Our core values

Twelve values that our church’s life and ministry rest on, and the actions that follow from them.

Values are the core convictions and priorities, taken from the Holy Scriptures, that determine how we act and how we reach our goals. They are not doctrines, but our doctrines shape our values. Values set the distinctive ways in which people in the church do their work and, at the same time, relate to one another. They are the essential principles that guide us in our Christian walk. A value is a filter for the mind and decides how we use our time and resources. It is not our circumstances or wishes that should decide how we spend our resources and our time, but our values. Our values are everything we stand for, the things on which we make no compromise.

Why is a clear statement of values important?

It is very important to define certain values for ourselves and for the church, because our actions usually flow from the values we really hold. As a rule, our actions are determined by our values, and not simply by what we say or write.

Conflicts often arise and plans fail because values were not defined and clarified at the start of a relationship.

Values are the foundation of our statement of purpose and of the direction of the church’s ministry.

Very often many people want to achieve a certain result in ministry, but forget that this result rests on certain values.

For example, a revelation about the importance of home groups will not bring success unless it rests on convictions and values such as:

  1. Spiritual growth happens better in small groups;
  2. God places a high value on people;
  3. Intimacy with God is the source of strength, and so on.

This is exactly what Jesus meant when He said that new wine is poured into new wineskins.

New revelations held with old values can stand in the way of results. For the revelations on this website to have a real effect on you, it is important to get to know the values they are based on.

The values of Spirit and Truth Church and the principles (actions) that follow from them

Many principles and actions follow from our statement of values. By linking specific behaviour to our values, we will be able to help everyone in the church understand and clarify for themselves what we expect.

  1. A personal and deep relationship with God
  2. The authority of the Bible
  3. People matter to God, so they matter to us too
  4. Spiritual growth groups
  5. Equipping people for ministry
  6. Strong families
  7. Cultural relevance (sensitivity)
  8. Openness and honesty
  9. Multiplication
  10. Excellence and quality
  11. Unity and individuality
  12. We believe in the next generation

01

A personal and deep relationship with God

John 15:1-17; Luke 5:16; 1 Cor. 1:4-9; Jude 20-21, 24-25; Mark 3:14-15; Matt. 22:37-38

Principles: Intimacy with God is the source of strength for personal renewal and for effectiveness in ministry. We believe that God wants every believer, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to have a close relationship with Him. This is the first priority of every Christian.

Actions that follow:

  • Devotion to daily fellowship with God.
    • Regular practice of the spiritual disciplines that help develop a close relationship with God (prayer, fasting, time set apart, Bible reading, and so on).
    • Regularly immersing ourselves in God’s presence to hear His voice and to offer ourselves to Him.
    • Daily examining our hearts and being filled with the Holy Spirit, so that through sincere repentance we shorten the distance between us and God.
    • Daily practice of obedience to God and removing every obstacle on the way to enjoying the Holy Spirit and His comfort.

02

The authority of the Bible

2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20-21

Principles: We believe that God speaks clearly to us today through the Bible, and that the Bible contains the infallible Word of God for us and is therefore our final and only authority.

Actions that follow:

  • We will not knowingly belittle any teaching of the Bible.
  • We believe in the practical application of Bible truths to change lives.
  • We teach the Bible in order to change lives.
  • We believe in Christian education in every possible form as the church’s basic calling.
    • We practise daily Bible reading, study and memorisation to renew our minds with God’s Word and to exchange our ways for His ways and our thoughts for His thoughts.

03

People matter to God, so they matter to us too

Ezek. 18:32; Luke 15; 2 Cor. 5:14-20; Luke 5:30-32; Matt. 18:4

Principles: People are the object of God’s love, and God wants the church to carry His message of love to a perishing world. Every person matters to God, so we will receive and serve everyone God sends to us.

Actions that follow:

  • We will keep sharing the message of God’s love with people from different social groups.
  • We will not use people for programmes; on the contrary, we will use programmes to serve people.
  • We will value everyone equally, whatever their culture, language, social standing, age or financial status.

04

Spiritual growth groups

John 13:34-35; Acts 2:42-47; Heb. 10:24-25

Principles: Spiritual growth happens better in small groups. We believe in the power of love, acceptance and forgiveness. A willing attitude of mutual submission among believers provides care and accountability and keeps a healthy sense of belonging.

Actions that follow:

  • We will willingly be accountable to a small group of people for our spiritual walk with Christ.
  • We will love one another and build relationships of mutual trust and respect.

05

Equipping people for ministry

Eph. 4:11-16; Phil. 2:5-11; Ps. 133:1

Principles: People who are equipped do great exploits for the Kingdom of Heaven. We believe that when we serve others with a humble heart, we express our gratitude to God. We believe that every believer is a minister.

Actions that follow:

  • We will believe in people and mobilise them according to their gifts, abilities and calling.
  • We will help people discover their spiritual gifts and, together with others, advance the Kingdom of Heaven.

06

Strong families

Principles: We believe that strong families are the foundation of a strong church and a strong society.

Actions that follow:

  • We will purposefully serve to strengthen the families of all church members (children, teenagers, wives, husbands, and so on).

07

Cultural relevance (sensitivity)

Col. 4:5; 1 Cor. 9:19-23; 1 Chron. 12:32

Principles: To reach the people we want to reach for God effectively, our methods have to change.

The church must be sensitive to culture in order to connect with the unsaved world. Our task is to create an atmosphere in which the Holy Spirit can move on people and work in their hearts. Styles may change, but the truth, our message, stays the same.

Actions that follow:

  • We will make sure that our ministry is understandable both to people in the church and to people outside it.
    • We will keep learning about the people we want to reach for Christ, so that we understand them better and see what they dream of and what they are looking for in life.
    • We will make sure that our services make sense to believers and unbelievers alike.

08

Openness and honesty

Eph. 4:25; Prov. 29:18; Hab. 2:3

Principles: Clear and honest communication helps the church fulfil its mission. Leaders need to know where to lead the people. Honesty and openness are the foundation of true relationships.

Actions that follow:

  • Leaders will share with people where they are going, so that they can follow.
  • We will speak the truth to one another in love.

09

Multiplication

2 Tim. 2:2

Principles: Developing leaders is vital to the church’s growth and to its increase in numbers.

Actions that follow:

  • We will raise up helpers at every level.

10

Excellence and quality

Col. 3:17; Mal. 1:6-14; Dan. 5:12-14; 6:3; Heb. 11:4; Phil. 1:9-11; Eccles. 9:10; Prov. 22:29

Principles: A spirit of excellence honours and glorifies God and inspires people. We serve a God of excellence, so everything we do for God must carry a spirit of excellence, an excellent spirit.

Actions that follow:

  • We will strive for better results and better quality.
  • We will bring God a better offering and do everything we do for Him with all our heart, as for the Lord.
  • We will think creatively and treat the ministry entrusted to us with the greatest sense of responsibility.

11

Unity and individuality

1 Cor. 12:13-27; Rom. 12:3-5

Principles: We are different and each of us has an individual approach to solving the same problem, but in spite of this we are one family and children of one Father.

Actions that follow: We will focus more on what unites us than on what divides us.

12

We believe in the next generation

Mark 10:13-16; Prov. 22:6

Principles: Children are an important part of the church today and potentially the leaders of tomorrow’s revival. God wants children and teenagers to be trained, equipped and released into ministry. He wants to use them already today, and He places the hope of tomorrow on them.

Actions that follow:

  • We will intentionally lift up our children and young people and invest ourselves in them.
  • We will prepare them for future ministry.

Sundays at 11:00 in Lielvārde

Edgara Kauliņa aleja 5, the former Lāčplēsis culture house. During the service, children have their own Sunday school.

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