relationships develop and deepen through time spent together, and we create communities that allow individuals to connect with one another in a variety of ways. Spiritual growth, discipleship and accountability come as we risk being known by others. We want these communities to be safe places to live transparent lives, and we encourage others to join us in our discipleship journey. With humility and compassion for each other, we continue to challenge ourselves and others with biblical truths for practical living. As a result most of our congregation will be sharing their lives with others in midsized groups, small groups or one-on-one.
We desire to be known as a people who grow closer to Christ through our relationships with each other.
Equipping all Believers
First Free will be a People of Intentional Discipleship
God desires First Free to equip and train disciples for Christ’s kingdom. Deepening our relationship with God requires discipline and training on our part. Therefore, we are committed to help each believer grow spiritually. Identifying and developing our God–given spiritual gifts and natural abilities will build up this body of believers into greater Christ-likeness, preparing us for His service. As a result, our people will be growing in their faith, becoming more Christ-like in their character, and renewed in their minds by the truth of God’s Word.
We desire to be a people equipped to respond in obedience to Christ’s calling on our lives.
Engaged in Ministry
First Free will be a People of Passionate Service
Jesus Christ’s love compels us to a lifestyle of humble service for Him within our own body of believers as well as in our community and world. As God reveals to us who we are and who He has created each of us to be, we understand God also creates unique places of service and ministry for each of us. We eagerly seek out those places in our lives where our spiritual giftedness and passions join together. As the body of Christ, we understand serving one another, our community and our world is a response to God’s ownership of our lives. We humbly respond to the spiritual and physical needs as His hands and His feet, providing salt and light as He directs. As a result our church will be known as a people who serve our community, sharing Christ’s love in practical ways.
We desire to be a people who humbly serve others.
