Our Vision Statement
Wildwood Presbyterian Church[1] exists for the glory of God[2] in 3 dimensions:Upward:
A worshipping community[3] that: fully embraces the grace and truth of Holy Scripture[4].
Inward:
A nurturing community[5] that: Loves one another authentically,[6] Learns together expectantly[7] and Shepherds our members toward full maturity in Christ[8].
Outward:
An outreaching community[9] that: Demonstrates[10] through word and deed the compassion of Christ toward those in need[11] of reconciliation with God.
Notes
[1] Wildwood is Presbyterian in church government which means she is constituted to be led by elected elders and is in confessional agreement with other churches which comprise the Presbyterian Church in
(I Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9)
[2] Churches exist by the pleasure of Jesus Christ and are totally responsible for submitting to His authority. The purpose of the church and of all human existence is to bring glory to God. This means we are to individually and collectively reflect the greatness and goodness of God in everything we do.
(I Corinthians 10:31; Revelation 4:11; Revelation 5:13; Isaiah 6:3; Psalm 72:19)
[3] Wildwood is described as a community throughout which is distinguished from individualism or even an aggregate of individuals meeting together temporarily. Worship is the primary duty and greatest privilege of a Christian. Healthy Christians are consistent personal and corporate worshippers. (John 4:23-24; Psalm 42:1-2; Psalm 63:1-4) Wildwood plans worship services for Christians with the understanding that people of other faiths or no faith are likely present. (I Corinthians 14:20-25) The philosophy of the two Wildwood worship services are defined in the document Wildwood Worship: The Winning Combination (2005).
[4] Jesus was full of grace and truth (John 1:14). Embracing grace means that as we approach God, we are aware of our complete inadequacy and the sin which makes us unacceptable. We embrace the forgiveness of Christ and extend this same grace to those still in darkness or immaturity. Embracing grace means we are willing to accept people where they are in full hope that God will take them to places of deeper growth and maturity. Embracing grace also means we are willing to face the world as it is without revulsion and rejection. Therefore, for example, we sponsor specific need groups to address major life challenges in the areas of addiction, divorce, sexuality, etc. Embracing the truth of Holy Scripture is a commitment to the authority and veracity of the Bible as our only source of truth. Personal and corporate encounters of scripture in devotions, groups, classes and sermons should be normative. The scriptures collected in systematic fashion on key subjects forms the basis of our confession of faith called The Westminster Confession and Catechisms (1643-1649). All elders and deacons at Wildwood subscribe to this standard of faith.
The basis for all Wildwood classes for children, students and adults is designed to encounter the grace of God and the truth of the scriptures. The goal of all Bible exposure is to know and glorify God in daily life. Bible knowledge and theological skill is meant to produce heart change which leads to behavioral change.
[5] Nurture infers life. The church is less an organization than a living organism. The various descriptions of a church define it as growing and alive.
(I Corinthians 12:12-31; Ephesians 4:1-16)
[6] The mark of the Christian is love. (I Corinthians 13:1-13) Jesus’ command to His disciples was to love one another. (John 13:34-35) Jesus’ own reputation is based upon His disciples’ love for one another. (John 17:20-23) The crowning achievement of love is not easy and is often substituted with religious civility.
Loving authentically means we admit that loving others is hard and that we may have personal or corporate conflicts which must be addressed. Authentic Christianity creates vulnerability and a place of safety which says “I am able to be real and not rejected”.
Wildwood values such ministries as Peacemakers which helps focus on Biblical conflict resolution. We also value teaching such as:
o Sonship, an affiliated PCA ministry
o New Way Ministries: Dr. Larry Crabb
o John Piper books
o Vast treasures in Puritan writings such as John Owen and Jonathan Edwards
These resources center on the affections of the heart and not mere behavioral change. Our level of maturity is best detected in our relational health and not simply in external behavior. Authentic Christianity is not satisfied with external changes only, yet external morality is essential as the fruit of heart change.
[7] Learning together involves intentionality and content. The Christian life is more than relationships, affections and sharing burdens. The Christian faith is also an embodiment of truth, knowledge and life principles. These are embraced not as an end in themselves but provide the context for greater love and obedience to the Lord. Learning together implies a set of opportunities in the life of the church where we are exposed collectively to the same truths. This comes through sermons, designated family worship services, called meetings for instruction or information and periodic direction from our leadership team to focus on a common subject in our classes, groups and studies. That we are expectant implies a hunger and interest in exploring various dimensions of the faith beyond Sunday morning worship. Healthy Christianity involves a desire to be with one another around the truth of scripture and rich fellowship. Our various classes and small groups are designed to foster this commitment.
[8] Shepherding is a biblical term used to describe the work of elders. (Acts 20: 28-30; I Peter 5:1-5) Elders therefore are not only church administrators or decision makers. Their main task is to guard, feed and lead the flock. Wildwood encourages additional shepherding relationships through the willingness of gifted men and women who serve as Bible study leaders in specific groups for men, women, students or couples. Yet the elders have the prime responsibility to model a life of caring concern for the members of the body. The elders are currently working on a shepherding plan which involves connecting with our members in neighborhoods or “parishes”. Our elders will oversee our flock in these geographical areas. The approach in each neighborhood will vary but could include:
· Invitations to larger neighborhood gatherings
· Phone calls from elders to learn of concerns or prayer requests
· A way to inform your neighborhood of special needs
· Informing of hospitalizations that exist in your area
· The development of small groups called community groups that arise out of a greater desire to learn, love and minister to one another
The elders in each parish can work alongside the Wildwood deacons and other interested members of our church to facilitate ‘family’ in the places we live.
[9] The church has never existed for itself. The focus is always on the glory of God and witness in the community. (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; Matthew 5:13-16; Philippians 1:12-18) Wildwood supports an extensive array of home and foreign ministries designed to help fulfill the Great Commission.
[10] The mandate of the church is to both proclaim and demonstrate the gospel to those outside of Christ. (Matthew 5:13-16) In a world where we discover greater dissonance and misunderstanding of Christianity, the verbal truth must be partnered with visible demonstrations of compassion and concern. Relationships and servanthood are most highly valued and our outreaching ministry must include a combination of proclamation (This is the gospel) relationship (I value who you are) and service (I want to help you in practical ways). Our description of the connection between word and deed is defined as Building Bridges. Our vision as a church since 2003 has been to expand our ministry opportunities by relocating to 60 acres 2 miles north of our current building. The primary thought of Building Bridges is to demonstrate and communicate the love of Christ through extensive family ministry opportunities such as:
o Daycare
o Preschool
o Comprehensive summer camps for music, art, drama, life skills and sports
o After school programs
o Athletic teams throughout the year and eventually expanding to the acute burdens of special needs children, safe havens for pregnant girls or battered women and services for the elderly.
The current Wildwood ministry supports a vital outreach called Our Father’s Storehouse, for disadvantaged residents, and will offer VPK to our community in the fall of 2007. We offer an extensive ballet ministry which attracts hundreds of girls and young women. Our student camps and conferences are open to high school and college students exploring the claims of the faith.
[11] The end result for all service and ministry in the life of the community must never be manipulative or agenda-driven. Yet the reality for the Bible believing church is that every person has an eternal destiny and that Jesus Christ is the key to eternal life, and the denial of whom there is eternal separation from God. (John 14:6) The church that emphasizes social programs and compassion at the expense of the gospel message has become disobedient. The church that only proclaims the truth (mostly at a distance and usually unheard) to the world may lack credibility in a culture that is resistant to absolute truth claims. The combination of proclamation and demonstration (which is what the incarnation of Jesus Christ is all about) provides the proper Biblical framework to communicate the gospel. May Wildwood endure long into the future because of our faithfulness to this calling.