The Fort Avenue Church of Christ Mission Statement

The mission of the church must be it’s focus, and as the Fort Avenue members discussed its’ mission, it became clear that the gospel is at the center of whatever mission we claim to be on.  The Fort Avenue Church of Christ is first and foremost concerned with its’ geographical location; Lynchburg, Virginia.  It is our responsibility to first preach where we are located, in the surrounding communities, colleges and establishments.  Like the banner above, we are God’s field and laborers, we have a responsibility, These are our three distinct areas in which we have set our focus as of 2013, and those are:

  • Discipleship
  • Unity
  • Community Service

Discipleship

We are committed to making disciples as a group and individually.  Those disciples are helped to come to a full understanding of the biblical reasons for their faith and doctrine.  An open minded pursuit of truth, freedom to question and explore.  Then to also be mission minded and to go out and help make more disciples as commissioned by Christ in 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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

We plan to do this through a number of ways:

  • Maintain a community Bible study at a non-church site
  • Reach out to the various campuses located in Lynchburg
  • Advertise Bible Studies and other activities
  • Use the post office direct mail to promote the congregation
  • Providing “I Love My Church” t-shirts to each member
  • Supporting a missionary to ensure we are internationally minded

Unity

We, as the body of Christ, promote unity, tolerance for others, and through relationships.  We show unity as Christ prayed (John 17:11), forgiving others as God forgave us, and to help each member mature and grow in Christ and to apply the gospel to all relationships as seen in Acts 2:42-47:

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

We plan to do this through a number of ways:

  • Monthly fellowship meal following Sunday services
  • Ladies night out, the third Thursday of every month
  • Have a meal, study, and hangout with the campus students
  • Participate in activities with sister congregations
  • Donate to Interfaith Outreach each month

Community Service

As the body of Christ, we promote service to others and to the surrounding communities (Matthew 22:36-40).  We as a body recognize that serving others is serving the LORD, demonstrating Christ’s loving gospel through actions.  By doing so, we spread the seeds of evangelism, water with the gospel message and commit our service, our love and watch Jesus grow His church.  Jesus set us an example of servant leadership, and Gods people are servant leaders, ambassadors for Christ, John 13:12-17:

When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

We plan to do this through a number of ways:

  • Sing/Worship with residents at Oddfellow’s Home (others as requested/invited)
  • Participate in events, Example: Day in the Park (Miller Park)
  • Promote periodic activities for the children and teens, in particular.
  • Provide a fellowship meal before Wednesday Bible study, open to everyone

These things listed in our Mission Statement are not everything we plan to do, there is much the church can be doing.  But for now this is where we plan to start, with many more great things planned, should our Lord, Jesus Christ, allow us to do so.  In closing let me share one final verse that sums up what Paul described as the work of the church and it’s responsibility, 1st Corinthians 3:5-9:

What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.

Let us go forth and play our part well as Christs laborers, servants and people, AMEN!