Allelous (student ministry)
Extreme (youth ministry)
An Unchanging Mission & Vision
Over the last 19 years at GracePoint we've had many challenges and changes. And the challenges and changes we've experienced as a church isn't that unusual given that we've grown from a church of 30 people to four congregations across GracePoint. However there are some things that will remain unchanged as we move forward. We've always been committed to growing God's people to reach God's word for God's glory. And it's a mission grounded in God's very own strategy for his church i.e. equipping the saints for ministry and maturity to engage the world in mission with the gospel for God's glory and praise!
God's mission, and our vision to see that accomplished at GracePoint has not changed and will remain unchanged. We exist as a church to magnify God's greatness and goodness for the joy of all people through Jesus and his saving work. That has always been God's unchanging mission for us – his glory and the joy of all people in coming to know him through the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ! God calls us to "declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all people." (1 Chronicles 16:24)
In fact, 1 Peter reminds us that the same word of the gospel that has saved us personally and gathered us as a church community is the only thing that remains unchanging and lasting. We read in 1 Peter 1:18-19 that, "it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed … but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. And then Peter reminds us in vv.23-25 that, [we] have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God." For, "All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever." And this is the word that was preached to you. The word of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ that has saved us and brought our church into existence will continue bringing about new birth and redemption in the lives of men and women despite all the challenges and changes around us. God's mission remains unchanged for us at GracePoint, and because it's His mission we can rest assured it will always prevail.
But we also believe that God's mission is accomplished as we play our part in pursuing a vision to make disciples who are personally growing to love the Lord Jesus, love each other in community, and love our city and our world as his witnesses. This vision for growing and equipping disciples for ministry, maturity and mission can be expressed under 5 ministry fronts (5 M's) that we want to see personally and corporately pursued, lived out and expressed in every believer at GracePoint. Discipleship in the Christian life isn't just a personal relationship with God, it's also a shared life in community with God's people, with a face towards an unbelieving world. In fact, as we move forward I would even say that growing as a disciple of Jesus is to make these 5 M's your personal priority at GracePoint. This is what it means to be a people committed to God's mission at GracePoint.
Magnification. Experiencing God in Worship. God's people gathered in worship is the crater left behind by the gospel proclaimed. God's mission in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ creates a worshipping community! It isn't just the goal of the gospel and the final goal of God's mission, it's also what we are called to regularly do as God's people (Eph.2:11-22; Rev.7:9-12; Heb.10:19-25). We believe every believer needs to gather regularly with other believers in corporate worship.
Membership. Sharing life together in Community. The Christian life was never meant to be a 'solo' journey. We were saved to grow in community with others (Eph.2:11-22). God's people in Acts didn't just meet in large groups, they also shared their lives together in smaller groups around the gospel! (Acts 2:42, 46). We believe every believer needs to belong to a regular small group.
Maturity. Growing personally in Discipleship. Growing to be more like Christ is God's purpose, desire and call for us as disciples of Jesus (Rom.8:28-29; Col.1:28-29; 2:6-7; Matt.28:19-20). We believe every believer needs to be personally growing in word, prayer and godliness to become more like Christ.
Ministry. Serving each other in Ministry. God has gifted each of us to serve each other towards maturity in Christ (Eph.4:7-16; 1 Cor.12). Every believer has a place of service in our church community and is called to ministry. We believe every believer needs to use their God given gifts, passions and resources to serve the body of Christ.
Mission. Reaching lost people in Mission. God's gathered people is God's missionary agent assigned the work of making the gospel known. God has actually saved us to make his praises known! (Eph.3:10-11; 1 Pet.2:9-12). We believe every believer needs to be seeking to see lost people saved in word and deed.
As we move into 2019 which marks our 20th year as a church committed to God's mission at GracePoint, it's important for us to build our church life around those 5 ministry fronts personally and corporately. In many ways nothing has changed because God's mission and vision for us hasn't changed, but in many ways things are also changing at GracePoint as we seek to better equip you as a disciple of Jesus for ministry, maturity and mission.
Eugene Hor - Lead English Pastor
mission vision church ministry
The Threat To God's Mission
Cultivating God-centered Loves
The Disruption Change Brings
Dec 28, 2018, 3:25 AM
Who's Responsible For My Growth At Church?
Feb 22, 2019, 7:37 AM
GracePoint is a Bible believing, Reformed evangelical community of the Presbyterian Church of Australia. We meet in Sydney NSW, in Burwood and Lidcombe.
Page List:
38 James St, Lidcombe NSW Australia 2141
information@gracepoint.org.au
Lidcombe Services:
Sunday 9.45 AM
Sunday 4 PM
Burwood Services:
Sunday 10 AM