Core Values

The gospel of St. John alone records Jesus’ prayer for future believers who would become His church and extension of hope to the world:

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through the message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent me. I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as We are one: I in them and You in Me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved me."  - John 17:20-23

Our St. John Lutheran Church & School mission and ministry motto statement and logo proclaim this critical answer to Jesus’ prayer in a simple, memorable way:  One in Jesus Reaching Many!

As a visual representation of our mission statement, the center of our St. John Lutheran Church & School logo is the central witness of our faith through the redeeming cross of our Savior Jesus. That witness is formed as an answer to Jesus' prayer as people of diversity are joyfully drawn together by God’s eternal love and forgiving grace to become ONE in Christ. The image is visibly in motion, drawing the focus both inward toward the cross but also outward and forward in thanksgiving as He leads us to walk together extending His eternal love to all.

The eight extending hands of the logo also visually connect as a reminder of our eight Core Values and Strategic Directions that follow. To learn more, please click or hover over each category on the graphic below.

BIBLICAL DISCOVERY

BIBLICAL DISCOVERYImagine a faith community where everyone immerses in the study of God’s inspired Word, setting aside time daily to read the Word, reflect on what it means, and applying it to their lives. These people are lifelong students of God’s Word, thoroughly grounded in the inspired truth God has revealed as upheld through the solid doctrine and confessions of our church body, the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. (John 6:68, Luke 8:11-15, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Isaiah 55:11, John 20:31)

Strategic Direction: In Jesus, our Church and School family is becoming one and reaching many as we place God’s Word in as many hands as we can and together engage in the life transformation that comes by studying and reflecting on it.

WORSHIP CELEBRATION

WORSHIP CELEBRATIONImagine a faith community where everyone gathers together often to joyfully celebrate Christ’s life-giving presence and forgiving grace through Word and Sacraments. They do so with a very clear sense of their repentant need for God. They are drawn to gather not because they feel obligated but because they know the relational welcome of Jesus’ love and the life-changing impact of His presence through worship. (Isaiah 29:13-14, 1 John 1:8-10, John 4:23-24, Acts 2:42-44, Hebrews 10:23-25)

Strategic Direction: In Jesus, our Church and School family is becoming one and reaching many as we put our best energies into relevantly developing and celebrating our worship life in Christ.

SHARED LIFE

SHARED LIFEImagine a faith community where everyone walks together through life by caring, encouraging and holding one another accountable in passionate pursuit of relationally full life in Christ. It is a supportive community where no one—whatever their age, race, marital, economic or emotional status—is ever alone. These people gather together in homes and coffee houses, on our church and school campus or throughout the community, coming together to share life together in Christ. (John 10:10, Galatians 3:26-28, Acts 2:46-47, 1 Thessalonians 2:8, 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, John 13:34-35)

Strategic Direction: In Jesus, our Church and School family is becoming one and reaching many as we intentionally strive to connect every person to experience meaningful, authentic community-life and loving support in Jesus name.

CHILDREN, YOUTH & FAMILIES

CHILDREN, YOUTH & FAMILIESImagine a faith community where everyone rallies to strengthen the homes and lives of children, youth and families within our reach, helping them to grow into all God has created them to be. These people passionately invest their time, energy, and resources in marriages, children, youth and families because they recognize that the time we are given to shape them is irreplaceable. (Proverbs 22:6, Psalm 145:3-5, 2 Timothy 3:14-17, Luke 18:15-17, Ephesians 5:21-6:4, Ephesians 3:14-21)

Strategic Direction: In Jesus, our Church and School family is becoming one and reaching many as we work purposefully to strengthen marriages, homes and families to ensure that everyone becomes a spiritual champion in life.

SACRIFICIAL GENEROSITY

SACRIFICIAL GENEROSITYImagine a faith community where everyone gives thanks for every material blessing of the Lord in their lives. They recognize that everything they have belongs to God and is ultimately on loan from Him. In response to His loving provision they joyfully defy logic and intentionally give sacrificially by faith in Jesus’ name to faithfully provide for the needs of His kingdom work locally and globally. (Malachi 3:10, Luke 12:13-34, Luke 21:1-4, Matthew 25:14-30, 2 Corinthians 8:7, 9:6-15, Acts 4:32-35)

Strategic Direction: In Jesus, our Church and School family is becoming one and reaching many, as we learn more and more to trust in the Lord as our provider and respond to His amazing grace generously as his people, knowing He willingly invites us to test Him in this.

COMPASSIONATE SERVICE

COMPASSIONATE SERVICEImagine a faith community where everyone uses their unique, God-given set of gifts, including time, talents, abilities, passions and experiences to joyfully go out and humbly serve others in their community, congregation and world with open hearts of compassionate mercy in Jesus’ name. These people are also committed to encouraging and equipping others to do the same. (Ephesians 4:11-13, Romans 12:1-8, Luke 10:30-37, Luke 22:24-27, John 12:25-26)

Strategic Direction: In Jesus, our Church and School family is becoming one and reaching many as we continually prepare and unleash more and more people to serve humbly with compassion in meaningful ways in Jesus’ name.

RELATIONAL WITNESS

RELATIONAL WITNESSImagine a faith community where everyone openly lives out and speaks about the eternal love of Jesus as a natural expression of who they are as forgiven people in Christ. These people are aware and open to the Spirit’s leading and are willingly available and equipped to share the message of Jesus’ love with those who may think they are far from God. (Luke 19:10, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 2:3-5, Acts 4:20, Colossians 4:5-6, 1 Peter 3:15, Philemon 1:6)

Strategic Direction: In Jesus, our Church and School family is becoming one and reaching many as we are motivated by the love of Jesus to invest in relationally and intentionally leading others to Christ, urgently aware that eternity is on the line for those who don’t know Him.

CONSTANT PRAYER

CONSTANT PRAYERImagine a faith community where everyone unceasingly approaches the Lord in prayer individually, as families and as a church and school community. A community where people don’t just say they’ll pray, but actually do pray openly in complete faith and trust, confidently recognizing the incredible privilege and intimate opportunity we have to call upon the powerful presence of our Triune God in Jesus’ name. (John 17:20-23, Philippians 4:6-7, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Acts 12:1-19)

Strategic Direction: In Jesus, our Church and School family is becoming one and reaching many as we grow more and more individually and corporately to rely on the Lord for all things, seeking Him passionately in prayer that His will would be done and accomplished among us.