Our Vision:

To know God and make God known to our world

Our Values

1. Love for God’s word

 

Jeremiah 20:9 But if I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot. (NIV)

Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. (NIV)

Psalm 119:97 Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. (NIV)

We hold God’s word in highest regard. It is our all-sufficient rule for faith and practice. We live our life by it, and make our decisions based upon it. We believe God’s word is perfect and without any error. It builds our faith and therefore collectively we will make sure it is taught in all of our church services and individually we will devote ourselves to learning from it daily. We will let it change us and transform us to become more like Christ.

2. Relationship

 

Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity. (NIV)

John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (NIV)

We are made in God’s likeness according to Genesis 1:27.

God is a relational God. This is seen in the community of the Trinity. We, therefore, being created in His likeness are relational beings needing community to sustain us, fulfil us and enable us to flourish. At J28, we are a community of people that have trusted in Jesus for our salvation and are committed to loving God and one another. We place high value on relationship as we know the Church prospers when we are committed to one another.

3. A giving nature

 

Proverbs 11:25 A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. (NIV)

Psalm 112:5 Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice. (NIV)

We are concerned to be generous with our resources, but not just limited to that, having a nature that gives in all areas. Our best efforts, time, encouragement. Preferring others to ourselves.

4. Enthusiasm

 

Romans 12:11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord. (NIV)

Psalm 69:9 …Zeal for your house consumes me. (NIV)

It’s an attitude of faith that shows an enthusiastic demeanour rather than being reserved and uninterested. We are enthusiastic because we consider serving God to be a great privilege: it is worth getting excited about! We want our enthusiasm for God to act as a witness to unbelievers. We highly regard showing up and being on time. We never do things to a ‘bog standard’. We recognise that in God’s kingdom, true greatness is seen in an attitude to serve.

5. Honour

 

Hebrews 13:17 Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you. (NIV)

1 Peter 2:17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honour the emperor. (NIV)

We honour one another, we show great respect to each and every person, always remembering that God loves all of us equally. We also honour leadership, thanking God for them and acknowledging that leadership is God’s invention, given to us for our benefit.

We honour at all times, even when someone  isn’t honourable. We don’t honour because we have to, but because we can and we believe that Jesus honours those that choose to show honour.

6. Desire to learn

 

Proverbs 12:1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates correction is stupid. (NIV)

Proverbs 9:9 Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning. (NIV)

This requires a teachable attitude, a humble desire to grow and develop in our faith and giftings –making it the clear goal of our lives to become more like Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit in us, and resisting the urge to think that we have ‘arrived’.

7. Godly speech

 

Colossians 4:6 Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. (NLT)

We speak well of the church, both in the church and in the community. We speak graciously to everyone, always checking that our motive is love. We avoid gossip and talk that would cause damage and division. We commit ourselves to speech that encourages, always looking for opportunities where we can spur one another on.