A MESSAGE FROM THE ELDERS
GOLDTHWAITE CHURCH OF CHRIST
The simplicity of the divine message set forth in the New Testament is the same in all ages and its followers cannot cease to proclaim it. We declare our identity and fellowship as disciples of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Therefore, we are renewing our commitment to fulfilling God’s purpose stated in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20’ Mark 16:15, 160. The following mission and purpose statement give us focus and direction toward this ultimate end.
MISSION STATEMENT
The Goldthwaite church of Christ is a fellowship of believers committed to knowing and fulfilling God’s purpose for man. To accomplish that, our mission is to:
- Provide a loving place for people to experience the grace and forgiveness of God as we seek to share Him and His love with a hungry world.
- Equip and nurture believers to more fully know God and live transformed, Christ-centered, Spirit-filled lives in love and compassion.
- Build a sense of family and connectedness in which each believer is significant.
THE PURPOSE-DRIVEN CHURCH
A. Loves the Lord with all her heart! The church exists to worship God. Jesus said, “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve” (Matthew 4:10). Sometimes we get so busy in our work-a-day world that we fail to put God first (Matthew 6:33). We allow work, school, sports and friends to come between ourselves and our Heavenly Father. Our Christian worship delivers us from the illusions, distortions and distractions of the world. Worship releases us from preoccupations with our limited thoughts, abilities and feelings.
B. Proclaims Jesus as the Son of God! The church exists to uphold the deity of Jesus. He promised to build His church on the foundational truth as the Messiah long promised by the prophets. He was God in the flesh and He is the “Way and the Truth and the Life” (John 1:1-14; 14:6). To the degree that the church fails to anchor herself to that truth, she drifts from her moorings.
C. Loves others! The church exists to minister to people. We are to love each other. Christ made this abundantly clear when He said, “By this shall all men know you are my disciples, if you have love one to another” (John 13:35). This love also should be given to the world, “Let us do good to all men” (Galatians 6:10).
D. Makes disciples and Baptizes them! The church exists to communicate God’s word. It is every Christian’s responsibility to share the Good News wherever he goes. We are to tell others the reasons why Christ came (Luke 19:10) and why He will return (Ephesians 5:23). Baptism by immersion (Acts 2:38), a public response of faith in Jesus Christ, brings one into Christ and into His church (Galatians 3:27; Acts 2:47). As the church shares the News and the hearers respond by believing, turning from the world and confessing Christ as their Savior, they are then gladly baptized for the remission (forgiveness) of their sins (Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16) and welcomed into the family of God.
E. Teaches new Christians to grow! The church exists to train God’s people. Discipleship is the process of helping people become more like Christ in their thoughts, character and actions. It is the church’s mandate to bring people to a spiritual maturity, which is God’s will for every Christian (Ephesians 4:12-13).
A MESSAGE FROM THE ELDERS
GOLDTHWAITE CHURCH OF CHRIST
The simplicity of the divine message set forth in the New Testament is the same in all ages and its followers cannot cease to proclaim it. We declare our identity and fellowship as disciples of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Therefore, we are renewing our commitment to fulfilling God’s purpose stated in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20’ Mark 16:15, 160. The following mission and purpose statement give us focus and direction toward this ultimate end.
MISSION STATEMENT
The Goldthwaite church of Christ is a fellowship of believers committed to knowing and fulfilling God’s purpose for man. To accomplish that, our mission is to:
- Provide a loving place for people to experience the grace and forgiveness of God as we seek to share Him and His love with a hungry world.
- Equip and nurture believers to more fully know God and live transformed, Christ-centered, Spirit-filled lives in love and compassion.
- Build a sense of family and connectedness in which each believer is significant.
THE PURPOSE-DRIVEN CHURCH
A. Loves the Lord with all her heart! The church exists to worship God. Jesus said, “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve” (Matthew 4:10). Sometimes we get so busy in our work-a-day world that we fail to put God first (Matthew 6:33). We allow work, school, sports and friends to come between ourselves and our Heavenly Father. Our Christian worship delivers us from the illusions, distortions and distractions of the world. Worship releases us from preoccupations with our limited thoughts, abilities and feelings.
B. Proclaims Jesus as the Son of God! The church exists to uphold the deity of Jesus. He promised to build His church on the foundational truth as the Messiah long promised by the prophets. He was God in the flesh and He is the “Way and the Truth and the Life” (John 1:1-14; 14:6). To the degree that the church fails to anchor herself to that truth, she drifts from her moorings.
C. Loves others! The church exists to minister to people. We are to love each other. Christ made this abundantly clear when He said, “By this shall all men know you are my disciples, if you have love one to another” (John 13:35). This love also should be given to the world, “Let us do good to all men” (Galatians 6:10).
D. Makes disciples and Baptizes them! The church exists to communicate God’s word. It is every Christian’s responsibility to share the Good News wherever he goes. We are to tell others the reasons why Christ came (Luke 19:10) and why He will return (Ephesians 5:23). Baptism by immersion (Acts 2:38), a public response of faith in Jesus Christ, brings one into Christ and into His church (Galatians 3:27; Acts 2:47). As the church shares the News and the hearers respond by believing, turning from the world and confessing Christ as their Savior, they are then gladly baptized for the remission (forgiveness) of their sins (Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16) and welcomed into the family of God.
E. Teaches new Christians to grow! The church exists to train God’s people. Discipleship is the process of helping people become more like Christ in their thoughts, character and actions. It is the church’s mandate to bring people to a spiritual maturity, which is God’s will for every Christian (Ephesians 4:12-13).