What are the core values of a church? I’ve always wondered what that meant. I’ve been to several churches in my life and none of them ever talked about core values. I do remember one thing they talked about a lot though: doing what was right. I never really knew what that meant either, but everyone else seemed to have an opinion. Read more on christian church core values and how to write church core values.
Every church, ministry, or organization needs core values. For the audience of this blog, I would like to focus on the core values of a church. Without core values, an organization has no way of truly explaining who they are and what they stand for. A church needs a clear set of beliefs that every member can agree on; otherwise members won’t know how to act in front of non-members or in times when their beliefs differ from the church’s.
Core Values of a Church
Section 1: Core Values of a Church
What are the core values of a church? How do they impact the life of a Christian community? Let’s explore these questions by diving into the core values of a church and understanding their significance in light of the Bible.
Christian Church Core Values
The core values of a Christian church are the guiding principles and beliefs that shape its identity and mission. They are derived from the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Scriptures, and they form the foundation of the church’s ministry and outreach.
In the Bible, we find numerous references to the core values that a church should embody. For example, in Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus commissions his disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything he commanded. This passage highlights the core values of evangelism, baptism, and discipleship.
Another core value emphasized in Acts 2:42-47 is the fellowship of believers. The early church devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. They shared their possessions, cared for one another, and worshiped together. These principles of community and unity are fundamental to the core values of a healthy church.
Importance of Core Values in Church
The core values of a church are essential in defining its purpose, shaping its ministry, and guiding its members. They provide a framework for decision-making, help maintain unity, and ensure the church stays grounded in its biblical mission.
By clearly articulating and living out its core values, a church creates a vibrant and thriving community of believers who are committed to fulfilling the Great Commission. It enables individuals to align their lives with the teachings of Jesus and actively participate in the church’s vision and mission.
Furthermore, having well-defined core values helps a church maintain a strong sense of identity, especially in an ever-changing world. They serve as a compass that keeps the church centered on its calling, even in the face of cultural pressures or trends.
Core Values of a Healthy Church
What are the core values that characterize a healthy church? While the specific values may vary from one church to another, there are some common elements that can be found in vibrant and thriving Christian communities.
One of the core values of a healthy church is worship. In John 4:23-24, Jesus tells the Samaritan woman that true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth. Therefore, a healthy church prioritizes genuine worship that exalts God and leads believers to encounter His presence.
Another essential core value for a healthy church is the teaching and preaching of the Word of God. In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Paul affirms the Scriptures as the inspired and authoritative Word of God, capable of equipping God’s people for every good work. A healthy church holds biblical teaching in high regard and strives to ensure sound doctrine is proclaimed.
Additionally, a healthy church values fellowship and discipleship. Acts 2:42 highlights the importance of believers meeting together, sharing their lives, and growing in their faith as they are equipped by the apostles’ teaching. A church that promotes genuine community and discipleship is better equipped to reach out to the world and make a lasting impact.
Section 2: Church Core Values Worksheet
Are you looking to develop or review the core values of your church? This worksheet will guide you through the process of identifying and defining the core values that reflect your church’s mission and beliefs.
Below is a step-by-step process to help you create a church core values worksheet:
- Prayerfully Reflect: Seek God’s guidance and wisdom as you embark on this process. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you uncover the core values that align with His Word and the mission of your church.
- Engage in Biblical Study: Explore relevant Scripture passages that highlight the core values of a church. Take notes and reflect on how these values can be integrated into your own church’s identity.
- Evaluate Your Church’s Current Practices: Assess your church’s existing practices, programs, and activities. Identify the values that are already being lived out and those that need to be cultivated.
- Brainstorm and Prioritize: Engage the leadership and members of your church in a brainstorming session to generate a list of potential core values. Once you have a comprehensive list, prioritize them based on their importance and relevance to your church’s mission.
- Define and Describe: For each core value, create a clear and concise definition that captures its essence. Describe how this value impacts the life of your church and the individuals within it.
- Share and Seek Consensus: Present the proposed core values to the church community for feedback and discussion. Seek consensus and revise as necessary to ensure alignment with the church’s vision and mission.
- Implement and Embed: Integrate the core values into the fabric of your church’s life. Ensure they are communicated, modeled, and consistently reflected in the church’s worship, teaching, ministries, and relationships.
Section 3: Ministry Core Values
How do core values shape the ministry of a church? The core values embraced by a church directly influence the focus and direction of its various ministries. Let’s explore how a church’s ministry core values impact its service to the community and the world.
One of the essential ministry core values is compassion, which is exemplified in Jesus’ ministry on earth. In Matthew 9:36, the Bible says that Jesus had compassion on the crowds because they were like sheep without a shepherd. A church that values compassion seeks to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of those in its community.
Another critical ministry core value is discipleship. In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus commands his followers to make disciples of all nations. A church that prioritizes discipleship seeks to equip believers to grow in their faith, develop their gifts and abilities, and actively participate in the mission of God.
Furthermore, a ministry core value that should not be overlooked is servant leadership. In Mark 10:45, Jesus states that he came not to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many. A church that embraces servant leadership values humility, selflessness, and a willingness to serve others with love and compassion.
Section 4: RCCG Core Values and Creating Church Core Values
The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) has established its core values based on biblical principles and its mission as a global church. These values serve as a guide for RCCG’s ministries and members as they strive to fulfill the Great Commission.
Some of the core values upheld by RCCG include:
- Biblical Integrity: Honoring the authority and sufficiency of Scripture in all matters of faith, doctrine, and practice.
- Excellence: Pursuing excellence in all endeavors, whether it be worship, teaching, discipleship, or social outreach, to bring glory to God.
- Evangelism and Missions: Committing to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and reaching out to the lost both locally and globally.
- Prayer: Emphasizing the importance of fervent and consistent prayer as a means of communion with God, seeking His will, and experiencing His power.
- Family: Encouraging strong family values and promoting healthy relationships within the church and the wider community.
If you are looking to create core values for your church, you can draw inspiration from the RCCG core values while ensuring they align with the specific mission and context of your church. Pray for wisdom, seek input from the church community, and develop core values that reflect your church’s unique identity and calling.
Section 5: Baptist Church Core Values
The Baptist tradition has a rich heritage and distinct core values that characterize many Baptist churches around the world. While there may be variations among Baptist churches, the following are some foundational core values often emphasized:
- Biblical Authority: Acknowledging the Bible as the inspired and authoritative Word of God, serving as the ultimate guide for faith and practice.
- Autonomy of the Local Church: Affirming the independence and self-governance of each local Baptist church, while recognizing the importance of interdependence and cooperation with other churches.
- Priesthood of All Believers: Maintaining that every believer has direct access to God and the responsibility to interpret and apply Scripture for themselves. This core value often goes hand in hand with soul liberty.
- Soul Liberty: Upholding the freedom of every individual to choose their own religious beliefs and practices, without coercion or manipulation.
- Believer’s Baptism by Immersion: Practicing baptism for believers who voluntarily and publicly profess their faith in Jesus Christ through immersion in water.
These core values form the foundation of Baptist churches, guiding their theology, governance, and practice. They emphasize the importance of personal faith and responsibility, the authority of Scripture, and individual freedom in matters of conscience.
Christian Church Core Values
The core values of our church are:
-We believe in the power of grace, which is a gift from God and not something we earn through good behavior. Grace is something that cannot be earned or deserved; it is simply a gift from God.
-We believe that God has given us all gifts and talents, and it is our responsibility to use them to serve God and others.
-We believe that no matter how small or insignificant you may feel your gift or talent may be, it is still a gift from God and can be used for his glory.
-We believe that church should be a place where we can grow spiritually together as a community.
- We believe in the power of grace, and we strive to live our lives with faith in God and hope for the future.
- We believe in the power of community, and we work to bring people together to build each other up and push each other forward.
- We believe in the power of love, and we try to offer it freely to everyone who needs it—including ourselves!
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Core values of a church
Core values are important as they give intent and meaning to activities. This will improve customer satisfaction and help the church to make necessary changes that it can adapt faster. These core values guide the members of the organization through many situations and help them decide the direction of their efforts.
Core values are broad statements that describe the desirable qualities of a company, its culture, or the manner in which it conducts business. Your church’s values are reflected in everything you do and say. They provide the foundation for your beliefs and practices and govern every decision you make.
Love
The second value of a church is love. Love is the most important value, and it should be the foundation of everything you do. If we don’t have love, then there’s no point in doing anything else because we might as well just stop now. As Christians, our first priority has to be helping people find Jesus Christ and His love for them. We can do this by being loving towards everyone around us: family members and friends; strangers on public transport; even enemies if they’re willing to listen or learn something new about God’s way of thinking (even though they probably won’t).
Commitment to prayer
Prayer is a vital part of the church’s mission. As members, we are called to be in prayer for each other and for the church, both individually and corporately. We also invite you to join us in praying for the world at large, that it might come to know God’s love through Jesus Christ.
Additionally, prayer is crucial as we seek to bring others into a relationship with God. There are many ways you can help pray for lost people and their salvation: praying regularly, joining our intercessory team on Sunday mornings (10:00-11:00am), participating in short-term missions trips or short-term projects within your community that encourage people toward faith in Jesus Christ (e.g., Vacation Bible Schools), or simply sharing your faith story with others!
This commitment to prayer helps make sure we fulfill our missional responsibilities as Christians who bear witness not only by word but also by example.”
Personal relationships
Personal relationships are the foundation of the church. When you walk into a church, everyone should be able to see that you care about them as a person, not just as an attendee. Your goal is to build meaningful connections with people so they feel welcomed and comfortable in your community. To do this well, make sure your actions match what you say:
- Be there when they need advice or support.
- Let them know their opinion matters to you by asking their thoughts on important topics (like what movie we should watch).
- Make it clear that their relationship with Jesus is important to you by praying for them regularly (and actually mean it).
Teaching & preaching of God’s Word
The Bible is God’s Word to us. It is infallible and inerrant, meaning that it has no errors or contradictions. The Bible is not a “devotional,” but rather contains everything you need to know about God and His plan for you. You can read the Bible on your own, or with other people in small groups, or even online at a number of websites dedicated to helping people read through the entire text. If you are studying for yourself or leading others in study, then it’s good practice to choose reliable translations such as ESV (English Standard Version), NASB (New American Standard), NIV (New International Version), HCSB (Holman Christian Standard Bible) and NKJV (New King James Version). When reading these versions of scripture:
Worship
Worship is the most important part of any church. Worship is a way of life, and it enables us to live our lives in a way that honors God. It is not just something we do on Sunday mornings, but a way we honor Him throughout our week.
We worship at all times, whether we are singing praises or praying for our needs, or even when we are serving others in need with no expectation of reward ourselves. Worshiping at all times keeps us connected to God; it keeps us loving Him and believing in His goodness despite the circumstances around us.
Fellowship
The most central value of a church is fellowship. Fellowship, in this sense, is not just about socializing with people. It’s being together and doing things together. It means being with people who are like-minded and doing things that have a common purpose or goal, but it also means being with people who aren’t like-minded and doing things that don’t have a common purpose or goal (but still bring you closer together).
Mentoring as disciples of Jesus Christ
Mentoring is an important part of the church’s mission. By mentoring, you will pass on your faith to others and help them grow into adults who are like Christ.
Mentoring is a great way to share your faith with someone else. Imagine how much more powerful it would be if you had some practical guidance about how to do this. And even if you’re not able to mentor someone directly, there may still be ways for you contribute by helping those who do mentor others (such as through training).
Ministry unto others (mission)
The church is a place where people can find help, community, and hope. This is why it’s so important to have a mission statement that clearly defines how the church serves the people in its community. The purpose of this section will be to define what your church stands for and what it does for others in your community.
For example:
We believe that God has called us as a congregation to be a light in our city; walking alongside those who are hurting or struggling with life issues such as depression, loneliness, fear and more…
Financial stewardship in support of the church and its mission.
Financial stewardship is a way for the congregation to demonstrate its commitment to support the church and its mission. In addition to tithes and offerings, there are many other ways members can contribute financially, including:
- Purchasing items from our bookstore such as books, CDs and DVDs
- Buying tickets for special events such as concerts or plays
- Donating an offering online at any time during the year
The church is about loving each other and living for something higher than ourselves.
Love is the most important value in the church.
When you walk through the doors of a church, you are entering into a space that has been made holy by God. The building does not make it holy; God does. But it is an important symbol of love and belonging that brings people together to worship, learn about each other, grow relationships, and care for one another. When we bring people together under this umbrella of love it creates community where they can be known by others who share their faith and values. This environment allows us all to live out our faith in Jesus Christ more fully because we are able to support each other along the way as we learn how to better follow him in our lives every day!
how to write church core values
Effective churches understand the importance of creating a Mission, Vision and Values statement.
This formal document provides direction and a target for the church. It is a tool to help the organization fulfill what God has called it to do. It is the bullseye!
Effective churches understand the importance of creating a Mission, Vision and Values statement.
This formal document provides direction and a target for the church. It is a tool to help the organization fulfill what God has called it to do. It is the bullseye!
The value of a church vision statement is that it gives church leadership, employees and members a shared goal.
Every organization needs to understand where it is going before it can develop a strategic plan and map out steps for how to get there.
A church vision statement is typically two to three sentences that describe what the church hopes to become or achieve.
Some organizations write paragraphs describing their vision, but I’m of the opinion that the shorter the statement, the more likely employees, volunteers and members will be able to absorb it, memorize it, and explain it to others.
It is important for the entire congregation to have a good understanding of what the church is trying to accomplish so that everyone can buy into and support the vision.
Vision Statement
- Gather church leadership.
Writing the church’s vision, mission and values statement should be an exercise that is done by the church board and some senior church members or staff.
Ideally, this would be a done in a retreat setting, such as a private room in a restaurant, a hotel conference room, or someone’s home.
It simply needs to be a place without interruptions and distractions.
- Solicit help from an objective facilitator.
The beauty of the church is that God blesses churches with members who have a wide variety of gifts, and a church may have professionals available who are gifted at facilitation and may be interested in facilitating a vision, mission and values session.
If there is no one on the board or in the congregation who has this skill set, it may be worth investing in a couple of hours with a professional who can help.
Regardless, the facilitator should drive the process and not the vision. An experienced facilitator will know how to do this.
“Commit your works to the Lord,
and your thoughts will be established.” Proverbs 16:3
- Dream out loud.
A visioning session is the “writing-on-tablet” process and should be prayed through before the session begins. The goal is to articulate God’s will for the church. Once the session begins, I like working with whiteboards or flip-charts because I think a visual helps spark thoughts and ideas.
“Write the vision And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.” Habakkuk 2:2
Depending on the number of people in the session, have the group break down into units of 3-4 people, provide each group with a flip chart, and have them discuss and answer the following questions:
Who are we?
Where does God want to use us to do?
What do we want this church to look like?
Where do we want to be 1, 5, 10 years from now?
As a group, create a newspaper headline about something the church has done/accomplished at some future point. This helps the group visualize the future.
- Combine ideas, and at the end of this session:
Have all the units come back together and tell the group the thoughts and ideas they came up with.
Use the entire group to pick the best and most consistent thoughts and ideas from each of the smaller groups and simply write the common words on a flipchart.
Go around the room and allow all the participants to begin to add/subtract and formalize the sentence structure of the statement.
Have a laptop available to use a thesaurus, dictionary and encyclopedia/search engine as references.
- Test the statement.
Caterpillar: Be the global leader in customer value.
DuPont: The vision of DuPont is to be the world’s most dynamic science company, creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer and healthier life for people everywhere.
Heinz: Our Vision, quite simply is to be the world’s premier food company, offering nutritious, superior tasting foods to people everywhere.
Sears: To be the preferred and most trusted resource for the products and services that enhance home and family life.
Avon: To be the company that best understands and satisfies the product, service and self-fulfillment needs of women globally.
how to write church core values
The Mission Statement
Once the vision statement is written, do a similar exercise to come up with a mission statement.
Remember a mission statement is a short description of why the organization exists.
Vision and mission statements are the cornerstone for decision- making.
I used to work for a pediatric hospital, and the mission was “We will do what is right for kids”. It is simply stated, but it is very powerful in the boardroom.
When challenged with difficult questions, senior leadership would ask: Is this decision in the best interest of the kids we serve?
This tool helps keep the organization focused on its priorities.
A great book that can help teach your group how to simplify a message is Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip and Dan Heath.
While in the same units, spend 20-30 minutes writing down descriptive words for why the church exists.
After all the units have written their ideas on the flip chart, have each unit present its ideas to the whole group.
Using one flip chart, combine ideas and begin wordsmithing the ideas until the group creates a short phrase that reflects all ideas.
Have all the units read the final statements and come to an agreement that the phrase truly reflects the mission of the church and why it exists.
The Values Statement
Once there is a vision and mission statement, break the group into units again and allow them 20 minutes or so to list values (value = a principle, standard, or quality considered worthwhile or desirable) of the organization.
Remember, these will become shared values or principles that the organization operates by.
Once each unit has its list, have them present it to the entire group. Combine ideas and refine them into one list. There are usually a lot of ideas that overlap (which is a good thing).
Ideally, a list of values should be 5-10 words. The goal is for people who align themselves with the organization to be able to simply memorize the vision, mission, and values. The more concise the better.
Once the vision, mission and values statement is finalized. Think through a communication plan to share it with members, volunteers, and employees.
Invest in some frames and display the statement in visible areas of the building, on the church website and other printed materials.
That wasn’t so difficult, was it?
Many churches and nonprofit organizations fail to come up with a vision, mission and values statement because the process scares them, but with the right people in the room, it can be done in a few hours.