Core Values: The Church Is a Family

In the same way that everyone is born into a natural family, every Christian is born into God’s
spiritual family. God is the Father of all believers. The local church we are part of is a local manifestation
of God’s family (the universal church). In our local church, we have fathers, mothers, older and younger
siblings, and new babies being born in our spiritual family. We receive benefits as family members, but
we also have responsibilities.
At New Hope International Church, one of our core values is that the church is the family of God.
This influences our priorities and how we treat one another. We have the same regard and commitment
and love for our spiritual families as we do for our natural families. We don’t just want to meet together
once a week—we want to commit our lives to one another.
What are the characteristics of the church family?

1. The church family is committed to Jesus and to one another

Natural families must have commitment among members. When a husband commits to the
wife, she feels that her home is safe. In the same way, when the wife commits herself to her husband,
he feels supported and ready to go and do his best. When the father and mother are committed to one
another, the children feel protected and safe. Commitment means “I am going to pursue your best
interests not because I feel like it, but because I make a decision to.” None of us feel like getting up in
the morning to go to work or school, but we decide to do it because of our family. Sometimes my wife
and I get into arguments so that it doesn’t feel like I love her, but I decide to act according to
commitment, not feelings.
Commitment is necessary for deep relationships where we can mature and grow. Members of
the church family need to commit to one another if we want to mature and grow spiritually. We all need
to commit ourselves to Jesus first, and then based on that commitment, we commit ourselves to our
brothers and sisters. You may not feel like going to caregroup because everyone is boring and the group
is studying lessons about basic Christianity. But you go because you are committed to your brothers and
sisters. Remember what commitment means: “I am going to pursue your best interests not because I
feel like it, but because I make a decision to.” Commitment in the church means we are willing to
sacrifice for the benefit of our brothers and sisters.
God demonstrated His commitment for us by sending His Son Jesus to die for our sins on the
cross. Because of this, John says we ought to love one another with the same type of unselfish love.

1 John 4:9-11
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might
live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning
sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

When we have this type of commitment in the church, it creates an environment where we are
all in the boat together. We enjoy good times together and thank God, but we also stick with each other
during difficult times. In fact, if there are never difficult times, then we can never know if we are
committed or not. "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and
convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

1 Chronicles 11:10-19
10 These are the leaders of David’s mighty warriors. Together with all Israel, they decided to make David
their king, just as the Lord had promised concerning Israel.
11 Here is the record of David’s mightiest warriors: The first was Jashobeam the Hacmonite, who was
leader of the Three—the mightiest warriors among David’s men. He once used his spear to kill 300
enemy warriors in a single battle.

12 Next in rank among the Three was Eleazar son of Dodai, a descendant of Ahoah. 13 He was with
David in the battle against the Philistines at Pas-dammim. The battle took place in a field full of barley,
and the Israelite army fled. 14 But Eleazar and David held their ground in the middle of the field and beat
back the Philistines. So the Lord saved them by giving them a great victory.

15 Once when David was at the rock near the cave of Adullam, the Philistine army was camped in the
valley of Rephaim. The Three (who were among the Thirty—an elite group among David’s fighting men)
went down to meet him there. 16 David was staying in the stronghold at the time, and a Philistine
detachment had occupied the town of Bethlehem.

17 David remarked longingly to his men, “Oh, how I would love some of that good water from the well
by the gate in Bethlehem.” 18 So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew some water from the
well by the gate in Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But David refused to drink it. Instead, he
poured it out as an offering to the Lord. 19 “God forbid that I should drink this!” he exclaimed. “This
water is as precious as the blood of these men who risked their lives to bring it to me.” So David did not
drink it. These are examples of the exploits of the Three.

Because of the commitment of David and his men to one another, they were able to accomplish
great feats together during the times of challenge and difficulty. I believe that because our church is
committed to one another, we will be able to succeed in coming difficulties. There will be difficulties
involved with pushing forward the Kingdom of God in Seattle and around the world. There will be
difficulties as we work together to launch a new worship center. Let’s remember that, as we go through
difficulties, these are the times where we demonstrate commitment.

2 . The church family is a place of nurturing and maturing

Everyone is born into a family. God instituted the family structure so that people would be taken
care of and become mature. The church is where we get trained and built up for our Christian life.
God gave the “five-fold gifts” to the church to prepare and train people to do God’s work, and to
help the church overall reach maturity. These leadership roles are for the universal church: apostles,
prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers.
 Pastors are especially given to the local church to provide parental care for us, in a spiritual
sense. They provide us with spiritual nourishment, challenge us and help us develop our God-given gifts,
and help us to develop a strong relationship with God.
I want to read a few scriptures that show how Paul expressed his parental concern to local
church congregations:
 1 Thessalonians 2:6-12
 Galatians 4:19-20
 2 Corinthians 11:27-28
 1 Corinthians 4:15-16

We need people like this in the church. We need people who have a strong desire to see their
brothers and sisters in the church built up, to lift them up and see them succeed in their Christian lives.
Because the Bible describes pastors as having parental concern, we don’t run advertisements for
pastors in the newspaper. We don’t believe the qualifications for a pastor are a Bible-school degree.
Instead, our church believes God calls men and women who are faithful, love God, and show the fruit of
their relationship with God in their lives. These people are called by God to fulfill a pastoral role before
they receive a formal title in the church. In fact, a title of pastor doesn’t make you a pastor. What counts
is whether you are a pastor—whether they call you that or not doesn’t matter.
I believe God has called many people in our church to fulfill a pastoral role in some capacity. In
fact, anyone in our church who helps to care for others is at least to some extent fulfilling the role of a
pastor. If you have been delegated some pastoral responsibility, such as mentoring or leading a
caregroup, please recognize that this is an extremely sacred calling. God has bought these people with
His own blood. Each one is precious to Him. You must give an account to God, your Chief Shepherd who
will reward you.

3. Members of the church family have responsibilities

Parents have ultimate responsibility for their families, but the children have some responsibility
as well. In the same way, everyone in the church should have some level of responsibility, whether it is
serving in the church on Sunday in some capacity, taking care of people, or contributing to caregroup
activities. Even the young children can contribute to the church. Since the children’s classes started their
“Clean Hands, Clean Hearts” campaign, they’ve gone around the church premises each Sunday to clean
up trash.
When we go into the bathroom, we should clean up any mess we see. Don’t just leave it for
someone else to clean up. This is your house! I hope you don’t leave messes around your house waiting
for others to clean it up!
Our church offers lots of opportunities to participate in different areas, according to your gifts
and ability. I don’t want to try list all the areas because I’m sure I would miss at least half. We have so
many people serving in many areas of the church. This is the body of Christ functioning.
Another responsibility of members of the church family is tithing and giving. It is a privilege for
us to contribute to the family of God. Of all the things that you spend your money on, this money should
be the easiest to let go of. This is your family.
Acts 4:32-35
32All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own,
but they shared everything they had. 33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the
resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. 34There were no needy persons
among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money
from the sales 35and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.

We have a responsibility to practice hospitality to others, both inside and outside the church.
We should not consider our homes our personal palaces that are only for our own private enjoyment.
That is not a biblical attitude. Instead, we should open our homes when we can to our brothers and
sisters, and also people outside the church.
One reason caregroups are important to church life is because they bring the church into our
homes. Church is not a building, but sometimes we think church and church activities are all about this
building. In fact, the early Christians frequently met in people’s homes and even today there are many
churches that start in homes and continue to meet in homes. New Hope International Church started in
Ps. Lao and Ps. Da’s home. In the early church, they celebrated “love feasts” in homes. This was their
communion, or breaking of bread. The church life was in people’s homes.
In our church, we don’t want the church to be excluded from our homes. We should teach our
children that people from church are our family. When we invite people into our home, we invite them
into our lives. It’s no problem for your family member to come to your house, but it would be odd to
have your boss or co-worker over, right? Thankfully, we have a close relationship in the church family so
can meet in each other’s homes.

Finally, we have a responsibility to share the good news to those outside of God’s family. We
should desire to see people join God’s family. We want to see people come back into a relationship with
their Creator, their Father in Heaven. We don’t want to stay a closed family. We wouldn’t be like our
Father, who is seeks the lost like a shepherd who seeks the lost sheep.

Luke 15:11-24

If you don’t know God as your Father in Heaven today, this is an opportunity for you to come
back to Him …