Look up

• Receive God's gracious love in Word and sacrament.
• Make a joyful noise to Him in praise and prayer.

Look around

• Support one another in study, service and sharing.
• Value one another as unique gifts of God.

Look outward

• Be a living testimony to Christ our Savior.
• Share God's love in the world around us by word and deed.

What a person sees is dependent on his focus of attention. How clearly they see is dependent on their vision. Vision and focus determine our course of action.

Jesus calls us as His Church into action when He commands us to "Go into all the world and make disciples". If we are going to fulfill that calling, we need a clear vision and a right focus.

As Christians, we know that our first focus is up - toward our Living Lord. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we clearly see the One who loves us with "no strings attached". Transformed by that love, we look at the world around us differently. We look at things through the eyes of Christ and that vision enables us to see beyond ourselves to the world around us.

We look around and see brothers and sisters in Christ who share our vision of a loving Savior. We see that my Father is our Father. Our vision is one of a Body made up of many different parts under the direction and care of the same Head - Jesus Christ.

Bound together in Christ, we are enabled to look outward, beyond the Church, to the world around us. Like Jesus, that vision moves us to compassion as we see those living in despair and darkness. That compassion moves us into action. As members of the Body of Christ, we seek to be Jesus to those around us, serving their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs. We want to make disciples who can look up...enabling them to look around...moving them to look outward.

MESSIAH'S VISON STATEMENT: impacting the community for Christ by growing families through God's Word.

Our Vision Statement further clarifies how the Mission Statement can impact the community among whom the Messiah family live, play and work.

Key concepts in that Vision Statement are:

Impacting - an intentionally strong word: it states an outreach passion

The Community - here's where our focus is

For Christ ... through God's Word - this is our perspective and means or source

Growing families - this further defines both our target and our method. We want to help families grow in spirit, in unity, in communication, in service and in purpose.

MESSIAH'S CORE VALUES: the parameters through which we seek to realize the Vision and fulfill the Mission.

Christ-centered

Dependent on God's Word

Spirit-led (decisions saturated with prayer; leaders called to make prayer and meditation, along with Bible study, a priority so as to "have the mind of Christ.")

Life-long Discipling (life-long learning and classes that enable it)

Discipled to Disciple (we value spiritual growth so as to help others grow)

Outward Directed Mentality (our church exists, not to serve its own needs, but the needs of others)

Serving that is Gift and Interest Sinsitive (no square pegs in round holes)

Every Member Valued (no special interest groups that dominate)