Discipleship, Community and Mission

We see these as a broad summary of the teaching and experience of the church as described in the New Testament and an integral part of what it means to worship God. They are intrinsically connected, they affect each other in many ways. We seek to follow these through in our aims and practices at Abbey Church.[i]

Discipleship

God’s intention is that we, individually and together, become like Jesus Christ.[ii] This happens as we submit to him[iii], to what the Bible teaches[iv] and to one another[v]. We place particular importance on the commands of Jesus to be baptised[vi] and to share in the ‘Breaking of bread’ (Communion) together [vii] as these are the two specific commands Jesus gave his church.

This means that we commit to:

  • regularly attend Sunday services as we meet as a congregation to worship, learn and fellowship together.[viii]
  • actively participating in an Abbey Community Group with their aims of growing disciples, building authentic relationships and reaching out in mission.[ix]
  • support the ministry of Abbey Church by the giving of our abilities, time and money.[x]

Community

The church is described in the Bible as Christ’s body and each of us is a part, connected and belonging to each other. Over 50 times in the New Testament the phrase ‘one another’ or ‘each other’ is used. For example we are told that we should encourage, accept, forgive, submit to, pray for one another.[xi] These and many others could be summed up in what Jesus commanded his disciples: “Love each other as I have loved you”.[xii]

This means that we commit to:

  • being willing to practically help and serve one another and practice hospitality.[xiii]
  • do all we can to protect the unity of the church, by seeking to build authentic relationships, and refusing to gossip.[xiv]
  • respecting the leadership of the church.[xv]

Mission

The final commission Jesus gave to his disciples was to go and make disciples. We want to tell others about him so that they could come to know him and be saved. That commission remains until Jesus returns and is reflected in our strapline: ‘Making Jesus Known’.[xvi] This means that we commit to:

  • live out and share the good news of Jesus wherever we are, our individual ‘frontlines’, and support others who are involved in global mission.[xvii]
  • being willing to be involved or serve in our local community.[xviii]
  • giving a warm welcome to everyone who comes to Abbey Church activities, services and events, whatever their background and seeking to make them feel they belong.

 

Belonging, being involved and being committed to a church is a joyful, enriching, satisfying and stretching process as we learn what it is to be God’s family together, becoming the people God made us to be. We pray that will be your experience at Abbey Church.