Statement of Purpose

To magnify God, unite in membership, grow in maturity, serve in ministry and witness in mission.

We worked on defining our purpose in 1999.  The 5 Ms are based on ideas from Rick Warren’s church in California.  You may find it on the East Mains Baptist Church website too.  The quotes are from the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible.

Magnify God

By putting God first in our lives and by celebrating God's presence among us in worship. 

 

• "'O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together" (Psalm 34:3)
   
• "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"
  "The most important one", answered Jesus, "is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength’”.  (Mark 12:28-30)
   
• "... at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow - and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:10-11), (Also Ephesians 1:11-12, 22-23; 1 Corinthians 6:19, 11:23-26; Colossians 2:8-10, Romans 12:1-21, 1 Peter 1:13-25, Exodus 20:1-17)

 

(It’s ‘Magnify’ in the sense of ‘Tell the greatness of’.)

Unite in Membership

By committing ourselves to be a biblical community with relationships characterized by love, honesty, integrity and conflict resolution.

 

• "A new command I give you: Love one another." (John 13:34)
   
• "... complete my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose ... Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Philippians 2:4)
   
• "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." (Ephesians 4:3)
   
• "Make every effort to live in peace with all men." (Hebrews 12:14)
   
• "Speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is Head, that is, Christ." (Ephesians 4:15)
   
• "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar, first go and be reconciled to your brother, then come and offer your gift." (Matthew 5:24)

Grow in Maturity

By learning and becoming equipped for service through the Bible, prayer, and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit in our lives as disciples of Jesus Christ.

 

• "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another." (Hebrews 10:24)
   
• "It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of his fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:11-13)
   
• See also 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Galatians 5:16-26, 2 Peter 3:18

Serve in Ministry

By contributing to the life and activity of the church and it's work and witness in the community and further afield.

 

• "Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.  We have different gifts, according to the grace given us." (Romans 12:4-6)
   
• "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." (Galatians 6:10)
   
• ‘“Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?”  The King will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the lease of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”’  (Matthew 25:
   
• "Love your neighbour as yourself." (Mark 12:31)

Witness in Mission

By demonstrating the Good News of Jesus Christ in action and sharing it in word.

 

• "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority, But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8)
   
• "You are the salt of the earth .. You are the light of the world ... let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:13-16)
   
• "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:19)
   
• "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation." (Mark 16:15)

 

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