We desire to be congregations and communities that....Share the gospel, live it missionally, and plant new churches in our neighborhoods as we discover how to connect with our local and global ministry contexts.
Our vision for sharing the gospel, living it missionally, and planting new churches begins with the Gospel. Jesus announces at the start of his ministry, “The time has come...The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15). This is the heart of the good news that we share. In Jesus, the kingdom of God has come! In Jesus, God’s redemptive purposes for the whole of creation - to renew all things and all of life from the power and effects of sin - are being fulfilled!
We are a people sent to the ends of the earth and empowered by the Holy Spirit to share this good news (Acts 1:1-8). We are a people called to live the entirety of our lives shaped by the creation-wide implications of this good news, submitting all areas of our life to the one who has come to reconcile all things (Col 1:20). We are a people called to plant new church communities who will announce this good news, demonstrate the healing power of God in their communities, and embody this good news in the whole of their lives together. As the Contemporary Testimony reminds us, “Joining the mission of God, the church is sent with the gospel of the kingdom . . . this mission is central to our being.”
As part of Our Journey, we desire to continue growing and learning in this area. A variety of helpful resources from Resonate Global Mission, ReFrame Ministries, and more can be found at crcna.org/resources to help us work towards this milestone. We also have many stories in the CRC newsroom about congregations and ministries working towards this goal. Here are a few to get you thinking:
