Before we launched the Dialogue Church I thought I knew what our values would be. But you can’t really just predict your values or say what you want your values to be. Values are something that get revealed over time as you are tested. Real values are what are leftover after you have been abandoned, beaten, abused, ridiculed, mistreated and YOU ARE STILL STANDING FOR THESE THINGS! Values are what you are willing to fight for and die for, not just think are cute and cool ideas.

Here is one value that I know we won’t turn our backs on: HONOR.

We want to honor up, when we honor up we honor all the way up to the Lord Jesus Christ. We want to honor God, God’s Word, God’s man (the Pastor), leaders, guests, and with our finances! Honor is something you give. Sniff out dishonor in this church: gossip, criticism in the wrong direction, division, rebellion, sin, selfishness, apathy toward the vision, lack of energy around the mission. Don’t let anyone talk trash about your pastor, his family, or his staff team. Don’t let anyone think its ok to give God less than their best!

Here is another value: EXCELLENCE

Excellence matters. Because what we do matters. What we do represents the Lord Jesus Christ and for all of eternity what we do for Christ will last. Let’s make it count. Excellence honors God and attracts the unchurched! Excellence in the little things will lead to excellence in the bigger things. If you are faithful with a little, you will be given more to manage and use for God’s purposes! Everything matters, do it will excellence. All that you do, do to the glory of God, do to the best of your ability and keep improving! Excellence is doing the best you can with what you have. Be excellent! And require excellence from those on your team; it is the best way to honor them!

Here is another: EVANGELISM

I don’t really care that this word seems to be old hat or old school. The definition is “leading unchurched people to become hardcore followers of Jesus Christ.” We won’t ever get away from reaching out to the unchurched. We will never get so mature that we don’t need to focus on the one lost sheep (Luke 15). We will never stop trying new approaches or different ways of communicating the gospel to those who are far from God. Oh yeah, and we won’t ever stop ticking off the people who just want church to be “ALL ABOUT ME.” We will do whatever it takes to reach as many people as we can with the good news of Jesus Christ!

How about this one: THE GOSPEL

The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. I realize this is a belief, but its also a value. We won’t ever get so deep that we don’t talk about the gospel every single weekend. We won’t ever get so big that we don’t bring it back to the gospel every single weekend. We won’t ever get so New in our methodology that we don’t celebrate the old old story. We won’t ever get to polished that we don’t talk about the old rugged cross every single weekend. It’s all about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Period!

One more: PREACHING

Since the time Jesus came walking on the earth, to now, the church has evolved but one thing that has remained is the simplicity of preaching. Speaking the word of God into people’s lives. There is nothing more catalytic to making life changing decisions than clear biblical preaching. Preaching is biblical teaching + spiritual leadership. You need both to be an effective preacher. Preaching is about proclaiming God’s Word, not my personal opinions. “Thy word not my word, changes lives.” We are called to declare the gospel not decorate it. I don’t know exactly why this is, but God has chosen to use the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. God has chosen to use the simplicity of preaching to make known His Word and to change lives! Elevate the man of God in order to elevate the Word of God!