Here are some philosophy of ministry principles which guide us.
- We must teach and learn all of the Bible. Learning Genesis to Revelation ensures you learn doctrines in the proportion in which God revealed them.
- Self-called leadership is unhealthy at best, and extremely damaging at worst. Calling is everything.
- God does not call the equipped, but equips the called.
- God is the initiator and we are the responders. Legalism teaches we are the initiators and God is the responder.
- You cannot make people worship through coercion or guilt; if it is not happening between them and God, you can’t change that.
- The purpose of the church gathering is to make disciples; it is not primarily for unbelievers, though the Gospel should be preached.
- Disciples are made through called Leadership putting the church in its intended condition (equipping) and body using their spiritual gifts. These are the pillars of disciple-making.
- The immutable biblical Template for all churches is Acts 2:42-47, Acts 1:8, and Matthew 28:19-20. No Leader is free to re-define, nor leave the Template.
- Where God guides, God provides. We allow the Holy Spirit to shape His ministry by whom He's provided with their corresponding Gifts.
- Biblical ministry is better "caught" than taught.
- All motivation for all real ministry is exclusively provided by the Holy Spirit directly to the one who is ministering.
- Dying or dead churches exhibit various degrees of inward focus, a lack of prayer, love of self, a lack of dependence on the Spirit, a lack of concern for the lost, and an unhealthy love for church tradition.
- It's Jesus's Church and He said He would build it. We build it up, but Jesus builds it.
- God is not broke. It is wrong when people beg for money and say, “Without your financial support this ministry can’t continue”. If that’s true, then it’s not a ministry.
- There is nothing wrong with the Harvest Field; the problem is a lack of workers.
- The starting place for ministry is being F.A.T. (faithful, available, and teachable).
- "Blessed are the flexible, for they will not be broken" - Pastor Chuck Smith