We are the Youth Ministry of the Central Christian Church.
Our Church Mission and Vision: We Gather Here to Know God and Make God Known
We Gather Here:
God created us to be in a family. For almost every one of us, our earliest memory is that of belonging to a group of people – father, mother, or siblings. God’s design in creating us within a family environment is for our protection, and for us to learn what love is about. Our happiest memories in life are almost always together with our families or a closely-knit group of friends.
Unfortunately, as we grow up, we lose sight of God’s design and lead lives that are increasingly devoid of love and trust. For many people, days may go by without receiving or giving encouragement, or having a deep heart-to-heart talk with someone who cares about us.
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. (Ephesians 2:19)
Knowing how easy it is for us to lose our hearts, God designed the church to be the household in which we can protect our hearts and feel free to love again.
To Know Him:
The second part of our mission statement is a reflection of our desire to know God and His will. The importance that God places on knowing Him (and His heart) can be seen clearly in many scriptures throughout the bible.
I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart… (Act 13:22)
Thousands of years after David walked this earth, we are still inspired by this shepherd boy turned king who was given the title “a man after God’s own heart”. David had such an intimate relationship with God that it went far beyond that of creator and created. The Psalms written by David show us he greatly desired, pursued, and needed God. It was inevitable that he came to know and understand God and His ways.
As members of God’s family, we are called upon to love Him, first and foremost, with all of our heart, soul, strength and mind (Luke 10:27). In order to love God we must know God. Not just know ‘about’ Him in a purely intellectual way, but to know Him in a personal, heartfelt manner that enables us to have a relationship with Him.
Make God Known:
The third part of our mission statement is to Make God Known. To understand the importance of this, let’s compare the wording found in different versions of Luke 15:20 (part of the Parable of the Lost Son):
And he got up and went to his father. But while he was still far away, his father saw him and was moved with pity for him and went quickly and took him in his arms and gave him a kiss. (Bible in Basic English)
The younger son got up and started back to his father. But when he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt sorry for him. He ran to his son and hugged and kissed him. (Common English Version)
He got right up and went home to his father. When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. (The Message Bible)
And having risen, he went unto his own father, and he being yet far distant, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and having ran he fell upon his neck and kissed him. (Young’s Literal Translation)
No matter what version of the Bible we read, Luke 15 shows us an undeniable truth – that even when someone turns away from the Father, God still welcomes them back with arms opened wide! The passage reveals God’s compassion and His passion. Who is the recipient of this great love? We are! He welcomes us back, as his offspring; with tears, laughter, a great big kiss and hug!
Making God known is a pure alignment of our hearts to His. Using another metaphor, it is like us becoming His eyes, roaming back and forth on the earth, seeking the prodigal sons and daughters who are ready to come home and to receive them in joy.
To Learn More about our Church, please click on our Central Christian Church web link: http://www.seachurchesmedia.org
