Our Vision
Our vision can be summarized with three simple statements: We are a missional church. We are an externally-focused church. We are an equipping church.
Missional
First, we are a missional church. That means we believe that God is at work in the world and that our task is to join him in his mission. He is the one concerned about the lost and the least, about the hungry and the sick, about the lonely and the oppressed. He is doing things to make the world more the way he wants it to be. His Kingdom is growing in the world. Our task as his church is to join him in what he is doing. A missional church studies Scripture to understand more clearly what God is doing. A missional church engages in those things that further the Kingdom of God. We are seeking to be a missional church.
Externally Focused
Second, we are an externally-focused church. Churches too easily focus on what takes place inside the walls, forgetting Jesus’ call to go to those who need to know his love and care in tangible ways. We encourage one another to find places of service outside the walls of the church building to express the love of Christ. Dozens of ministries have emerged at UBC as a result of our decision to focus externally.
Equipping
Third, we are an equipping church. We believe that every member is a missionary, a minister, and a priest. We have spiritual gifts, heart or passion for some need in the world, abilities we have developed, unique personalities, and a variety of life experiences. These factors come together in each of us as our unique SHAPE for ministry. We believe it is the role of the congregation to equip its members to do ministry in the church and in the world.
Our Values
We are pursuing our vision of being a missional, externally-focused, equipping church with three important values in mind: compassion, hope, and service.
Compassion
We value compassion. Compassion is the concrete expression of God’s love for human hurts in the world. The church is called, like Jesus, to express the compassion of God. Judgmentalism, fear, and indifference have no place in the church. We believe that every person we meet is someone created in God’s image and someone for whom Christ died. Human hurts and needs attract our attention as opportunities to join the compassionate God in what he is doing in the world.
Hope
We value hope. We want to be able to offer concrete responses to human hurts and needs, not mere pious feelings. We want to find ways to make life different for people who are trapped in their poverty or who are struggling with family issues in the midst of their affluence. We want to make a difference in the life of our community and other communities to which God calls us. We want to be able to offer hope.
Service
We value service. We encourage people to find places of service. We help to equip people to serve. We provide opportunities for service. We believe that serving Christ by serving others is not merely optional for disciples of Jesus. We value service because it is the call of Jesus to those who follow him.