Core values are the activities we prize as a church. Real Life Church's core values are: worship God, connect with others, learn truth, grow in grace, and do mission.
Worship God. The first five commandments (of the ten) have to do with God and how he is to be honored and worshiped. The reason for this is because God is supreme as the Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer of the world. We were made for God's glory (Isaiah 43:7) to worship and honor him. As one traditional confession puts it, "The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever." So simply put, our Creator and Father God is seeking those who will worship him in spirit and truth (John 4:23-24). Therefore we highly value worship - entering into God's presence with thankfulness and singing (Psalm 95:2) and living lives of worship that reflect in response to his grace (Romans 12:1-2).
Connect with others. Everybody longs for community. God made us that way and says it is the only way to have a healthy relationship with him and with others (Proverbs 18:1, Hebrews 3:12-13, 1 John 1:6-7). We highly value and stress the need to have deep relationships where we can encourage one another day after day
Learn truth. The bible is God's words to us and therefore it is altogether true (Psalm 12:6, Psalm 119:160). God's word endures forever (Isaiah 40:8) and it is through the truth of God's word that we are saved (1 Peter 1:23-25), transformed (John 17:17), and have enduring hope (Romans 15:4). Therefore we highly value learning truth and storing it up in our hearts. One activity we do as an entire church is a monthly memory passage.
Grow in grace. Salvation is a free gift of God's grace. There is nothing we could ever do to deserve it. Therefore we are saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). But we also grow in grace (2 Peter 3:18); the gospel is not only the good news that saves us, but also the good news that grows us. The gospel has massive, life changing implications that we grow up into (Ephesians 4:15, Colossians 1:10). So we value the process of growing in grace as the gospel works its way into us through and through.
Spread the best news ever. God is a missionary God who sent his Son into the world to save sinners (John 3:16). Jesus, the sent one came to seek and save the lost. After his resurrection, Jesus says to his disciples that he is sending them just as he was sent by the Father (John 20:21), then commissions them to go into the world, preaching, making disciples, baptizing, and teaching obedience in the power of the Holy Spirit -(Matthew 28:18-19, Mark 16:15, Acts 1:8). We value the mission Christ has given.
