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Grace Church of Orange is marked by these 8 distinctive values...

God-Centered Worship: Followers of Christ must worship God in all aspects of life, surrendering their will to His as they seek to know and actively obey the revealed will of God in the written Word of God. Worship takes place in our hearts as we seek to surrender our will to God’s revealed will according to His Word. (Rom 11:36-12:2). This happens in every area of our life, not just at church on Sunday morning (Jn 4:23-24). But we gather to realign our hearts with His by listening to expository preaching, singing Christ-exalting music, praying, and giving to God (Heb 10:24-25).

Christ-Centered Preaching: We value the regular preaching of God’s word (2 Tim 4:2) in our worship gatherings, small groups, and homes, for the purpose of equipping (Eph 4:32), encouraging (Titus 2:15), and exhorting (2 Tim 4:13) believers, and evangelizing non-believers (Acts 2:37-38). We believe preaching that exalts Christ seeks to understand and explain the original intent of each passage (2 Pet 1:21, Col 1:28-29) and will apply Scripture to everyday life (Jas 1:22). We seek to handle God’s Word accurately (2 Tim 2:15), proclaiming the gospel (1 Cor 2:1-5) to all ages in various settings.

God-Dependent PrayerPrayer is the privilege and responsibility of believers (1 Pet 3:12) to adore God, declare our dependence, and express our needs. God choses to use prayer as a means to bring about His sovereign purposes. Prayer doesn't change God’s mind, but is crucial in His providential plans (Jas 5:16-18). Prayer should include praising, confessing, thanking, and asking (Matt 6:7-13). We pray according to God’s will, directed by His Spirit, in accordance with His Word, in an attitude of submission (1 Thess 5:16-18). As individuals, households, and groups we want to carry on an ongoing conversation with God, praying all the time about everything (Col 4:2), trusting God to do what only He can do. (1 Pet 3:7; 4:7)

Gospel-Changed Relationships: God calls, chooses, and unifies people from every tribe, nation, and language to worship Jesus Christ forever (Eph 1:4-6; Rev 5:9-10). As the Gospel brings us into fellowship with Christ and His Church (Eph. 4:1), our relationships are radically reoriented according to God's will revealed in God's Word (Eph 3:14-19; 5:15-21). Our love for one another is how the watching world knows we belong to Christ (Jn 13:34-35; 1 Jn 4:7-11, 19-21). Therefore, we are to actively pursue peace and build one another up (Rom 14:19), serve one another (Gal 5:13), bear one another's burdens (Gal 6:2), encourage one another (1 Thess 4:18), and even exhort and admonish one another (Col 3:16, 2 Tim 4:2).

Multi-Generational Ministry: The Bible portrays a beautifully consistent picture of multi-generational, age-integrated life-on-life engagement (Deut 6:4-9; Neh 8:1-18) spanning the age-spectrum and encompassing all life stages. Throughout Scripture we see older mentoring younger, and everyone learning from each other (Titus 2:1-10). Generational faithfulness is to be the norm rather than the exception (Ps 78:5-9; Eph 6:1-4; Col 3:18-25). God's discipleship plan (Matt 28:16-20; Mk 10:13-16) is multiple generations interacting to worship God, learn God's Word, spread the faith and help people grow to Christian maturity; expressing love, honor, respect, and submission under the Lordship of Christ in organized and organic settings, fostered in hearts, homes, and the household of God.

Christ-Honoring Service: Every Christian is called to serve the Lord with gladness (Ps 100:2), from the heart (Col 3:23), using the gifts given by the Spirit (1 Cor 12:4-7), serving God's purposes in Christ with the strength God supplies (1 Pet 4:11). Stewarding God-given resources, believers follow Christ's example, who came not to be served but to serve (Matt 20:28). Our service is to honor God who deserves all praise and not ourselves (Ps 115:1). Christ-honoring service is self-forgetting sacrifice. We are to wisely use God's gifts for Gospel purposes, serving one another as good stewards of God's varied grace (1 Pet 4:10), counting others as more significant than ourselves (Phil 2:3-8). God is worthy of our praise and deserves wholehearted, unreserved service however He designs, leads, and enables.

God-Confident Outreach: The Church's mission is to reach the entire world with the Gospel. Christ sends His Spirit-empowered witnesses to make disciples of every nation (Is 43:10; Acts 1:8; Matt 28:18-20). This process continues until Christ returns. We are ambassadors for Christ imploring others to be reconciled to God (2 Cor 5:17-21), always ready to give an answer for the hope that is within us (1 Pet 3:15-20). We are confident in God's work in and through us because we are assured that Jesus has chosen us and appointed us to go and bear fruit that remains (Jn 15:16). God-confident outreach is living and sharing the Gospel in the power of the Spirit, trusting God with the results. As we engage people relationally, we are to obediently share the good news about Jesus everywhere we go, rejoicing in what God accomplishes (Lk 15:1-32).

Humble-Bold LeadershipTrue leaders are humble-bold servants (Mt 20:21-28). They pattern their ministry after Jesus (Mt 11:29) and the apostles (2 Cor 10:1-2). They are willing to spend and be spent for the souls of others (2 Cor 12:15). True servants are compassionate (humble) and courageous (bold). They deal patiently and lovingly with people, unafraid to speak the truth in love (Eph 4:15). All Christians are to be humble-bold leaders in every sphere of their life. Those leaders God gifts to the church (elders and deacons) are held accountable for leading exemplary lives of godliness (1 Tim 4:12; 1 Pet 5:3). Our leaders seek to shepherd, mentor, and equip believers for works of service (Eph 4:11-16; 1 Pet 5:1-11). We actively engage in entrusting the Gospel to the next generation by developing future leaders (2 Tim 2:1-2).