Our mission is to make disciples for Jesus Christ
The Scripture that grounds Liberty Chapel's ministry is grouped into three main areas:
Authority, Justification, and Sanctification.
AUTHORITY
Since authority is gained from Scripture and Scripture establishes the church’s ministry, we view God’s word as infallible, inerrant, and inspired by Him - John 16:13 informs us that the Holy Spirit "will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” 2 Peter 1:21 notes that “no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” Deuteronomy 18:20-22 notes that if something is said about the LORD that does not come to fruition it is not true. Jesus said that He came to fulfill the Law and Prophets in Matthew 5:17. Scripture is authoritative because it has been divinely deemed so in 2 Timothy 3:16, “all Scripture is God breathed.”
JUSTIFICATION
The first step in any person’s spiritual life must be a reconciliation with God. Mankind, is separated by sin and can only be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ -Genesis 3:1-24 clearly notes that Adam and Eve disobeyed God which resulted in all their descendants, (mankind) being separated from God and becoming an enemy of God. Romans 3:23 notes this current position “all have sinned a fall short of the glory of God.” However, there is hope for fallen man, Romans 5:10 notes that “while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his son…” This hope is affirmed in John 3:16 “for God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Jesus confirmed himself as this hope in John 14:6 when He said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Any person takes hold of this hope is “born again,” (John 3:3). To be born again, Scripture informs us that one must “confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead.” We believe that it is God who calls us to follow Him. In Matthew 4:19-20 Jesus calls us to follow Him, doing so is our first act of obedience necessary for justification.
SANTIFICATION
A healthy disciples life flows from God and is not independent of God. Imagine that God is the center of your universe and all that you do is shaped by His presense and word. your spiritual life, your family life, your work life, and your social life.
Spiritual Discipline flows from God
When people are in Christ they are a new creation, the old is put away 1 Corinthians 5:17, therefore, believers are not to “…be conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God…” (Romans 12:2). Disciples are directed to take control of their minds. When this is done, there is clear a focus on Christ and then we can “seek the kingdom first” (Matthew 6:33). It is through practicing spiritual disciplines that this is done, lest “after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:24). The practice of spiritual disciplines is a necessary part of maturing in Christ, “But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 5:14).
Spiritual Gifts are given by God
Each disciple is given a gift for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:7). Each believer is part of the body of Christ and yet “individually members of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27). Though we are all members of Christ’s body we do not all have the same function, God’s grace has given us different gifts (Romans 12:5-6). As each believer has received a gift, each disciple is to be good stewards of God’s grace and serve one another with their gift (1 Peter 4:10).
Family is ordained by God
Women, by design are man’s helper, implying companionship, not that they are inferior to man, it was not good that man was alone (Genesis 2:18). Women are no less deserving of honor because their status before God is the same as a man’s (1Peter 3:7). Marriage is ordained by God (Genesis 2:23-25). To be in a marriage relationship is a good thing (Proverbs 18:22). Man and Woman together display the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Though the single, celibate life can be considered a gift, marriage is still ordained (1 Corinthians 7-10). In the marriage relationship, the husband and wife do not deprive one another of conjugal rights except by agreement for a limited time, to resist sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 7:2-5). It is ordained to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28).
Because God is a God of order as seen in the creation event of Genesis 1:1-2:4 there is an order present in a marriage. It is by divine order that the man has authority over his wife (Genesis 3:16). The wife is to “submit to her husband as you do to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:22, Colossians 3:18). The man and woman complete each other emotionally, physically, and spiritually. This demonstrates the mystery of Christ and His bride, the church (Ephesians 5:23-24).
Children are a blessing of God
Children are blessings from God and carry on the heritage of the marriage union (Psalm 127:3-5). It is the responsibility of the husband and wife to “train up a child in the way he should go” (Proverbs 22:6). Children are a direct representative of their parents and the fruit is known by the tree (Matthew 12:33). It is necessary for parents to share their faith with their children by living out their faith before them (Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Ephesians 6:4). There may be times when discipline of a child is necessary, it is Scripturally approved (Proverbs 29:17, Colossians 3:20, Deuteronomy 21:18-21, Ephesians 6:1, Proverbs 13:24; 30:17).
Community is necessitated by God
Believers can only disciple others in a relationship. Relationships only develop when believers fellowship in community. It is in community that believers are able to “teach them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20). Acts 2:42-47 depicts this community in action. They were a community of believers that had fellowship, studied the Apostles teachings, ate together, prayed together, had unity, met each other’s needs. They were a community that met at the temple (church) as well in their houses. This type of community enabled the Lord to add to their numbers daily. Hebrews 10:24-25 encourages us to “stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together…” Community is what allows for believers to help one another carry their burdens (Galatians 6:2). Community builds relationships and is how we can carry other people to meet Jesus (Mark 2:3-5). Meeting together in community builds up the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11).
Friendships are essential to community
Friendships in life are necessary in both the good and the bad times (Proverbs 27:10; Ecclesiastes 4:9). It is in difficult times true friends are identified (Proverbs 17:17; 18:24). A believers true friend rejoices when he or she rejoices and weeps when he or she weeps (Romans 12:15). Friends give good council and hold one another accountable (Proverbs 27:9, 17; Hebrews 3:13).
Work is ordained by God
Work is part of God’s created order (Genesis 2:5, 15). It is good that believers work (Ecclesiastes 2:24; 3:12-13). Believers must be cautious because work can become an idol, (Ecclesiastes 2:4-11) when the purpose is to lay up treasure on earth (Matthew 6:24). Disciples are directed to seek the kingdom first and then all things will be added (Matthew 6:33). Work is meant to produce something to be shared with others (Ephesians 4:28). All work a disciple does is to be done from a sincere heart not as a people pleaser (Ephesians 6:5-8). Believers who are supervisors must treat their employees fairly (Ephesians 6:9). It is God who gives us all that we have (1 Corinthians 4:7; Philippians 4:19). Work and rest follows the pattern set by God (Exodus 20:11). When a believer rests, he or she stops the actions of their daily toil but does not leave the presence of God (Exodus 33:14; Matthew 11:28-30; Mark 6:31).
Stewardship is honoring God
We are called to manage time and finances for the kingdom. Time is best spent honoring God in all that we do (Ephesians 5:15) because we do not know how long we have (James 4:14). Every day we move closer to meeting our creator (Romans 13:11). we are not to use our time laying up treasure on earth (Matthew 6:19-21). Time is not to be used for what is seen but for what is unseen, the kingdom (2 Corinthians 4:18; Colossians 4:5). Finances are to be understood as a gift from God (1 Corinthians 4:7). we are challenged to give the whole tithe (Malachi 3:10; Proverbs 3:9). Finances are used to help others in need (Acts 4:34). The accumulation of wealth has no end (Ecclesiastes 5:10) and disciples cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24; 1 Timothy 6:10). Security is not found in wealth but in the presence of God (Hebrews 13:5). Do not accumulate money by dishonest means (Luke 3:14).
Matthew 28:18-20,
And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.
The church mission.
Matthew 28:18-20 gives us our mission, we are to make disciples, this is known as the Great Commission. This command applies to every believer. This command is surrounded by three participles: (1) “go”; (2) “baptize”; and (3) “teach them to observe.” Some churches are good at step one, all seem to do step two but many stop short of three. A disciple must be taught to observe all that Christ commanded. This is how they mature in Christ, and unless they mature in Christ they will not go for Christ and make more disciples. If this does not happen the church does not grow. Stoping short of step three is why many men and women do not fulfill the Great Commission. We must teach all believers to observe (obey) all that Christ commanded.
Acts 1:8,
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Here again, we are called to be witness for Jesus Christ and we are also told that we have been given the power in Christ to fulfill the Great Commission.
Ephesians 4:11-13,
“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors, and teachers, to equip his 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 the fullness of Christ.”
The term "body' is a controlling metaphor in the New Testament for the church being the body of Chirst (Eph. 1:22-23) and every believer is a member of it, (1 Cor. 12:12-14). What this all means is that the church, has been given a five-fold ministry to “equip his people for works of service” with the sole purpose of muturing everyone in Christ.
2 Timothy 3:16-17,
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every food work.”
This is the media used to fully equip disciples to make disciples. Scripture is the foundation in a disciple’s life, it guides a disciple’s actions and attitudes and it is what the Holy Spirit uses to transform hearts. Without it there is no hope, no commission, and no kingdom.
First:
Win, Grow, Go.
For a person to become a disciple of Christ he or she must first be won to Christ through evangelism. As a disciple, a person grows to maturity in Christ through learning God's word, prayer and through relationships with other believers. As a maturing disciple of Jesus Christ, a person goes for Christ by sharing the gospel and making more disciples for the kingdom.
Second:
Believers live life out of their faith.
When a believer’s faith is no longer viewed as being separate from daily life, a holistic spirituality is made possible and a transformed life ensues. A person lives life out of faith when Christ is the source from which their time, talents, money, relationships, and work ethic flows.
