Vista Church

OUR VALUES

Values are "convictions regarding truth that determine behavior." Values are placed deep within each of us and churches are no different. Values explain why we do what we do at Vista.

At Vista, we have four values that permeate every aspect of our church and help define who we are as a unique family of God.

KINGDOM OF GOD

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." — Matthew 6:33

The kingdom of God is the reign of God. It is Jesus Chris, the Lord over all things, in action. Wherever the will of God is being done, that's where the kingdom is being manifested. In a very real sense, Jesus is the kingdom in person.

It is the message Jesus proclaimed. It is the reality Jesus embodied. His teaching makes it the priority of our prayers, our personal lives, and all our ministry endeavors. We are to "seek first the kingdom of God." It is a key to understanding personal and city transformation. Ultimately, the kingdom of God is the context within which we live.

DISCIPLE

"And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.19 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, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'" — Matthew 28:18–20

A disciple is a follower of Jesus Christ. In keeping with the mandate Jesus gave in the Great Commission, a disciple is someone who has been baptized and is learning to obey everything Jesus taught. In short, a disciple is one who hears and obeys God.

If we're going to see real transformation in our own communities and our global engagement, everybody has to be in the game. Each disciple has gifts and skills that can make a difference when mobilized for the good of others. All of life is their ministry both at a local and global level.

SOCIETY

"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God." — Romans 13:1

Society is composed of groups of people who work and live within their own areas or domains. These core structures of society do not change. The people working and living within these domains meet the basic needs of society and keep it functioning.

The domains of society become crucial in the transformation of a city. Those who assume leadership in these spheres of influence have the potential to completely reshape their city; its values, priorities and practices. The Scriptures teach that domain leaders function with a delegated authority from God. He is sovereign over domains. In directing his people to bless their cities and the nations of the world, God is calling us to engage domains as a way of seeing God's kingdom come to people and cities.

CHURCH

"In him [Jesus] you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit." — Ephesians 2:14–22

The Church consists of all true believers in Jesus Christ throughout all time. The Kingdom manifests itself through the Church. Thus, experientially, it provides a foretaste of the future reign of God. It exits only because of Jesus Christ and is mandated with extending His mission in the world.

It is difficult to overestimate the object of Christ's affection, the people He purchased for Himself at the cost of His own lifeblood. Even so, the importance of the church in the purposes of God can be seen in multiple realities including the church is God's agent of transformation, the church is an expression of God's Trinitarian nature and the church is God's dwelling place.