OUR PURPOSE
LOVE - GROW - SEND
LOVE
We LOVE GOD because He first loved us, because it is the great command "LOVE the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and LOVE others"
We LOVE PEOPLE like Jesus taught us, as "I have LOVED you"
GROW
We help people GROW into who God has called them to be
We GROW because it is Jesus' great commission - make disciples
SEND
We SEND people into their communities because Jesus taught us to GO
We SEND people and resources into all the world
We LOVE GOD because He first loved us, because it is the great command "LOVE the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and LOVE others"
We LOVE PEOPLE like Jesus taught us, as "I have LOVED you"
GROW
We help people GROW into who God has called them to be
We GROW because it is Jesus' great commission - make disciples
SEND
We SEND people into their communities because Jesus taught us to GO
We SEND people and resources into all the world
OUR VALUES
WORD & SPIRIT
Radically Committed to the middle ground. Traditionally the words evangelical (word based) and Pentecostal/charismatic (Spirit Powered) have defined difference. We don’t see it that way, we can be committed to both Word & Spirit, in fact, we are devoted to Jesus in Word and Spirit. Encountering Jesus in the Word and applying the Word to our lives. There is no person, ability or resource as powerful to change the human heart as the anointed word of God – that’s why it’s our priority. It’s Word and Spirit – expressed through the demonstration of the fruits and gifts of the Spirit.
COME & SEE Evangelism
Jesus heartbeat is for all who are lost – and so is ours. We want everything we do to connect people to Jesus. We believe in moments but also a process. We have programs but only if they support people and relationships. We pray because God is the one who softens hearts and we pray for the Holy Spirit to help us speak and act with clarity. What we are building is a culture – a shared emotion – a shared commitment – where everything connects the lost to Jesus.
Phillip said to Nathaniel – come and see
The woman at the well said to her whole community – come and see
VALUE ALL PEOPLE
Love, Acceptance & Forgiveness have been at the heart and soul of C3 Burwood since it’s very beginnings. Regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or any other point of difference – all people are valued by God and by us. Church is the Body of Christ – and every part of the body is important for the body to flourish. That means we value and invest in all generations and from all backgrounds so that the church can flourish both now and into the future.
DEVELOP & SEND PEOPLE
All are called to His mission, and all parts of the body are required for the body to flourish, to grow, and to work effectively. Jesus spent time with His disciples to develop them, to shape their God given talents and abilities for the sake of the great commission expressed here as Loving, Growing and Sending People. It is our goal to help people find their unique calling and empower them to do it. Being Sent can mean within the church, it can mean in the workplace, it can mean to the local community, and it can mean being sent to start new communities of faith in all kinds of places.
GENEROSITY
For God so loved the world that He gave, and we are called, as His image bearers in the world in our time, to the same. Generosity is a lifestyle and not just a moment – everything we do, we do generously to reflect God’s glory, capacity and reputation
DYNAMIC
The message stays the same – but the METHOD needs to be dynamic. The world is constantly changing. We change so we remain relevant. Our desire is to be innovative agents of change in the world we live. Our structures are flexible and dynamic to serve the growth of the church and our style is current so we can connect with people. We write and play new songs. We structure for the new and we live in the moment. We love the time we live in because it’s where God has placed us.
TEAMS
Teams are about doing things with one heart and one mind. The synergy and creativity that the Spirit of God brings to a team is an incredible force. It’s the most effective, sustainable and fun way to do ministry. God has gifted everyone with ability and has called everyone to be part of His church, His team. All of our ministry is done through teams committed to Loving, Growing & Sending. JESUS, our model, lead teams to do ministry.
LOVE CHURCH
The local church is the hope of the world – a community of people in dwelt by the Spirit of God, gathered together in unity for the cause of Christ. Jesus loves the church – and we do too. We are committed to building the church. It’s an exciting place where people encounter Jesus through worship, word and people. It’s a place where people grow and are equipped to live life fully alive to God and empowered to represent Christ in the world. Love is a DECISION and subsequent ACTIVITY that BENEFITS the OTHER at MY OWN COST – this is how we love the church – we first decide to, and then we participate in activity that benefits the church.
UNITY
Jesus prayed that the Church would be ONE like He and the Father are ONE… This is Jesus’ own passion – that His church would be united! There is no biblical basis for disunity in the body of Christ. We recognize that unity is hard – but we believe that Jesus calls us to walk through the narrow gate in this – and to live, as much as it is up to us, in peace. We won’t always get this right, but it’s what we’re aiming for!
TRANSPARENCY
Jesus preached that your yes be yes, and your no be no. He was calling His people to a kind of honesty that is without hypocrisy. We’re trying to live that way too. So we keep our processes, our financial management, our agendas all out in the open. We report regularly and openly to the church – after all, we’re all in this together!
Radically Committed to the middle ground. Traditionally the words evangelical (word based) and Pentecostal/charismatic (Spirit Powered) have defined difference. We don’t see it that way, we can be committed to both Word & Spirit, in fact, we are devoted to Jesus in Word and Spirit. Encountering Jesus in the Word and applying the Word to our lives. There is no person, ability or resource as powerful to change the human heart as the anointed word of God – that’s why it’s our priority. It’s Word and Spirit – expressed through the demonstration of the fruits and gifts of the Spirit.
COME & SEE Evangelism
Jesus heartbeat is for all who are lost – and so is ours. We want everything we do to connect people to Jesus. We believe in moments but also a process. We have programs but only if they support people and relationships. We pray because God is the one who softens hearts and we pray for the Holy Spirit to help us speak and act with clarity. What we are building is a culture – a shared emotion – a shared commitment – where everything connects the lost to Jesus.
Phillip said to Nathaniel – come and see
The woman at the well said to her whole community – come and see
VALUE ALL PEOPLE
Love, Acceptance & Forgiveness have been at the heart and soul of C3 Burwood since it’s very beginnings. Regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or any other point of difference – all people are valued by God and by us. Church is the Body of Christ – and every part of the body is important for the body to flourish. That means we value and invest in all generations and from all backgrounds so that the church can flourish both now and into the future.
DEVELOP & SEND PEOPLE
All are called to His mission, and all parts of the body are required for the body to flourish, to grow, and to work effectively. Jesus spent time with His disciples to develop them, to shape their God given talents and abilities for the sake of the great commission expressed here as Loving, Growing and Sending People. It is our goal to help people find their unique calling and empower them to do it. Being Sent can mean within the church, it can mean in the workplace, it can mean to the local community, and it can mean being sent to start new communities of faith in all kinds of places.
GENEROSITY
For God so loved the world that He gave, and we are called, as His image bearers in the world in our time, to the same. Generosity is a lifestyle and not just a moment – everything we do, we do generously to reflect God’s glory, capacity and reputation
DYNAMIC
The message stays the same – but the METHOD needs to be dynamic. The world is constantly changing. We change so we remain relevant. Our desire is to be innovative agents of change in the world we live. Our structures are flexible and dynamic to serve the growth of the church and our style is current so we can connect with people. We write and play new songs. We structure for the new and we live in the moment. We love the time we live in because it’s where God has placed us.
TEAMS
Teams are about doing things with one heart and one mind. The synergy and creativity that the Spirit of God brings to a team is an incredible force. It’s the most effective, sustainable and fun way to do ministry. God has gifted everyone with ability and has called everyone to be part of His church, His team. All of our ministry is done through teams committed to Loving, Growing & Sending. JESUS, our model, lead teams to do ministry.
LOVE CHURCH
The local church is the hope of the world – a community of people in dwelt by the Spirit of God, gathered together in unity for the cause of Christ. Jesus loves the church – and we do too. We are committed to building the church. It’s an exciting place where people encounter Jesus through worship, word and people. It’s a place where people grow and are equipped to live life fully alive to God and empowered to represent Christ in the world. Love is a DECISION and subsequent ACTIVITY that BENEFITS the OTHER at MY OWN COST – this is how we love the church – we first decide to, and then we participate in activity that benefits the church.
UNITY
Jesus prayed that the Church would be ONE like He and the Father are ONE… This is Jesus’ own passion – that His church would be united! There is no biblical basis for disunity in the body of Christ. We recognize that unity is hard – but we believe that Jesus calls us to walk through the narrow gate in this – and to live, as much as it is up to us, in peace. We won’t always get this right, but it’s what we’re aiming for!
TRANSPARENCY
Jesus preached that your yes be yes, and your no be no. He was calling His people to a kind of honesty that is without hypocrisy. We’re trying to live that way too. So we keep our processes, our financial management, our agendas all out in the open. We report regularly and openly to the church – after all, we’re all in this together!