LEADERSHIP / VALUES / BELIEFS

Statement of Faith and Purpose

We believe there is one living and true God, revealed to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God is the personal Being, Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of all creation. We believe that we are created by God in His own image and endowed with freedom of choice. Because of this freedom we sin, and only the grace of God can bring us into His holy fellowship. We believe Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, the one Mediator through whom we are reconciled to God. We believe the Holy Bible is the inspired work of God and is the basis for any statement of faith.

Therefore, accepting the Bible as the sole authority for faith and practice, and acknowledging adherence to the teachings of Jesus Christ, we declare our purpose: to be a dynamic spiritual body empowered by the Holy Spirit to share Christ with as many people as possible; to maintain regular services for devotional and public worship; to promote and advance Christ’s Kingdom through prayer, gifts, and service; and to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ in our daily living.

Our  M.I.D.D.L.E.B.U.R.G.   Core Values

“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” Matthew 16:18

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. Matthew 28:19-20

M issions-Minded: We believe Acts 1:8 applies to our church and the world today. We believe that we are to intentionally bring the message of Christ to our families, community, county, state and the world. (Matt 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Romans 10:13-14; Acts 1:8)

I nspiring Worship Services: We look for God’s love in our lives as the evidence that we have been truly worshipping Him. We celebrate together with great music, lighting, videos, Biblical teaching and prayer. We believe that our worship services should includes stewardship, servanthood, humility, and choosing “God’s ways” over our own. (1 Kings 11:4; Phil 2:1–11; 2 Cor 8:7; John 4:24; Psalm 100:4)

D isciples Making Disciples: Because any organization, especially churches, tend to become more complex over time, we will always value a clear and simple process to accomplish our Disciple making vision. (Matt 28:18; Luke 10:25-28)

D evoted to Prayer: We believe the church should be passionate about prayer for our personal lives, our families, community and our world. We believe that prayer is essential to everything we do. Not only does God command us to prayer but promises to listen when we do. (Col 4:2; Luke 1:37; Psalm 18:6; Phil 4:6; James 5:16)

L ove toward Outsiders: We believe irreligious, non-Christian people deeply matter to God! Therefore, we will plan our service environments expecting non-believers present. Our desire is to introduce everyone to Jesus Christ.

We hope that visitors and guests may feel that our service was appealing, engaging and helpful to them as well. In all our relationships, we want to earn the right to be heard by those who feel like they are “outsiders” to church. (Luke 5:30-32; Luke 15; Matthew 18:14)

E veryone Ministers: MBC will be led by men and women using their leadership and spiritual gifts in our church. This includes the concepts of unity, servanthood, spiritual gifts, and ministry callings. We do not believe that the paid pastoral staff is to solely do the work of the ministry. (1 Cor 12 & 14; Rom 12; Eph 4; Psalm 133:1; Neh 1–2; Acts 6:2–5)

B ible-Centered: We believe that the Bible is the inerrant revelation of God’s will to us and has the power to transform people’s individual lives. The Bible is taught with the expectation that it can be applied to our lives immediately. As we apply the Bible to our lives, we will look and act more like Jesus Christ. (Rom 12:7; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; James 1:23–25)

U nity In our Church: It’s paramount to the mission of the church to maintain the unity of God’s people. God desires that his church be unified, acknowledging and practicing the equal value of all members of the body. It is impossible for the church to accomplish its mission if each part of the body is not unified and of the same heart and mind. (1 Cor 1:10-17; I Cor 12:12-27; Phil 2:1-4 and 1 Peter 4:10)

R each the Next Generation: We exist to reach our community and the next generation for Christ. The next generation includes 20-somethings; teen; children to nursery ages. We believe that ministries to children and teenagers should be given high priority. We’re committed to making MBC a safe place for reaching, encouraging and developing the youth of our area for Christ. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)

G rowing Together in Groups: We believe life-change happens best in the context of small groups. This includes the concepts of discipleship, vulnerability, and accountability with one another. We believe each and every person should be involved in a small group which meet at the church, in homes, through service together and throughout the community. (Luke 6:12–13; Acts 2:44–47)