Why Do People Need First Church?

I was very encouraged by the open and frank conversation we had yesterday evening, talking about the distinctive qualities of our church and why people need our church in particular. Answering that question will bring us a step closer to discerning what vision God has for us.

Consolidating all the things I heard us say, there seem to be five distinctive qualities that make our church stand out:

1. Our clear, biblical teaching and preaching People can expect that they will encounter biblical truth when the Word of God is proclaimed or discussed in small groups.
2. Our diversity The growing ethnic, racial, and familial diversity making up our Laurel community will see faces at First Church they can identify with.
3. Our small groups People can easily connect with a small group of believers in order to be nurtured and mature as disciples of Jesus Christ.
4. Our young people We highly value children and young people, providing opportunities for them to learn, grow, and serve.
5. Our outreach We continue to develop an outward focus, serving and reaching the spiritual and physical needs of people in our community and beyond.

So far, I think this is a great start... From here, we'll look at our passion, who we can most likely connect with in our community, and how to tailor our distinctive qualities to match and meet the needs of the people in our community who are yet to be disciples of Jesus with us.

I welcome your comments and ideas, too!