Our Core Values
1. It’s not all about me.
This value may be the most difficult to see adopted by newcomers to Lifesong Church. Our constant battle with selfishness will attack this value more than any other. Each of us is tempted to focus on our own spiritual needs and the needs of our families when choosing a church. Lifesong Church must remain focused on those not yet reached - not on ourselves. This will require great sacrifice and self-denial in order to continue to do the things that make us effective in reaching the unchurched. (Luke 9:23)
2. The Bible is the foundation for all we are.
While the worship, evangelism and ministry methods of LifeSong will be non-traditional and “new” to many, the message and principles that guide us are as old as Scripture. Our task is to present the unchangeable truth of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus to an ever-changing culture in a relevant and meaningful way. Our decisions, priorities and polity must be dictated by the Word of God and not the will of man. (Acts 4:12)
3. People matter most to God.
Buildings, programs, and traditions are not why Christ died on the Cross. People matter most to God and must matter most to LifeSong Church. Our goal is to create an atmosphere of grace and compassion which conveys the love of God to each person who comes through our doors. Our facilities should be a tool for fulfilling our mission, not a monument or obstacle to that mission. Programs which grow inefficient or cease to have purpose should be changed or replaced without hesitation. (1 Cor. 6:19)
4. Jesus died for all people.
LifeSong Church was unashamedly established to reach a “target audience” – the unchurched young adults of the Ashland area. However, we will endeavor to share the Gospel with people of all ages and with all ethnic and socioeconomic groups because we believe that every person is in need of salvation and that Christ died for all people. (Rom. 6:23; Rom. 1:16)
5. Our lifelong goal is to be more like Him.
None of us are perfect – we all battle with temptations, addictions and selfishness. At LifeSong Church you will encounter a group of people who are “still working on it”. But in spite of our weaknesses, it is our lifelong goal to grow in our faith and become more like Christ – to think, talk and act as Jesus would have us to.
6. Every member is a minister.
Every believer has a purpose and a place at LifeSong Church. God has gifted us both physically and spiritually with unique abilities that can and should be used to serve others. Our normal spiritual development should result in a desire to discover our purposes and share in the ministries God has called us to do. Our dream is to equip every believer with the tools to discover his or her purposes and become actively involved rather than develop a congregation that is solely dependent on its staff. (1 Cor. 12)
7. We follow HIS lead.
The story of Israel’s exodus from Egypt towards the Promised Land shows us that the will of God cannot always be discerned by a majority vote! We believe that the New Testament pattern of church government is, indeed, congregational government. It was not, however, the micromanagement process used by most churches today. The New Testament describes the prominent role of the church in selecting and setting aside its leaders and then committing to follow God’s leadership through them. Our desire is to empower the elected leaders, committees and staff of LifeSong Church to lead in the direction that they sense the Holy Spirit is directing this church. (Acts 6; 15:36-41)
8. We strive for excellence but not extravagance.
We are keenly aware that every opportunity we have to present the Gospel to an unchurched seeker may be our last. We cannot afford to allow our negligence or complacency to hinder the communication of our message. Therefore we commit ourselves to carry out our ministries with the greatest skill and effort possible. We covenant together to be prepared for each task we undertake and to offer our service to God as a form of our worship to Him. (Col. 3:23; Rom 12: 1-2)
This value may be the most difficult to see adopted by newcomers to Lifesong Church. Our constant battle with selfishness will attack this value more than any other. Each of us is tempted to focus on our own spiritual needs and the needs of our families when choosing a church. Lifesong Church must remain focused on those not yet reached - not on ourselves. This will require great sacrifice and self-denial in order to continue to do the things that make us effective in reaching the unchurched. (Luke 9:23)
2. The Bible is the foundation for all we are.
While the worship, evangelism and ministry methods of LifeSong will be non-traditional and “new” to many, the message and principles that guide us are as old as Scripture. Our task is to present the unchangeable truth of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus to an ever-changing culture in a relevant and meaningful way. Our decisions, priorities and polity must be dictated by the Word of God and not the will of man. (Acts 4:12)
3. People matter most to God.
Buildings, programs, and traditions are not why Christ died on the Cross. People matter most to God and must matter most to LifeSong Church. Our goal is to create an atmosphere of grace and compassion which conveys the love of God to each person who comes through our doors. Our facilities should be a tool for fulfilling our mission, not a monument or obstacle to that mission. Programs which grow inefficient or cease to have purpose should be changed or replaced without hesitation. (1 Cor. 6:19)
4. Jesus died for all people.
LifeSong Church was unashamedly established to reach a “target audience” – the unchurched young adults of the Ashland area. However, we will endeavor to share the Gospel with people of all ages and with all ethnic and socioeconomic groups because we believe that every person is in need of salvation and that Christ died for all people. (Rom. 6:23; Rom. 1:16)
5. Our lifelong goal is to be more like Him.
None of us are perfect – we all battle with temptations, addictions and selfishness. At LifeSong Church you will encounter a group of people who are “still working on it”. But in spite of our weaknesses, it is our lifelong goal to grow in our faith and become more like Christ – to think, talk and act as Jesus would have us to.
6. Every member is a minister.
Every believer has a purpose and a place at LifeSong Church. God has gifted us both physically and spiritually with unique abilities that can and should be used to serve others. Our normal spiritual development should result in a desire to discover our purposes and share in the ministries God has called us to do. Our dream is to equip every believer with the tools to discover his or her purposes and become actively involved rather than develop a congregation that is solely dependent on its staff. (1 Cor. 12)
7. We follow HIS lead.
The story of Israel’s exodus from Egypt towards the Promised Land shows us that the will of God cannot always be discerned by a majority vote! We believe that the New Testament pattern of church government is, indeed, congregational government. It was not, however, the micromanagement process used by most churches today. The New Testament describes the prominent role of the church in selecting and setting aside its leaders and then committing to follow God’s leadership through them. Our desire is to empower the elected leaders, committees and staff of LifeSong Church to lead in the direction that they sense the Holy Spirit is directing this church. (Acts 6; 15:36-41)
8. We strive for excellence but not extravagance.
We are keenly aware that every opportunity we have to present the Gospel to an unchurched seeker may be our last. We cannot afford to allow our negligence or complacency to hinder the communication of our message. Therefore we commit ourselves to carry out our ministries with the greatest skill and effort possible. We covenant together to be prepared for each task we undertake and to offer our service to God as a form of our worship to Him. (Col. 3:23; Rom 12: 1-2)