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20schemes, Inc.

Gospel-Centred We believe that a gospel-centred church is one which includes 1. Empowered Corporate Worship 2. Complementarian View of Biblical Leadership 3. Evangelistic Effectiveness 4. Counter-cultural community

Corporate Worship 1. Empowered Corporate Worship The gospel changes our relationship with God from one of hostility or slavish compliance to one of intimacy and joy. The core dynamic of gospel-centred ministry is therefore worship and fervent prayer. In corporate worship God’s people receive a special life–transforming sight of the worth and beauty of God, and then give back to God suitable expressions of his worth. At the heart of corporate worship is the ministry of the Word. Preaching should be expository (explaining the text of Scripture) and Christ-centred (expounding all biblical themes as climaxing in Christ and his work of salvation). Its ultimate goal, however, is not simply to teach but to lead the hearers to worship, individual and corporate, that strengthens their inner being to do the will of God.

Complementarian 2. Complementarian View of Biblical Leadership Women participate equally with men in the priesthood of all believers. Their role is crucial, their wisdom, grace and commitment exemplary. While Scripture teaches that a woman’s role is not identical to that of men in every respect, and that pastoral leadership is assigned to men, it also teaches that women are equal in value to men.

Evangelism 3. Evangelistic Effectiveness Because the gospel (unlike religious moralism) produces people who do not disdain those who disagree with them, a true gospel-centred church should be filled with members who winsomely address people’s hopes and aspirations with Christ and his saving work. We have a vision for a church that sees conversions of rich and poor, highly educated and less educated, men and women, old and young, married and single, and all races. Because of the attractiveness of its community and the humility of its people, a gospel-centred church should find people in its midst who are exploring and trying to understand Christianity. It must welcome them in many ways. It will do little to make them “comfortable” but will do much to make its message understandable. In addition to all this, gospel–centred churches will have a bias toward church planting as one of the most effective means of evangelism there is.

Counter-Cultural Community 4. Counter-cultural community Because the gospel removes both fear and pride, people should get along inside the church who could never get along outside. Because it points us to a man who died for his enemies, the gospel created relationships of service rather than of selfishness. Because the gospel calls us to holiness, the people of God live in loving bonds of mutual accountability and discipline. Thus the gospel creates a human community radically different from any society around it.