Our Values
Our tendency is to hide and to be fake.
We believe that we should remove our masks and seek to be honest about our successes,
failures, strengths, and weaknesses.
We should own our anger, frustrations, and fears. We seek to be real, to know and
be known
for who we really are. We are at our
best when we are transparent, genuine, and open. We make no pretense about our character or spiritual life.
Ephesians 4:25-26; Hebrews 12:1; Philemon 1:6
Spiritual transformation is best nurtured in community. Each of us has a deep longing and need for close, intimate relationships.
Isolation encourages dysfunction and self-centeredness. We seek unity over individual expression because everyone has a
part to play and God has called us to be his focused and single body. We seek to engage people in healthy, supportive, accountable
relationships that allow them to grow spiritually and build intimacy with one another. Personal touch is more important than programs,
systems, and agendas. Loving relationships become a primary tool for showing Christ's love. Community is the safe environment where
we grow into what God intends us to be.
1 Corinthians 12 & 14; Romans 12:9-18; Ephesians 4:4-6;
Psalm 133:1
We believe that God has the power to radically transform
us for good and toward Christlikeness.
This growth is continual and lifelong.
We believe that the pursuit of full devotion to Christ and His cause should be normal
for every believer. We don't expect everyone who comes to Crossway to be a Christ-follower
and we don't expect those in Crossway to stay the same. The intentional lifelong pursuit of becoming like Christ in every area of
life is an expectation of every Christ-follower. Sometimes growth can only occur when we get beyond the easy and comfortable.
1 Kings 11:44; Philippians 2:1-11; 2
Corinthians 8:7
The body of Christ is an organism and as such reproduction
is one of its attributes. Believers
should be fruitful people. Christ-followers
should reproduce Christ-followers, churches should reproduce churches, and leaders
should reproduce leaders through example, character, and passing on the legacy of
following Christ. God works to reproduce
his creative and transformative work in and through us so that all may come into
relationship with our Father.
Luke 13:6-8; Matthew 25:14-29; John 15:5-8
Our God is purposeful and intentional. Jesus did not accept mediocrity.
If we are going to commit God's resources to anything we must do it with excellence. We were made for a purpose and we seek
to fulfill that purpose without compromise.
AS faithful stewards we don't expend time, energy, or resources on things that distract
from our mission. We refuse to accept
"good enough" and mediocrity. Our commitment
is of an eternal nature and we seek to reflect that daily.
Our incredible God deserves our very best. Excellence honors God and inspires people.
Colossians 3:17; Malachi 1:6-14; Proverbs 27:17
We try to connect in ways that are easily understood. The Bible is God's story of his love and
truth for us and it matters today.
We use whatever tools necessary to tell His story so that it can be heard and understood. God's message speaks to all areas of
our lives and we seek to share it and apply it in the common "language." We become irrelevant when the messenger or mode becomes more important than
the Message.
Romans 12:7; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; James 1:23-25; 1 Corinthians
9:19-23
Love all, even the "unlovable" through kindness, serving,
patience and forgiveness.
We believe
that lost people matter to God and therefore, ought to matter to the church. We also believe that it is the church's
responsibility to care for the well-being of all people around the world. Compassionate people make sacrifices to alleviate the suffering of others.
As compassionate people we believe
the best and extend mercy because it has been extended to us. When we love the way Jesus loved, we are moved to action on the behalf of
others.
Ephesians 4:32; 1 Corinthians 13; Nehemiah 3; Luke 10:1; John 13:34-35
Luke 5:30-32; Luke 15; Matthew 18:14