Core Values.
Upwards.
Worship.
We believe that worship of God is our ultimate purpose and a natural response to knowing who he is and what he has done for us.
All humans are made to worship and God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – is the only one worthy of our worship. True worship is living in a sacrificial way that is demonstrated in how we use our time, energy, finances and possessions to bring glory to God.
The Word.
We believe in the authority, reliability, relevance and power of God’s written word to speak to us as individuals and as a church.
God’s word is our ultimate authority and so we seek to read it, meditate on it and allow its teaching to transform our lives through the power of the Holy Spirit. We value a growing love for the Word, as well as a deepening understanding of it across all ages.
(Joshua 1:8; Psalm 19:7-10; Matthew 4:4; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12)
Prayer.
God gives us the incredible privilege of speaking to him and in prayer we recognise our dependence on him in all things.
We believe that through his word God teaches us to pray and gives us examples from his word from which to model our prayers including those of adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication. We want prayer to be a natural part of every day and every circumstance. We believe that God hears and answers our prayers as he works out his purposes in our lives and the life of the church.
(Matthew 7:7-11; Ephesians 6:18; Philippians 4:6-7; James 5:13-18)
Outwards.
Witness.
We believe we are called to share our faith and hope in Jesus with others.
We desire to communicate the hope of the gospel to our families, friends, neighbours and colleagues. We want to equip and support every member to give a reason for the hope that they have in Jesus with those in their own sphere of influence. We want to be a welcoming, authentic and accessible community to new followers of Christ and to those who are searching to find him.
Mission.
We desire to be a local church with a global impact.
We aim to express the heart of God, to reach all peoples and cultures in every place with the gospel. We want to inspire, inform, identify and send those who God is calling to serve him in other parts of the world. We want to be a church family that is aware of, prays for, gives to, sends and supports workers in mission across the world.
Community.
At Glenabbey we are committed to living out the gospel through active engagement through our local communities.
We want to demonstrate God’s love for our local communities in practical ways, working alongside gospel partners. By using our gifts and expertise, our finances and facilities we desire to bring tangible benefits to those in our neighbourhoods.
(Isaiah 58:6-7; Matthew 25:35-36; 1 Timothy 6:18; Titus 3:8; Deuteronomy 24:19-22)
Inwards.
Love.
We believe that as members of the church family we are to love one another as Christ loves us.
Love is demonstrated in showing hospitality; giving comfort and encouragement; bringing truth and guidance; offering humility, patience and forgiveness and walking alongside others in their struggles. We are committed to being intentionally involved in the lives of one another so that we are giving and receiving this kind of love on a regular basis.
(John 13:34; Romans 12:10; Galatians 6:2; Ephesians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 4:18; 1 Peter 4:8-9)
Service.
We believe the church is a living active body where every member has a unique and significant part to play.
We desire to see every member using their God-given spiritual gifts and time for the benefit of others. In serving, love should always be our motivation and giving our best should be our goal, in our preparation and our participation. Inactivity is not an option!
Maturity.
We believe we are to pursue maturity in our faith, growing in our devotion to and our likeness of Jesus Christ.
Each member should be growing in their faith through engagement with Bible teaching, training, small-groups, service and regular individual time spent with God. We desire that each individual will continually be growing in their obedience to Jesus and reflecting him more and more in every area of their lives.