Core Values

Core Values

The core values defined below are essential growth ingredients in the life of the church. Our purpose at Common Ground is to intentionally go with the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who would be radically changed by the power of God’s Spirit and Truth, so that they may live the Truth in community and compassion, all to the Glory of God! (See Acts 2:37-47)

Christ Is the Chief Cornerstone

For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:11

Soul Saving: Gospel, Evangelism, and Missions

We must be motivated by Christ’s love and compassion to reach out to those whom God can radically change by the power of His Spirit and living Truth. We must be motivated by what Christ Himself has already done for us:

  • Jesus said His divine purpose for coming to earth was to seek and to save that which was lost. (See Luke 19:10)
  • Jesus said He did not come to call the righteous but to call sinners to repentance. (See Luke 5:32)
  • God sent His Son into the world so that the world might be saved through Him. (See John 3:17)
  • For Jesus did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many. (See Mark 10:45)

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,” – Matthew 28:19

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. ” – Mark 16:15

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” – Acts 1:8

Community: Ministry, Body Life, and Service

True believers everywhere are united together in Christ and belong to the invisible, universal body of Christ and yet are called to be functioning committed members of the local, visible body as well. The Church globally is built up and grows through the means of the church locally.

  • God has ordained the Gospel and His Kingdom to come by the Church.
  • God commanded His church to go and make disciples of all nations … (See Matthew 28:19-20)
  • Disciples are best made within the context of the local church as the Truth is lived in community and compassion.
  • We belong together! Once you are born again of God’s Holy Spirit through the power of the Gospel, you are a son or daughter in the family of God. (See Ephesians 1:4-6)

But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. – Hebrews 3:13

And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. – Hebrews 10:24-25

Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing. – 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Stewardship: Treasure, Time, and Talent

As soon as the command was spread abroad, the people of Israel gave in abundance the firstfruits of grain, wine, oil, honey, and of all the produce of the field. And they brought in abundantly the tithe of everything. … And they faithfully brought in the contributions, the tithes, and the dedicated things. … – 2 Chronicles 31:5, 12

2 Corinthians 8 and 9 (read it here)

Sacrament Celebrating: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, – Matthew 28:19

But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not. For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world. So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another— if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come. – 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Scripture Teaching: The Word, Doctrine, and Theology

There is no greater, higher or more exciting calling than knowing the God of the universe intimately through His inspired, written revelation given to humanity. The source of that knowledge is the living water of Scripture. As Christ’s church, we must continue to know, meditate and dwell upon the majestic character and supreme attributes of our thrice Holy God.

  • These truths about God must be believed for our faith to be considered a Biblical, historical, true, saving faith.
  • The Bible is about God’s redemptive work found in the person of Jesus Christ and His gracious gift of His perfect righteousness bestowed on imperfect, sinful humanity by the means of grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone.
  • To not know or to misunderstand these eternal truths could mean missing out on God and His eternal, life-changing Gospel.

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. – 2 Timothy 2:15

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. – 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Prayer

God invites and desires for us to communicate with Him, and the means of doing so is through prayer. Our model for such communication is Jesus Christ, who prayed diligently and fervently. Scripture tells us that He often withdrew to quiet places to pray.

  • Prayer is not just a ministry of the church; it is the ministry of the church.
  • Every ministry we desire to do for the sake of Christ’s kingdom must, first, foremost and always, be bathed in prayer.
  • “Prayer does not fit us for the greater works; prayer is the greater work.” Oswald Chambers
  • Prayer was the regular practice of the prophets and apostles. (Daniel 9:20, Jonah 2:1, Acts 1:14, Acts 2:42, Acts 4:31, Acts 9:11, Romans 8:26, Ephesians 1:18, James 5:14, 1 Peter 3:12, 3 John 1:2 are just a few examples)

“Pray, then, in this way: Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]” – Matthew 6:8-13

Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, – Luke 18:1

The LORD is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous. – Proverbs 15:29

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. – Philippians 4:6

Worship

Our ultimate purpose is to worship and glorify God in all that we think, say and do.

  • True worship is the living out of the Great Commandment. We are called to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, strength and mind.
  • True worship is dedicating ourselves to fulfill the Great Commission: to go and make disciples of all nations.
  • Worship is a sacrificial attitude of the heart with God at the center.

Our lives are the most satisfied, possess the greatest meaning, and are energized with the grandest purpose when we are fulfilling the divine purpose that God has designed for us. True worship means coming to God on His terms, so our goal is to discover what these terms are as described for us in God’s Word:

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. – Romans 12:1-2

“But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” – John 4:23-24

Reproducing Leaders and Disciples

Our primary goal is to become like Christ. As a church we are committed to building devoted disciples and leaders, to growing in knowledge of the Word and in love for our Savior, and to using our spiritual gifts in service of the church. We acknowledge that we do not all share the same abilities, but affirm that all have received spiritual gifts.

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. – Ephesians 4:11-16

The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. – 2 Timothy 2:2