"THESE STATEMENTS DEFINE
OUR CULTURE.
KEEPING THE VISION OF CALVARY CHURCH CLEAR.
EACH ONE REFLECTING OUR MUTUAL DEDICATION TO REACH PEOPLE WITH THE GOSPEL."
1/14
We Love The Past, Live the Future
We celebrate what God has done in our past to prepare for what He is doing now and on into the future until He returns!
"but your eyes have seen every great act of the LORD which He did. Therefore you shall keep every commandment which I command you today, that you may be strong, and go in and possess the land which you cross over to possess, "and that you may prolong your days in the land which the LORD swore to give your fathers, to them and their descendants, 'a land flowing with milk and honey.'
Deut 11:7-9
It’s fun to look back and see all the Lord has done. He has shown Himself faithful over and over again. But there is still new land up ahead, and we must look forward. The past cannot hinder us from moving forward with the Lord! Remember what God has done, but keep seeking what God wants to do.
1/14
2/14
We Embrace Change
We believe that God moves in many different ways; likewise, the leadership and vision that God provides doesn't always come in the same form. Creativity demands a certain level of change, and yet change needs to be focused and controlled. We embrace change and don't use the past as a crutch for the future. The message will not change, but the methods always will.
Then Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the LORD will work for us. For nothing restrains the LORD from saving by many or by few." So his armorbearer said to him, "Do all that is in your heart. Go then; here I am with you, according to your heart."
1 Sam 14:6-7
The message of the gospel never changes. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Yet methods change all the time. The methods we employ in spreading the gospel are adaptable to the needs in front of us. God has allowed us to enjoy new technologies, new innovative methods, and given His church extremely creative people to reach the lost. It’s a good idea to try things out. Some will work. Some won’t. But as long as we are being led by the Spirit, we can trust that He will use us! Embrace change. There will be a lot of changes in our fellowship until He returns!
2/14
3/14
We Follow the Leader
We are united as we fulfill the vision that God has given to Pastor Ed.
Jesus said to him, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me."
John 21:22
There is one, and only one Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ. He alone is our leader. He has given His Church one vision, His. Yet Jesus has chosen to convey delegated authority to pastors and leaders in His Church on the earth. Any good under-shepherd will follow the Good Shepherd. Where there is godly leadership, there is to be godly submission. We are to lovingly follow the leadership God has given to our pastor. Pastor Ed is here to edify the saints for the work of ministry. As our pastor follows Jesus, we follow along with his vision for Calvary.
3/14
4/14
We Lock Our Shields
We keep the battle on the outside and passionately defend against allowing it on the inside. We are united in battle!
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Eph 6:12-13
Any army that fights needs unity based on authority to assure victory. The Roman army was known to lock their shields together so that they could make progress against the real enemies before them.
On our team, on our staff, among our fellowship, we don’t choose to fight against each other. The real battle is not against each other but against the devil himself.
We want to do away with any petty skirmishes among us so that we might join forces for the Kingdom. We need to deal with things quickly. We need to stick up for each other. If you have an issue with a brother or sister, it’s always the right thing to talk to them, and the wrong thing to talk about them. Like-mindedness is key in serving Jesus together.
4/14
5/14
We Are On His Mission
We will stop at nothing to accomplish our mission of pursuing a lost world.
"for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."
Luke 19:10
God has put us on the planet and in this community to reach the lost at any cost. Over the years we have done much to reach into our community with the love, mercy, and saving grace of Jesus Christ. We continue to see many saved, built up, and then sent out. Let’s not forget why we are here. We are here to fulfill His mission. Jesus gave us a Great Commission, not a Great Suggestion! It’s time to be bold and courageous in sharing the gospel.
5/14
6/14
We Are Dedicated To Doctrine
We are dedicated and committed to receiving and spreading good teaching. We want people to understand the depth of Scripture.
"But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine."
Titus 2:1
We are committed to teaching the Bible from beginning to end, Genesis to Revelation, verse by verse and chapter by chapter. We are a textual community, one that is dedicated to the sound doctrine and expositional teaching of God’s Word. Here at Calvary, a person will be fed the word of God in a steady spiritual diet. The Bible is alive and powerful and is the only source of truth from God. We are committed to sound teaching!
6/14
7/14
More Than A Song
We worship God energetically and passionately; it's not about the songs being sung but about Who they're being sung to. It can get loud, and it can be overwhelming, but we like it that way. Use your outside voice inside.
"Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!"
Rev 5:11-12
We’ve always been committed to worshipping Jesus through song, music, and contemporary worship. With great variety, we sing together the glorious wonders of Jesus Christ! We sing for an audience of One!
We are the choir and are not here to watch someone do something on the stage, but rather follow the worship leader into the very presence of God.
The Bible describes many different positions for worship, hands raised, kneeling down, even dancing! Sometimes it will be low key. Other times it will be loud and enthusiastic! I don’t understand why some Christians think that enthusiasm is wrong and should not be in the sanctuary of the Lord! We worship Jesus in Spirit and in truth here excitedly and enthusiastically!
7/14
8/14
Our Fellowship Is For Anyone, Not Everyone
Our church is for anyone that will come, but we realize that not everyone likes the way we do things—and that's okay with us. We refuse to cater to personal preference in our pursuit of God, and while everyone is important to us, we are more concerned with reaching the lost than pacifying the critics.
"Can two walk together, unless they are agreed"?
Amos 3:3
What a miserable journey it is walking with someone that is constantly disagreeing and disagreeable. God desires us to be of one mind and one accord!
It’s unrealistic to think we will agree on everything; however, we will agree on most things. There is a beauty in diversity and an ugliness in divisiveness. There will be some disagreements along the way but not on major issues. Yet if this church family doesn’t inspire you to worship Jesus, it’s best to find another and go for it in Him! It’s not God’s will for you to be complaining all the time but worshipping all the time!
I love and appreciate the many good churches in our community and the Lord will put you where He needs you! We cannot and will not make changes just because someone doesn’t like this or that, or we would be changing every week. Instead, we are following Jesus passionately and invite you on the journey!
8/14
9/14
We Are Not About The Numbers
Behind each number is a name and behind each hand is a heart.
It's not about how many people come to our church; it's about how many lives are changed.
"So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."
Acts 2:46-47
When God makes Calvary your spiritual home, we want you to encounter Him here! Sure you will connect with others, do life together, and serve people, but what you really need is a true encounter with God.
We’ve seen incredible growth here over the years. We are no longer a fellowship of 30 meeting in the basement of a rented Baptist Church. Yet in our growth, we are trusting Jesus to build His Church, one by one.
You’re important God. He knows you by name, knows how many hairs are on your head, or not! It’s not about numbers here as much as it’s about individuals, people connected and encountering God!
9/14
10/14
We Make Room For Growth
We're not so blind to believe that we have it all together or that the way we do things is the only way—the same way isn't always the right way. We are always looking for new ways to grow, and we support creative thinking.
"but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
2 Peter 3:18
We’re all growing and in the process of being conformed into the very image of Christ. We are all on a spiritual journey, all in the place of sanctification. We are learning how to please God and obey Him better. We are open to learning from other ministries, other ministers, and other believers.
He wants us to continue in our spiritual growth until we see Him face to face. God has provided teams of godly men and women who work collaboratively together, seeking to fulfill His purposes through our church family. Thank God He’s growing us up together in Him!
10/14
11/14
It's Not A Job
We believe that God has called us to serve Him regardless of rank or title, and we believe that each person in the church has a role to play in this work. We are called to this ministry whether there is a paycheck or not. It's not a job; it's a calling.
"And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.."
1 Tim 1:12
Whether your paycheck is signed by the US Government, or UPS, or Calvary Church, you are a real true minister of God! Serve Him as such. We are all important parts of the Body of Christ. Find out what God has called you to do… and do it!
11/14
12/14
We Cultivate A Culture Of Honor
We believe that Jesus lived a life of honor: honoring the Father, honoring others, and receiving honor Himself. We operate on this same model: Honor Up (the Lord and those in leadership over us), Honor Out (those who serve alongside of us), Honor All-Around (those we serve with, all guests, and those we come into contact with). We honor freely without inhibition, realizing that it's not as much about people deserving honor as it is about us living a life of honor and creating a culture of honor.
"Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king."
1 Peter 2:17
We want to treat each other in love as royalty. Love, respect, and honor help to move the Church along the path in a dark and desperate world. Everyone, no matter what, deserves respect.
12/14
13/14
We Passionately Pursue A Faith Walk
We set unattainable goals and then trust in an unstoppable God. We put it all on the line trusting that God is working behind the scenes. We don't want to be safe; we want to take risks.
"But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."
Heb 11:6
Rather than staying in the place of safety and security, we desire to launch out into the deep to see what God wants to do! We love to venture out in faith. Ask God for a spiritual dream, a big dream, and then pursue Him! Go for it and watch for His fruit to come!
13/14
14/14
Generosity Multiplies Capacity
We encourage a culture of generous giving. We give obediently to God, according to His call, and generously, according to our hearts. Our vision for ministry always exceeds our capacity for ministry. But we believe that if each of us takes the responsibility of stewardship personally, God will multiply our means and provide the capacity to do things that may seem impossible.
"Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation."
2 Cor 9:5
There is a great joy in partnering together for the work of the ministry. Our capacity to reach more people increases as the generosity of our fellowship grows. Remember, you can’t out give God. He owns it all. Step out in faithfulness in your giving and watch what the Lord wants to do!
14/14
