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Our DNA
Every leader who takes their culture seriously will name that which matters most. This expression of “values,” if not called “values,” will then be articulated. Some call it the “code” and others “our heart,” or maybe even “plumb lines.” It is not a way to determine what is “good” or what is “bad.” Rather it helps our church leadership prioritize between the many good options that are available. We do not have limitless time and resources. As a result, we need the “DNA” to help us prioritize where we spend our time, our talents and our treasures.
 The “DNA” are organizational proverbs, a list of pithy saying that describe clearly and concisely what we value and what we expect our ministry leaders to think through when making ministry decisions. The “DNA” doesn’t represent the only way to do ministry. It does represent our way of doing ministry. If a potential leader can’t agree with or doesn’t want to align to our “DNA,” that does not make them a bad person. But it does make placing them in a position of leadership a bad decision. Thus the “Grace Church DNA” is how we articulate our value and our deepest guiding principles.
The Grace Church DNA
1. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost - Therefore we will give top priority to, we will provide
time, space and funding for those ministries which reach unchurched people … that
share with them the Gospel … that equip them with Biblical principles and add them
to the church.
2. It’s All About God’s Word -
Therefore, each ministry of the church will give top priority to the preaching,
teaching and application of the Bible.
3. Jesus said we are to make disciples - Therefore we will make it priority to equip and enable
all mature believers to have a “Timothy” which they are mentoring and in which they
are reproducing the life of Christ.
4. Real ministry takes place in small groups - A crowd is not a church. It’s impossible for the Biblical
“one another’s” to be lived out in a large group setting dominated by casual acquaintances.
Therefore, the success of our ministry will be determined by the number of people
we have in small groups, not the number of people who attend our Sunday service.
5. We Need Your Seat – We will not cater to personal
preference in our mission to reach this city. We are more concerned with the people
we are trying to reach than the people we are trying to keep.
Grace Church DNA for Missions
1. Everyone needs Jesus. Since no one comes to the Father except through Jesus,
we will give top priority to ministries and missions that actually bring people
to Christ rather than those that focus solely on meeting physical needs.
2. All people are of equal value in the sight of God. Therefore, we will give top priority to ministries
and missions where the harvest and return on investment is greatest. We will seek
cluck for our buck.
3. The local church is God’s Plan A. There is no Plan
B. Therefore, we will give top priority to ministries and
missions that either plant churches or build up existing local churches.
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