Truth
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, nobody comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus embodies all that is true, his teachings lead us into all truth, and it is that truth that will transform lives and introduce people to the greatest joy and peace there is. This value goes against much of what western society stands for today (ie. Tolerance and relativism), but we trust that God and his word are still true. We see daily that submitting to God’s word brings healing to marriages, joy to the depressed, peace to the overwhelmed, and understanding to the lost. While we do not compromise on what we believe is true, it is our hope and prayer that we are not inconsiderate or harsh in how we communicate God’s perfect word. Scripture teaches that we should speak truth in love, Jesus told his disciples to be as wise as snakes and as innocent as doves. We believe those teachings from the Bible are true so we’re doing all we can to obediently apply them. Jesus says to a group of men, as recorded in John 8:31, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Prayer
Time and again we see Jesus step away to spend time in prayer by himself, he valued time away with God his Father. Prayer is one of the primary ways we are able to stay in relationship with God, he provides direction for daily living and he works for us in ways that we cannot imagine. Prayer will forever be a mystery in the minds of all people, it is the behavior that allows our eternal souls to engage the eternal creator, and through it God does amazing things. At FAC we take seriously the idea taught in scripture to, “pray without ceasing.” We see the fruit of prayer and when we don’t see the fruit we trust God is working in the way that he knows is best. We commit to pray for one another, for our corporate Church, for our communities, families, friends, and missionaries around the world. Whether we’re in a season of waiting or a season of harvest, we will continue to sow seeds in prayer trusting that God will make them grow in his perfect timing.
Discipleship
Our value of discipleship flows out of our time in God’s word and prayer. The Holy Spirit is always sending followers of Jesus out into the world to make disciples. Discipleship is the process of journeying alongside of another person in pursuit of Jesus. In 2 Timothy 2:2 Paul says, “what you have heard from me entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” That is a beautiful model of discipleship! At FAC we desire to raise up men and women who can lead others. Discipleship is the primary tool for maturity in Christ and leadership development. There is no greater privilege in this life than to have the opportunity to journey alongside of someone who has responded to the good news of Jesus. It is our goal to maintain a culture of discipleship where all believers are actively engaged with one another as they share life and actively seek after Jesus together.
Worship
At FAC we love to gather together and worship Jesus, we trust this will be evident to all who join us on Sunday mornings. While we enjoy worshiping with instruments and voice, we also recognize that God has designed all creation to worship him. Because people have been created in the image of God we have been given the amazing opportunity to live in such a way that our entire lives worship God. Romans 12:1 says, “present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, this is your spiritual act of worship.” It is when we surrender our entire lives to Jesus that we enter into the worship that God most desires. One role of the church is that we help each other live lives of worship. We learn to lead in business in ways that please God, we vacation in ways that please God, we spend our weekends in ways that please God, we handle our marriages and parenting in ways that please God – all of life is to be an act of worship. We take great joy in worship and we hope to help others discover to joy that comes from worshiping Jesus.
Mission
We believe God is always on the move. Acts 1:8 is at the core of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, it says, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” From the beginning of time God has been on a mission to see people come to himself, it is our desire to be actively engaged in God’s mission locally, regionally, and globally. Beyond equipping and mobilizing people in our church to participate in God’s mission right here in rural Ohio, we also have strategic partnerships with workers around the world who are living in areas with very little access to the gospel.
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If you want to know more about our vision and mission do not hesitate to ask. If you have a desire to know more about the Christian faith or the person of Jesus, we would love to talk with you about some introductory options we have for new believers or those exploring the faith. If you’re already a follower of Jesus who wants to grow stronger in faith, or if you’re looking for a place to live completely for Jesus as you participate in the mission of God, we’re praying that you will join us if it doesn’t require you to leave a healthy church community. We are excited about what God is doing through his Church in rural Ohio and through our network of missionaries who are working around the world.