The Core Values of La Croix Church
Gospel Truth:
The Gospel changes everything and is the “power of God unto salvation” (Rom. 1:16) that changes not only unbelievers but believers as well. The gospel is the solution not only for our “spiritual” problems but all personal problems (Col. 1:16) and all societal problems (Gal. 2:14). We are committed to bringing everything we do into line with the Gospel.
Gospel Community:
The Gospel creates a new community and transforms our relationships with one another. As a community we not only speak the gospel, we live it through hospitality and deeds of love and kindness in and through the community. Without the Gospel, Gal. 5:26 says, we will either “provoke” those we feel superior to, or we will “envy” those we feel inferior to, but the Gospel both humbles us and yet assures us that we are valued and loved. Now we are free from envy and pride, inferiority and superiority in order to love and serve one another.
Gospel Change:
The Gospel produces change in our lives and does not just reform people but transforms them. The Gospel makes us “new” not “nice.” First, the Gospel produces an entirely new relationship with God—a personal Father-child relationship rather than an impersonal boss-employee one (Gal. 4:6). Second, the Gospel gives a whole new motivation for obeying God—a love based on delight in God rather than a fear based self interest (2nd Cor. 5:14). Third, the Gospel gives us a whole new relationship with ourselves. We no longer take our identity from what others think of us or what we think of us but from what God thinks of us in Christ (1st Cor. 4:3-4).
Gospel Relationships:
The Gospel makes us an authentic people for others and gives us deep respect and great hope for every non-Christian, and it frees and empowers us not to live for ourselves but for our friends, neighbors, and associates who don’t believe. First, this means we will actively cultivate redemptive relationships with non-Christians and invite them to church (Luke 5:29). Second, we will be determinedly conscious of and welcoming to non-Christians in our midst (1st Cor. 14:23-25). Third, we will communicate not just what we believe but why we believe and in a way that invites questions, engage people in dialogue and takes a process not a crisis approach to communication.
Gospel Growth:The Gospel continually breaks out not just having power, but it is the power of God. The kingdom of God is gradually but inexorably growing (Matt. 13:1-23; 11:12). Therefore, we will emphasize leadership development and empowerment in order to encourage Christians to initiate and lead team-based ministries. Second, we will network and partner with a great variety of churches and ministries in the city to see the gospel spread. We are not “turf-conscious” but kingdom-conscious. Third, we will aim to plant churches with the same Gospel based core values in those cities and neighborhoods that God directly or indirectly allows us to support.





