Foundational Ethos and Principles
Avodah¹: Worship, work, and service is what brings us to collaborate together in all our work, for God’s
glory.
Our work is a gift from God. God provided work for us in an intimate relationship with Him. God designed us, placed giftedness into each of us, and deployed us into His kingdom work. He delights in seeing us work. He continually desires to relate to us in our work, family, community, and service. Our witness in communities and cities, and to God, speaks through our work and words.
(Genesis 1:26—28, 31, 2:15 29:27; Exodus 3:12, 21:6; Psalm 139; Jeremiah 33:3; Malachi 3:17; Matthew 13:31—33; 22:37—39, 25:29; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 10:31, Ephesians 1:7—10, 2:10; Colossians 3:17,23—24)
Hesed: Lovingkindness, mercy, and grace is what holds us together expressing and promoting loving kindness for every individual, community, and nation.
God’s character and actions are described through many images and words in the Old Testament: love, lovingkindness, mercy, mercies, good deeds, merciful, gracious, unswervingly loyal, gracious covenant,unfailing love, everlasting kindness, extravagant love, loyal… in the Hebrew it was one word, Hesed. Shades of meaning, observable actions, and soulful relationship with God evoke us to meld the heart of God with loving our neighbors, and enemies. We witness with lovingkindness resulting in new creations and communities.
(Genesis 19:19, 20:13, 24:12,32:10, 47:29; Exodus 15:13, 34:6—7, Numbers 14:18… and 25 other books of the Old Testament. The Greek Septuagint translated hesed into mercy, righteousness, grace, hope, namesake, glory, hope sprinkled across 15 books of the New Testament.)
Nadiyb: Generous, noble, and willingness in sharing is what sustains us; we live and practice generosity.
God is generous and is explicit about His generosity. His generosity is rooted in relationship with us, and
for us with one another. God’s act in creation can use the smallest seed to shelter living birds.
Multiplying effects of the spirit of generosity is demonstrative of love and God’s kingdom of abundance. We witness with the unbounded grace of God for this world.
(Genesis 1:29, 12:3; Isaiah 32:8; Matthew 6:25—34, 14:13—21; Mark 4:31—32; Ephesians 3:20; 1 Corinthians 13:8; 2 Corinthians 8:9, 9:7, 9:10—15; James 1:17; Revelation 21:6, 22:17)
Tsadiq: Just, righteous, conduct is how we act and promote justice for communities, cities, and generations.
God calls us to conduct our character and work with justice and lawfulness. When we adhere to this conduct, the righteous prosper, the city rejoices. When there is a fundamental reorientation of life towards God, there is an eternal perspective of the Kingdom of God. Through gut-wrenching compassion, vulnerable communities are uncovered and cared for. New creations and communities are the new witnesses in the public squares and in the cities.
(Proverbs 3:5, 11:10, 13:15, 15, 29:7; Psalm 24:4, 100:3; Matthew 6:33; 1 Corinthians 6:19—20; Revelation 21:5)
Yesua: Salvation, deliverance, whole-life disciples is our end goal as we walk humbly, making known the message of the cross.
God’s redemptive purpose is fulfilled in our deliverance via Christ’s obedience to death and resurrection to glory. He has atoned for us by the shedding of His unblemished blood. His victory over Sin and Death, His ascension and promised return, is our resurrection hope. The mode, method, and motifs of the cross are definitive to the message we declare, to which we decisively witness.
(Galatians 3:8; Hebrews 13:10—14; Exodus 11—14; Leviticus 5:14—6:7; Isaiah 52:13—53:12; Lamentations 1:12—13; Zechariah 8, 14; Matthew; Mark; Luke; John; Acts; Romans 5, 7:23—24, 8:21—22; 1 Corinthians 5:7—8, 15; Philippians 2:5—9; 1 Thessalonians 4:13—5:11; 1 Peter 1:19, 2:23—24; Revelation 19, 20)
¹We have chosen Hebrew words for our Foundational Ethos and Principles