Our core values are what identify and unite us as a church, as well as articulate what kind of church we desire to be. Allawah Community Church seeks to be identified with the following seven core values:
We Are Bible-Based
God has chosen to reveal Himself to us by His word. The Bible is God’s revelation of Himself, our world and our place in it. We therefore seek to read, learn, teach and submit to the Scriptures. The Bible is not a truth amongst other truths, but the perfect truth of God.
We Are Christ-Centred
The head of the church is Jesus (Ephesians 1:22). He plants the church (Hebrews 3:1), leads the church (Colossians 1:18), loves the church (Ephesians 5), builds the church (Matthew 16:18), rules the church (Colossians 2:9), redeemed the church (Galatians 3:10–14), is present with the church (Matthew 28:18–20) and purifies the church (Ephesians 5). Jesus is to be central in our worship, in our prayers and preaching, in our singing and weeping, in our living and in our dying. We’re committed to being a community where people can know Jesus and make Jesus known.
We Are Mission-Minded
In addition to bringing people to Christ we also want to be sent out with Christ. We take Jesus seriously when He said, “as the Father has sent me so I send you” (John 20:21).
Mission is therefore not reserved for just a selected few, but a privileged responsibility we all share in reaching people in our city, country and even overseas, with the gospel. Our role is to love, pray and declare. God’s role is to equip us for those tasks, provide opportunities and awaken hearts to the gospel.
We Are Disciple-Developing
Jesus’ disciples were ordinary men and women who left everything to ‘follow Jesus’ (Mark 1:18). In Mark’s gospel alone there are 10 instances of people who were so struck by Jesus’ message and ministry that they left everything and ‘followed Him’. Being a disciple is thus ‘to follow’. And so, as we follow Jesus personally, likewise as the gathered body of Christ, we must be committed to disciple–developing. We are to be disciples of Jesus, who disciple others towards maturity in Christ.
We Are Sacrficial-Servants
Our motivation for serving is because Jesus Christ came to serve us. Mark 10:45 says that "...even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Jesus loved us and served us by giving his life for us, and so we want to follow his example by serving others in our church and in our community. This will involve rolling up your sleeves and getting to work within the various ministries and activities of the church. At times, this service will be sacrificial in that it will require your time, energy and resources, but it is ultimately for God's glory, for your joy and for the building up of others (Ephesians 4:12).
We Are Generous-Givers
We believe that we are called to give (Proverbs 3:9, 2 Corinthians 9:7), and that as people of faith, we are to give faithfully and generously (1 Timothy 6:18). As followers of Jesus, we believe his words in Acts 20:35 where he said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
We have a tremendous opportunity to proclaim the gospel by giving generously. Giving invigorates our devotion to Christ and frees us from the tyranny of consumerism. It provides an outlet for compassion and allows us to proclaim His sufficiency and provision. The Bible also calls us to do good to all people (Galatians 6:10). ‘Doing good’ includes the giving of practical aid to people who need food, shelter and financial help.
We Are Spirit-Saturated
The Holy Spirit is a person (John 16:13) and an equal member of the Trinity (1 Corinthians 3:16). Jesus ministered in the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:14) and promised to give the Spirit to His disciples (John 16:7). The promised gift of the Holy Spirit was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1).
All believers are ‘indwelt by the Holy Spirit’ (1 Corinthians 3; Ephesians 1:13). The Spirit convicts (John 16:8–11), renews (John 3; 1 Corinthians 2:14), illuminates (John 14:25), transforms (Galatians 5), gifts (1 Corinthians 12) and empowers us for lives of worship (John 14).