Van-guard (văn’gärd), noun: “The foremost or leading position in a trend or movement.”
the journey forward... exploring the emerging church... navigating spiritual formation... seeking to transform the world... ...through Christ
|
Van-guard (văn’gärd), noun: “The foremost or leading position in a trend or movement.” the journey forward... exploring the emerging church... navigating spiritual formation... seeking to transform the world... ...through Christ |
|
|
My Philosophy of Ministry
Robert W. Robinson
My Mission Statement “To glorify God by developing a people passionately in love with their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and eager to share this love and hope with others.” To glorify God… “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). The Westminster Shorter Catechism’s first answer is the proper attitude to life and ministry: “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” I feel that “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”* I want to reflect the love and magnificence of God back to Him and into the world. * John Piper, Desiring God (Multnomah Books, 1986, 1996) …by developing a people passionately in love with their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ… I feel that “real church” is less about religiosity and more about relationship. The primary relationship in every believer’s life is his or her relationship with God. I am intentional in my efforts to develop the people in our church family. I am constantly developing new ways to set people on course toward a deeper, more fervent love relationship with their Lord. I do this because I earnestly desire for people to be in a relationship with God that is authentic, exciting, and life-changing. …and eager to share this love and hope with others. I am eager to share God’s love both with other believers and with those outside the faith. In the church we are to “encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of us may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:13). Our love for God must also manifest itself in a love for all people—so that we are eager to share God’s love with those who do not yet know Him. I am intentional about reaching out with compassion to those who are hurting and perishing without a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
My Core Values Compassion for People: "The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19:10), “When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion on them” (Matt. 9:36), “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). I strategically lead the church in reaching out to people with the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ. I want us to show God’s love for seekers through serving them in their needs. Genuine Worship: "Shout for joy...Worship the Lord with gladness, come before him with joyful songs ...Enter His gates with thanksgiving... For the Lord is good and his love endures forever" (Psalm 100). I seek to glorify God in genuine worship that inspires seekers to love God for the first time, and believers to love God more, never forgetting that the primary audience of worship is the Lord. Centrality of God’s Word: "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful...so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Tim. 3:16, 17). I preach and teach what God has revealed in His Word in order to motivate both seekers toward conversion and believers toward spiritual maturity. Passionate Discipleship: "Therefore go and make disciples” (Matt. 28:19-20), "Be filled with the Spirit...be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power..." "Put on the full armor of God…” (Eph. 5:18-21; 6:11), “I will go to the altar of God, To God my joy and my delight!” (Ps. 43:4). I nurture in church members a spiritual maturity characterized by their passionate love relationship with God. Equipped Families and Singles: “God gives some the gift of marriage, and to others he gives the gift of singleness” (1 Cor. 7:7), “…equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ… (Eph. 4:12), “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children.” (Deut. 6:6-7). I equip the leaders of families so that they are better able to raise their children to be devoted disciples of Jesus Christ. Singles are enfolded into the church family, equipped to be all God wants them to be. Empowered Member-Ministers: “Teach these great truths to trustworthy people who are able to pass them on to others” (2 Tim 2:2). “There are different kinds of service in the church, but it is the same Lord we are serving. (1 Cor 12:5). I enable our members to develop their gifts and talents in order to share leadership and to actively serve others in church ministry. Caring Community: “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:35). I develop “environments” in which authentic caring relationships can naturally develop. I seek to be a part of a church community that is involved in each other’s lives so that we can care for, love, and encourage one another.
My Distinctives Ancient-Future: I am culturally relevant and flexible, always reforming my methodologies in order to reach a new generation in the 21st Century with the timeless and unchangeable truth of the Gospel. Emergent: I seek to deepen my understanding our current postmodern culture, and evaluate how the church can change in order to move from the modern to the postmodern eras while remaining true to Christ. Evangelical: I identify myself as part of the evangelical movement, which puts a high priority on certain principles foundational to the Christian faith: These principles are primarily these: (a) we are saved by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone (the living Word); (b) the Bible is the ultimate and final authority for our faith (the written word); and (c) we have a mandate from Jesus Christ to lovingly share our faith with those who do not yet have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ (the spoken word). Unified but Diverse: I seek to be unified with other believers by being committed to the central tenets of the evangelical movement, strongly believing in the authority of God’s Word. "In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, charity. In all things, Jesus Christ." Multidimensional: I seek to balance the rational/mental dimension of our faith with the relational/emotional dimension. I want our faith to engage both the mind and the heart. Spirit and Truth: I want a faith that couples dynamic spiritual relationship with God through the Holy Spirit with sound evangelical doctrine. I cautiously accept all the gifts of the Holy Spirit, submitting to Scripture in how to properly use them. Multiplication: I strategically seek to extend the Great Commandment and the Great Commission by developing leaders to further the ministry of Jesus Christ in the world. Caring for the Hurting and Needy: I seek to find out the needs of hurting people in order to practically meet those needs. I believe a major part of the gospel in practically helping the poor, oppressed, hurting, and needy. |
|
Ministry Transformation- The Emerging Church Personal Transformation- Spiritual Formation World Transformation- Social Action Interact with Bob Robinson about the emerging church, spiritual formation, or social action by e-mailing vanguard church with your comments. |
