4 commitments
+serve +grow +give +live
Serve in Community
You know that the rulers of this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the son of man [Jesus] came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. —Mark 10:42-45
It has been said that the Kingdom of God is an upside-down kingdom, meaning it runs contrary to the kingdoms of earth. Earthly kingdoms are built on hierarchies of power where the weak serve the strong. In God’s kingdom, the powerful serve the weak.
A life of service says, “my life is not my own.” We ask everyone in the Gathering Network to serve by giving their lives to support the mission of a missional community, discipleship in a 2 and 3, and to serve in the weekly celebration service.
Grow in Personal Holiness
It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you. —Mark 7: 20-23
Following Jesus requires obedience to his commands, and we ask all of the Gathering Network to take personal holiness very seriously by submitting the secret places of life to a trusted friend who will ask the hard questions concerning faithfulness to God’s word.
Give 10% of Your Income as a Tithe
You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! —Malachi 3: 8-10
Jesus knows that money is one of the most powerful forces of our lives. We lean on money for safety, assurance, and position in life, while Jesus calls us to be fully dependent on him from the heart, and to live in awareness that all we have comes from him.
A tithe says to God, “You blessed me with this provision, and now I worship you with what you’ve given me.” Giving is simply an act of worship, and we ask all of the Gathering Network to worship God this way.
Live an Evangelistic Lifestyle
The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord Who is in Charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields. —Matthew 9:37-38
I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. —Matthew 28:19-20
The world is changed one life at a time. Jesus defines his mission as people sent to teach other people how to live life obeying his commands. Jesus created our lives to count and to be filled with meaning and significance. He is involving all of us in his mission to reach and love the world with his love and grace.