Community
Authentic Christian community consists of transparent, intimate, sacrificial friendships that include discipline and accountability before God. The Christian community functions very differently than the rest of the world in that we do not easily give up on one another but we persevere, celebrate, mourn, teach, rebuke and generally look out for the well being of each other (Rom 12:5, 10; 15:7, 14; Gal 5:13, 6:2; Eph 4:2; Phil. 2:3).
Churches are typically based on a consumer model that sees church staff as dealers of religious goods and services. Such examples may include such things like youth groups, worship services, recovery programs, etc. Instead of fostering this misconception, we reject it by emphasizing the need for authentic friendships based on the New Testament word koinonia. This includes but is not limited to accountability, openness, and sacrifice.
We also believe that strong families make for a strong church. Since the structure of the church is based on the structure of the family, the issue of familial roles is paramount. We see men as being the leaders of their families through sacrifice, love and repentance. Men are called to love their wives like Jesus loves the church. Men are commanded to raise godly children who are secure. It is the responsibility of the man to represent God to his wife through provision and protection. Men are called to protect and provide for their families both physically and spiritually. Therefore, we see men as being pastors of their families. Individuals without Godly fathers must be adopted into the family of God and taught truth and love from surrogate fathers in the church. Young single men should lead responsible lives preparing for marriage and family by getting an education, a lucrative job and a house, not squandering their early adulthood on prostitutes and beer. We reject the cultural perpetuation of adolescence into the early twenties and insist that teenagers be prepared for adulthood by their fathers. At the end of the day, the man of the house is responsible for the spiritual and physical well being of himself and his household.
