Avondale Estates First Baptist Church

OUR VISION STATEMENT

A community of Christian faith intentionally helping people

find, encounter, and love God, themselves and others.

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:37-39

OUR CORE VALUES

point to that which is most important and most distinctive

Joyful Worship

Humble Servanthood

Growing Discipleship

Sharing Faith

Committed Stewardship

Loving Community

Our Vision Statement

Avondale Estates First Baptist Church is a community of Christian faith intentionally helping people find, encounter, and love God, themselves and others.

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:37-39

We commit to be that living example of love identified by Christ as the universal evidence of Christ-likeness when He said – “By this shall all men know you are my disciple, if you have love one to another.” John 13:35

We declare our faith community will boldly and positively answer the world’s continuing cry to know what love is and for us to show them. “… [L]et us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” 1 John 4:7        

We affirm that learning to love deeply, from the center of who we are, means loving others as we love ourselves. We are instructed, in 1 Peter 1:22b-23a— “[H]ave sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart, for you have been born again…”

This vision demands intentional actions:

Helping People Find, Encounter and Love God

We fervently desire that everyone have a personal relationship with God so that His Spirit works in us through the transforming presence of Jesus Christ in our lives. Therefore, we willingly engage friends, family, and acquaintances to share in any possibility of an encounter with Christ.

Andrew invited his brother Simon: “‘We have found the Messiah’ (which is translated, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.” John 1:41

Phillip invited his friend Nathanael: “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote— Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.…  Come and see.” John 1: 45-46

Helping People Find, Encounter and Love Themselves

We have experienced the reality expressed in the hymn “Love Lifted Me.” The love of Christ transcends any condition we are in, forgives and restores. It then leads us on the journey toward loving ourselves as God created us, becoming more true to that beautiful design, portrayed perfectly in Jesus.

“So God created human beings in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27

“When he [the prodigal son] came to his senses, he said… ‘I will get up and go to my father…’ And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son’… But the father said to his servants … ‘[L]let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’” Luke 15:17-24

 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

Helping People Find, Encounter and Love Others

We are convicted and convinced that we should reflect the rich diversity of the surrounding community. We will attract others with a warm and open welcome, encouraging them to form sincere loving friendships as we relate in weakness and in strength, in bounty and in need, in similarity and in diversity, in despair and in hope.

“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28

“Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew…. To those under the law I became like one under the law… To those not having the law I became like one not having the law…. To the weak I became weak…. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.”  I Corinthians 9:19-23

 “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another…” Hebrews 10:24-25

OUR CORE VALUES

call for daily practices that affect everything we are and do:

 Joyful Worship

 We believe worship is both personal and congregational. Our worship may incorporate scripture, prayer, reflection and various styles of music. Collectively, we gather expecting to encounter God and joyfully celebrate His grace-filled presence in all our hearts, souls, and minds. These experiences inspire us to individually commit to a lifestyle of daily devotion to God and to doing His will.

“Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness;    come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” Psalm 100: 1-2, 4

“Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. Shout aloud and sing for joy….”  Isaiah 12:5-6

Humble Servanthood

 We believe reverence for God translates into serving others. We commit to actively mirror Jesus’ servant heart in words and deeds, reaching out to all people around us. We cherish our ability to be God’s touch to a world that needs it. With a loving attitude of care and helpfulness, we creatively blend our talents and gifts to serve others for their good and God’s glory.

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:5-9

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”  Micah 6:8

Jesus said, “[W]hoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:43b-45

Growing Discipleship

 We believe true followers of Jesus Christ are driven to pursue a maturing relationship with Him. That relationship is personalized through prayer, deepened through the study of Scripture, and strengthened through regular interaction with fellow disciples. Today’s Christian disciples demonstrate genuine Christ-likeness when we obediently apply Jesus’ teachings in everyday life. The influence of embodying the ‘Christ-life’ results in leading others toward becoming believer-disciples. 

Jesus said, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:19-20a.

“They (the early believers) devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:42

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:42

Sharing Faith

 We believe faith enables transcendent experiences and empowers extraordinary actions of ordinary men and women. We believe every human being is valuable and that God desires all to experience Him and know His gifts of meaningful life on earth and eternal life in heaven. We commit to be intentional, living testimonies of God’s goodness, grace and mercy, so that our words and deeds inspire and encourage others toward God.

“[F]aith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” Romans 10:17

“[W]hen the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:6b

“And the apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’ So the Lord said, ‘If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.’” Luke 17:5-6

Committed Stewardship

We believe all-that-we-are and all-that-we-have are God-given to enable us to fulfill our purpose in faith and community. We each commit to discover our unique gifts of time, talent and treasure, to then work together in practical ways to minister and spread God’s good news to all. We encourage all to serve cheerfully and give responsibly, whether given little or much, recognizing that God will bless, use and multiply our offerings to Him.

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:8-10

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE: TODAY’S NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright 2001, 2005 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.