Our Core Values
We believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God. From this, we understand that God created all things, seen and unseen, through His Son Jesus Christ. He created all people to bring glory to Him and be in relationship with Him. From the first man to now, we have all sinned and chosen to go our own way and so have separated ourselves from God. God has shown His mercy to us in that whilst we deserved judgement, He now offers us forgiveness and a relationship with Him through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ. When we repent and trust in Jesus, God gives us his Holy Spirit to live in us. This empowers us to follow Jesus, contrary to our human nature, and continue in hope until Jesus’ return. This is all to the glory and praise of God.
We therefore value:
1. God’s Word the Bible
The private study of His Word, the public hearing of his Word, the careful teaching of His Word and obedience arising from faith in His Word.
2. Prayer
Walking humbly with God at all times, both alone and with other believers, by praising Him, confessing our sin to Him, expressing our joy, grief and gratitude to Him, and demonstrating our dependence on him by presenting our requests for help, guidance, provision, and blessing according to His will.
3. Transformation and Spiritual growth
Being shaped to be like His Son, growing in every area of our lives (head, heart and hand) through the Word and by the Holy Spirit, whether in the church, at home, or in the world. This includes obedience to His Word and submission to His work in our lives.
4. Sharing our lives
Meeting together regularly, being conscious of the presence of Christ, in order to worship God and encourage one another. This includes bearing one another’s burdens, spurring one another on, showing hospitality and working together for God’s glory.
5. Mission
Displaying and proclaiming the good news of Jesus through sharing our personal lives and as a church community, in order to make followers of Jesus, whether locally or globally. We do this because we are compelled by the love of Christ and His compassion for all people including those often forgotten by the world.
Our Mission
Our mission at Macleay Presbyterian Churches is to:
KNOW, GROW, SHARE, GO
That is, we believe that our very reason for existence as a church family is to know Jesus, grow in Jesus, share our lives in Jesus, and go and make disciples of Jesus.
This mission arises out of our core values (see below), and it is also our way of expressing what we think God has called all His church throughout time to do, especially with the Great Commission: “to make disciples of all nations “(Matthew 28:19–20), and with the words of the Apostle Paul: “to present everyone mature in Christ” (Colossians 1:28).
Our Vision
We yearn for God to make our church one that is strong, vibrant and multiplying across several congregations in the Macleay Valley. We envisage this to be achieved through our relationships with God, each other and our communities.
Specifically,
- We will be people who grow each other in maturity and dependence on God by knowing Him more deeply through faithful teaching and constant prayer;
- We will be people who are so compelled by Jesus that our love and service to Him will flow out into all our relationships. As we live prayerfully and intentionally for Him, this will lead to a church that truly is family and attracts others to serving Him;
- People in the community will come into our church family by experiencing us in deepening and credible relationships where we share our lives and the gospel, connecting them into small groups and children’s ministry. These will be our driving ministries.
Our buildings, budgets and media presence will be tools used to achieve these ends.
Macleay Presbyterian Churches 