In the Community, For the Community, To the Glory of God
Our Mission
The mission of the church is simple because it comes from the words of Jesus. In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus tells his followers to make disciples of all people. That is the first part of our mission – to help all people of all ages understand the life and teaching of Jesus so they can follow him with a clear understanding of him and his ways. In John 13:34-35, Jesus tells his followers that we are to love others as he has loved us. Even more, he says that our love for others will be the identifying characteristic of being a Christian. As such, we do our best to create a welcoming culture for all people. Through these two passages—known as the Great Commission and the Great Commandment—we are told what our mission is and the manner in which we are to pursue it.
One of the interesting things about the Bible is that is depicts Jesus as being more appealing to non-religious people than religious people. Ironically, many churches today are seen in the opposite light. FBC Washington has a long and rich tradition of being involved in our community through generosity, service, and compassion. After all these years, we maintain a commitment to being a church which creates space for non-religious people. We see this as a primary way of being on mission and honoring God.
Our Strategy
We have a simple strategy for mobilizing and carrying out our mission in our community and in the world. It is summarized through the following action plan: Get Connected, Discover Your Gifting, Value Others. This could sound as if is your responsibility alone to do these things, but that’s not true. In reality, as a church, we want to partner with you in getting connected, discovering your gifting, and in learning how to show value to others.
Get Connected
The primary connection point is through a relationship with Jesus. At FBC, we affirm the life and teaching of Jesus, as found in the Bible, as the only source of salvation. We encourage others to submit to him, as a loving, gracious, and merciful Savior. We also affirm that without submission, there is no real belief in Christ.
Really, as a church, our passion help you connect to the life and teaching of Jesus. In order to help you do so, we offer points of connection in the form of Bible Studies, Life Groups, opportunities to serve, and our Membership Class. Again, these are just initial points of connect, but engaging in one or more of these environments will help you get connected.
Discover Your Gifting
We believe that when God calls someone to be part of a church, he does so with a purpose and a plan. Beyond the initial points of connection, Jesus has designed us to find the right fit within their local church. We realize that finding the right fit can take some time. Our desire is to help you find the fit that meets real needs and beings life to the one who is serving.
Value Others
As people begin to follow the life and teaching of Jesus, we want to walk alongside – rather than in front of them. We don’t try and set ourselves up as master teachers, but as fellow sojourners in following Jesus. We don’t see people as commodities. You matter to us because you matter to Jesus. At FBC, we want to cultivate a culture of valuing others through service and compassion.
Outcome
Our goal for every believer is to be able to get on mission with Jesus, utilizing the strategies described above, and impact the lives of others. Being a chance agent in the world—what we call missional leadership—is how we want our church to be known. We want our church to be a blessing to Washington, the surrounding community, and throughout strategic partnerships around the world. Come check it out and consider joining in all God is doing here.