TRUE NORTH Values * Mission * Vision

TRUE NORTH High Grace/High Truth

“John came fasting and they called him crazy “John came fasting and they called him crazy. I came feasting and they called me a lush, a friend of the riffraff.” Matthew 11:18-19, The Message Grace vs. truth?

Hilltop’s Mission To be a welcoming, celebrating, growing family living out together the Way of Jesus— loving God, loving one another, and loving our neighbors as ourselves.

GRACE or TRUTH? NO! Grace Truth Balance High grace, low truth. Don’t take sin seriously. People stay trapped. High truth, low grace. Legalistic, judgmental. Missing safety needed for heart transformation Each in moderation? NO!

High Grace Low Grace HighTruth Low Truth Permissive Church Chaotic Legalistic Church Low Grace Low Truth HighTruth

High Grace Low Grace HighTruth Low Truth Permissive Transforming Church Transforming Church Chaotic Church Legalistic Church Low Grace Low Truth HighTruth

A New Way to Pray Instead of: “God, please give us the leaders, helpers, and money we need.” We can pray: “God, would you make us trustworthy to receive the leaders, helpers, and money we need?”

What we have done this past year to become more trustworthy? Worked to overcome a culture that tolerated gossip within the church. (Still more to do, but good progress.) Worked to create a culture where our children grow up surrounded by positive role models of Christian adults who save sex until marriage and who would not consider marrying anyone but a committed Christian. Adopted a policy that key leadership roles where leading by example is essential will be filled by Disciples or people spiritually qualified to be Disciples. Decided (via bylaw change) that Disciples will reaffirm their Discipleship commitment each year.

Being a high-truth church  Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. Romans 15:14 NKJV Admonish: Warn or correct firmly. Challenge gently but earnestly. To warn someone not to do something, usually in a kind way, or to tell someone to do something.

Why church discipline? 1. To help the one who is sinning. You should remove this man from your fellowship… so that his sinful nature will be destroyed and he himself will be saved. (1 Cor. 5:2, 5) 2. To protect and build up the body of Christ Don’t you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old “yeast” by removing this wicked person from among you. Then you will be like a fresh batch of dough made without yeast, which is what you really are. (1 Cor. 5:6-7) 3. To be salt and light to the world. You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? (Matt. 5:13)

Insiders or outsiders? It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.” (1 Cor. 6:12-13) OUTSIDERS: Be radically welcoming, as Jesus was with messed up people. All are welcome, just as they are. We provide a safe place for people to explore faith and move toward Jesus. INSIDERS: When we become insiders, we are asking our brothers and sisters to hold us accountable, to give loving correction when we sin, and we are promising to do the same for our brothers and sisters. We are not to judge each others’ hearts (motives), but it is our responsibility to judge behavior. When insiders are living in open sin, we are responsible to correct them.

How Correction (Church Discipline) Goes Wrong Many churches just don’t do it. It’s hard to do well. It’s painful for both those giving and receiving correction. Those giving correction risk losing the relationship. Some churches are legalistic. Punitive and controlling, rather than compassionate with goal of restoration. Churches rarely exercise discipline in the context of intimate community. New Testament guidelines were written for intimate community (house churches), not institutions.

A disciple… …has decided to follow Jesus. Following (obeying) Jesus is the most important thing in life. …has made Jesus Lord and seeks to honor God in every area of life …lives life with other believers in intentional community (house church or triad), regularly “sharing our victories and struggles with one another” (no masks). …has joined the family of God and covenants to give and receive love, and to give and receive loving correction. …does not take sin lightly and does not intentionally continue to live in sin. When disciples becomes aware of sin in their lives, they are grieved by it, repent of it, ask God for the power to forsake it, and make amends to those they have hurt by their sin.

Our Mission To be a welcoming, celebrating, growing family living out together the Way of Jesus— loving God, loving one another, and loving our neighbors as ourselves.