Crossroads Church Volunteer Handbook Aspen, Glenwood and Beyond

Transcription

1 Crossroads Church Volunteer Handbook Aspen, Glenwood and Beyond Crossroads Church Volunteer Handbook v

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents... 2 Introduction... 3 Our DNA... 4 Membership... 9 Spiritual Equipping path Fullness of the Spirit Diagram Crossroads Church Volunteer Handbook v

3 INTRODUCTION We are excited you are exploring your relationship with our family at Crossroads Church and are very thankful you are taking time to read through our Leadership Handbook. For us, understanding one another and aligning our hearts with our vision, purpose and goals is so important. As you read through this handbook know it reflects what we are striving for and going after as individuals and a church. None of us are where we hope to be someday, but we so value being on the same page with where we want to be. To that point, there are two questions that we should all ask: Who are we and where are we going? Jesus came to earth to save us and give us eternal life as children of God. The Church is to represent God s family on earth and be the center of faith, hope and love, answering and modeling these big heart questions. We are very excited about what God has done, is doing, and is going to do at Crossroads Church. This handbook answers these two big questions, among many others, for you and our church family. MISSION STATEMENT Building healthy, Christ-centered people, families and churches through Grace, Growth and Greater Things. VISION STATEMENT Building healthy, Christ-centered people, families and churches through Grace, Growth and Greater Things so that we may be the healthiest church for the world and be a catalyst for the renewal, strength and unity of the church in America and beyond. VISION SLOGAN A Place of Grace, Growth and Greater Things Crossroads Church Volunteer Handbook v

4 OUR DNA Crossroads Church Volunteer Handbook v

5 The Crossroads DNA (Culture) revolves around three key concepts that permeate all that we do- Grace, Growth and Greater Things. GRACE Our Story and the Bigger Story The idea of our story can only make sense in terms of the Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). For our individual small stories to make sense we must be born into the large preexisting story of God s creation and purpose in history. All of our attempts to live outside of God s story are futile and ultimately only bring death. So, we need rebirth and a new beginning through life in Christ. It is not until rebirth that we can truly understand that death has been defeated and that by grace we will experience eternal life through faith in Jesus. Trinitarian Theology and Experience We are a church in pursuit of a fully Trinitarian theology and experience. We are in pursuit of fully understanding and experiencing the relational realities of Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit. We come to Jesus first as our Lord and Savior. Jesus introduces us to the Father. No one comes to the Father but through Jesus. The Spirit comes forth from both the Father and Jesus into our lives. (2 Corinthians 13:14; John 14:6) Relationally Driven We are a relationally driven Church doing life together. Jesus came to earth to reveal the Father to us. Similarly, the Church is to be a community that reveals the love and grace of the Father to the world. The unique relational dynamic of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is the heart of our ethos. We believe that to love Christ is to love His body, the Church and see ourselves as an intimate and necessary part of it. This theological truth must be radically recovered today in our highly individualized and privatized Christian culture. In other words, we need a new reformation when it comes to how people see the Church and their roles in it. One of the dynamics of the spiritual life is that it is impossible to grow into the fullness of Christ without help from others. We are all broken, but redeemed people, on a journey towards wholeness. We need one another along the way. Becoming part of the Crossroads family is not just about joining a local church family, but about coming alongside one another, loving and encouraging one another and taking up the cause of Christ both locally and globally. (1 Corinthians 12:13) Crossroads Church Volunteer Handbook v

6 GROWTH Spirit Life We are a church not interested in playing the religious game of consumption without transformation and profession without power. We want to spur one another on to spiritual ambition where there is a desire and anticipation of the Holy Spirit to close the gap between our current spiritual walks and what we find represented in Scripture. Biblical Manhood and Womanhood We uphold God s unique and consistent definitions of manhood and womanhood found in both the Old Testament and New Testament. Though culture constantly attacks these definitions and roles, they are not subject to changing culture. God has created men and women, single and married, with unique characteristics and roles. They were created to beautifully complement each other within church family, the community, marriage and the home. All the spiritual gifts are available to both men and women and, there are clear biblical guidelines for how these gifts are to be used within the home and the Church. Community Celebrations We believe that Jesus Christ instituted two community celebrations that all believers are to observe: water baptism and communion. These celebrations are to flow from a healthy community committed to prayer and to worship of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is through baptism that the inward work of the Holy Spirit in a person s life is publicly professed. It is in communion that we celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of Christ; His active presence within the Church; and His future return. At Crossroads, we partake in communion at all weekly Wednesday evening and Sunday morning services. It is through these celebrations and others that we participate in God s unfolding story. We are a community on the move, whose life and mission are directed toward God (visio Dei). Always Reforming The Christian faith is most alive when it is in the process of reforming. We need to constantly heed Romans 12:1-2 and make sure that it is the Word of God which is reforming us and not the culture. That said, we do need to always think about the Word in light of our cultural context. For all the great reformers, it was biblical truth that reformed them out of a cultural Christianity that had drifted from historical Christianity; not new insights into the Word that they developed on their own. If we are not actively engaged in reformation through biblical truth, we will fall into traditionalism and dead faith. Furthermore, if we are led by culture and conform to cultural phenomenon, then we risk being conformed to culture rather than transformed by the Word through the Holy Spirit. So, true reformation is the experience in which the Word through the Holy Spirit transforms us so as to bring new life to our unique cultural situation. Crossroads Church Volunteer Handbook v

7 GREATER THINGS Spiritual Training for Transformation Jesus has spiritual gifts for all of His followers, but He has uniquely gifted some people to lead His church by preparing God s people for works of service, so that the Body of Christ may be built up (Ephesians 4:12). These Ephesians (e4) gifts (apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher) are foundational to building and planting healthy churches. They are to be pursued, imparted and developed in the life of the Church and shared between churches. The relational context of Christ s mission for his Church has spiritual training for transformation at its core. Church Growth What is true for a person s physical body is true for the Body of Christ, the Church. If the Body stops growing, it starts dying. Church growth is not so much about the size of the building or how many seats are filled. Rather, it is about how many people are being saved, equipped and sent. For a church to continue experiencing healthy growth, it must be expanding into new territory for God both locally and globally. We endeavor to expand the reach of the Church in the Roaring Fork Valley through creative expressions/forms of Church community. We also endeavor to seek new partnerships outside of this valley for planting or replanting churches to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8) Church Partnership(s) The Christian life was never intended to be lived out independently. The very essence of being a follower of Jesus Christ is loving God and loving others while growing together into the family of God. The Church was never intended to operate in isolation from other churches around the world. There is one C hurch in the world with many c hurches all over the world. We believe that healthy church partnerships and strategic church planting are essential for building the church and faithfully carrying out God s mission on earth. We are not anti-denominational, but we do see a more biblical model for church partnership represented in the New Testament that can be represented by four key commitments: Shared Relationship Shared Vision Shared Gifts Shared Mission We believe we can do more together and that we are better and more healthy as we work together to see healthy churches grow and multiple throughout the world. So, what does this partnership look like? It basically is like a family that lives in different cities. We gather as often as possible through conferences and retreats for equipping, strengthening, encouraging and for developing deeper relationship. We spend time praying and listening for the voice of God that we might share vision together. We send people back and forth to use their gifts to equip and bless the Body. And we are praying and expecting Crossroads Church Volunteer Handbook v

8 to go on mission together to serve and plant other healthy churches that we can partner with so that the family will grow to more cities and nations. Kingdom Now and Not Yet We believe in the Kingdom now and not yet. Jesus ushered in the present reality of the Kingdom making possible signs, wonders and miracles and charging the Church to carry on the Gospel of the Kingdom. Jesus came to defeat the works of Satan and usher in the Kingdom of God that is at war with Satan s kingdom of darkness. We also believe in the Kingdom not yet. The fullness of the Kingdom of God will not take place until Jesus returns. This reality helps explain why we still experience sufferings, sicknesses and trials of many kinds. We are to live and minister within healthy tension of the Kingdom now and the Kingdom not yet. Hope for the World We believe that the Church represents God s family and life-giving mission on earth. This mission manifests itself through building the local Church and church partnerships for a church planting movement to the ends of the earth. As its head, Jesus has given the Church the glorious vision of being the epicenter of faith, hope and love. We believe that without a healthy local Church there cannot be healthy families and community. Therefore, our relationships, families and work should all be infused with this higher Kingdom purpose. There is nothing as wonderful as God s church when it truly shines as a city on a hill. Crossroads Church Volunteer Handbook v

9 MEMBERSHIP While we do not offer membership in the traditional sense where a person joins a church, we do invite our attendees to join a Ministry Team by completing our brief Ministry Team Application and becoming a Ministry Team Volunteer. We consider this next step confirmation of one s desire to be a part of our family and a willingness to join us in continually pursuing growth through Connecting, Serving, Giving and Going. Connecting Faithfully Attending Services on Sunday Mornings Complete Next Steps Class and Get Involved in Re:new, Life Groups, A2 Churches Serving Reviewing our Volunteer Handbook and completing the Ministry Team (MT) Application Faithfully volunteering and serving on a Ministry Team Giving Faithfully giving to the church on a regular basis Growing in giving to other needs, ministries and charities Going Sending others on short-term mission trips with our partner churches Going on short-term mission trips with our partner churches Going on long-term mission trips with our partner churches Ministry Team (MT) Application Our online MT application is the first step to getting more involved through volunteering for a Ministry Team. You will be asked to give us your vital information, let us know which MT you wish to join and if necessary, get your approval for a certified background check if applying for a Ministry Team requiring it. To complete this application, we invite you to go to and click on Get Involved and then our Ways to Serve page. One of our MT Leaders will contact you about joining that team. To summarize the process of involvement at Crossroads: Guest/Attendee We welcome any and all to attend Crossroads regardless of their background, beliefs, lifestyle, etc. Our desire and hope is that anyone coming to Crossroads will be encouraged in their pursuit of God, grow into a committed follower of Christ and pursue Membership Membership is Belonging, Serving and Giving MT Volunteer MT Leader Directional Team Have and/or pursuing a relationship w Jesus Been/pursuing baptism Willingness to be accountable Seek to live a life-style as def. in our Family Values Volunteer at least 1x/mo on a Ministry Team Have and pursuing a relationship with Jesus Been baptized Willingness to be accountable And meet qualifications of a Biblical Deacon Lead a Ministry Team (as a volunteer, intern, staff) Have and pursuing a relationship with Jesus Been baptized Willingness to be accountable And meet qualifications of a Biblical Elder Lead a Ministry Team and Oversee the church Crossroads Church Volunteer Handbook v

10 CHURCH FAMILY VALUES Of most importance to the Crossroad s Church family is that our members unite in pursuing and prioritizing certain areas and values in life. We realize we are all on a journey and that no one is perfect. Thus no one perfectly live out these values, but as a Church Family, we are united in striving for them: Personal Faith The means personally accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and being baptized. Additionally, Church family members should be in agreement with our overall direction as a church such as our vision, philosophy and beliefs. (Acts 4:12, 16:30-34, Ephesians 4:1-6) Personal Devotion This is done by personally pursuing godliness through personal times of prayer, study and devotion. (Matthew 5:48; Colossians3:10; 1 Peter 1:15-16; 2 Peter 1:3-8) Attending Environments This is accomplished by participating regularly and consistently in our Connecting, Engaging and Leading environments for purposes of being with, loving and encouraging others, participating in Life Groups, pursuing mentoring and committing to prayer, service, and mutual accountability. (Acts 2:42, 20:7; Hebrews10:24-25) Following Leadership Leadership always invites and encourages anyone at Crossroads to offer feedback on our church and direction that we may best shepherd and lead our community. We ask though that all would commit to praying for, upholding, encouraging, respecting and following the leaders and leadership direction of the church, and taking personal responsibility and ownership of the mission and vision of Crossroads. In the event of a dispute with others in the church or if someone is consistently behaving in a non-loving or persistently critical manner towards you, your family, friends, our Church or community, the Directional Team is responsible to inquire, mediate and/or admonish any behavior not representative of Christ or His Church. (1 Corinthians 16:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:25; 1 Timothy 5:17; Hebrews 13:7, 17-18; Matthew 18:15-17) Crossroads Church Volunteer Handbook v

11 Ministering to One Another Pursuing a life of loving one another as God loved us (i.e.; forgive, pray, submit to, accept, encourage, admonish, build up, serve, care for one another, etc.) through seeking all the gifting and empowerment of the Holy Spirit. (John 17; Romans 12:9-17; Ephesians 4:25-32; Philippians 2:1-4, Colossians 3:12-17; 1 Thessalonians 5:11-18; Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12-14; Ephesians 4:16; 1 Peter 4:7-11) Giving to the Body Giving materially and financially in support of the purpose and ministries of the Church. God s Spirit must lead individuals in their giving amount, but it is important to note that in Matthew 23:23, Jesus upholds the Old Testament tithe of 10% to the Temple. Thus, we believe that this is a good rule of thumb as a goal to grow towards for giving to the Church. Our Directional, Ministry and Staff Team leaders practice this principle. We also believe we should all follow the Lord s leading in giving sacrificially beyond this amount to special needs of the Church and/or to other organizations as we feel directed by God to do so. (Malachi 3:7-12; Mark 12:41-44; 1Corinthians 9:1-14; 2 Corinthians 8-9) Representing our Church Participating in our Church partnerships both locally and globally through personally sharing the love of Christ in words and actions in a spirit of love, truthfulness, respect and humility. Additionally, we believe in supporting and praying for partners of the Church that are accomplishing the same purpose in our valley and around the world. (Matthew 5:13-16, 28:19-20; Colossians 4:6; 1 Peter 3:15-16) Ownership When you join the Crossroads Church family, you essentially accept ownership in the Church. You become both its supporter and its spokesperson in the community. You treat the facilities with care and respect. You see Crossroads as your Church family and you should see this Church as a reflection of you yourself. Even more importantly, you should see yourself as a reflection of the Church and of God. Crossroads Church Volunteer Handbook v

12 SPIRITUAL EQUIPPING PATH Crossroads Church is not a denomination but can be best defined as Word and Spirit Church. We believe the Word of God is our pathway to understanding God s heart and God s people. At the same time we believe without the Spirit of God, our pursuit of God s Word becomes a Fundamentalist faith one marked by judgment, legalism and spiritual pride. We would also suggest that the pursuit of the Spirit of God without the Word of God leads to a Feeler faith one marked by unbiblical and unbridled passion and emotion that often leads to division within and outside the church. Our desire is to help develop healthy, Christ centered people and communities marked by individuals and churches that are truly a Follower of Christ those marked by a very clear Christ-likeness which bears Christ-like fruit. We encourage all at Crossroads to pursue passionately both the Word of God and the Spirit of God in the context of community that we all may become what God has created us to be. Crossroads Church Volunteer Handbook v

13 FULLNESS OF THE SPIRIT DIAGRAM The heartbeat of Crossroads Church, and all that is written above, and the outworking of our Spiritual Equipping Path, can be summed up in our Fullness of the Spirit Diagram. God has sent His Spirit to the earth to lead us to Grace, Grow us in our faith and empower us to do Greater Things. This is Crossroads Church. Crossroads Church Volunteer Handbook v