I Corinthians 11:1 says, “Imitate me as I imitate Christ.”
This verse is an expression of the mission of the Christian Arts Ministry. Our purpose in every service is to communicate with people in order to connect people with God. We can not effectively accomplish this goal without a certain level of spiritual maturity and artistic professionalism. Out of our mission we’ve identified 9 standards of excellence that define the heart, mind and ministry of the Christian Arts Ministry Team.
Delight the Heart of the Father…
Purity
Matthew 5:8 says, “Pure hearts see God.”
We believe that when we stand before the congregation we must be aware of the fact that people are looking to us to find their way to God. Each week we will prepare as a group, but we must also prepare as individuals. Check your heart daily. See if there is any unconfessed sin or any broken relationships you need to bring before God before you stand to lead. None of us are perfect. But as we lead let’s make certain we are trusting in God’s strength and not our own.
Faithfulness
James 5:12 says, “…let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes’ and your ‘no’, ‘no’, lest you fall into judgment.”
We believe that members of the Christian Arts Ministry can be found in every other ministry of the church. We serve as Sunday School teachers, Student leaders, Pre-school and Children’s Workers, in FAITH, Discipleship and in every other ministry of our church. Regardless of where you participate or where you serve be fully committed to the ministries you have chosen. If you are a member of the Celebration Choir don’t miss a rehearsal or a Sunday morning. If you serve as an Usher or Sunday School Teacher make certain you’re always there and on time. Your effectiveness as a servant leader in any ministry is only as strong as your faithfulness to that commitment.
Humility
Philippians 2:3 – 4 says, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.”
We believe that true humility is not thinking highly of yourself and it’s not thinking lowly of yourself. True humility is not thinking of yourself at all. We will serve. We will follow. We will listen. We will obey. We will decrease and He will increase not through the force of our will or the power of our presentation, but because we will fully submit to His desires with all that we are.
Expressing Our Love for God…
Passion
Isaiah 26:8 says, “Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your truth, we wait eagerly for you, for Your name and Your renown are the desire of our souls.”
We believe our services of worship are not about us. They are about God and His glory. Our preparations each week will reflect this. The passion of our heart must be for His name and for His renown. We recognize that it is a privilege to be used by God to communicate His truth to others and that we are reflectors of His glory. While we may be proficient at standing before thousands of people singing, speaking, or acting our passion is not for the crowd, the acclaim, or the praise. Our passion is for His name to be glorified above all. With each passing moment of every service He must increase and we must decrease. This one thought is our driving passion.
Professionalism
Proverbs 4:26 says, “Ponder the paths of your feet and let all your ways be established.”
We believe that professionalism is the art of managing details. We will practice, plan and prepare in order to present our message in the most clear, concise, creative and compelling way possible. We will work diligently to offer our very best to God and we will not offer Him anything that has cost us nothing. We will pour out our lives as a living sacrifice as we prepare for how God will use us.
Personal Growth
II Timothy 2:15 says, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth.”
We believe every CAM member should be committed to a lifestyle of consistent spiritual growth with honest accountability. A genuine love for God is always our first priority. Every Believer should yearn for consistent spiritual growth. Therefore, discipleship through personal devotions, small groups, accountability, and open honesty is critical to maturing in our faith and leading others.
Use of Every Talent and Resource…
Develop People
Colossians 1:28 says, “It [Jesus] we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we might present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.”
We believe every CAM member will find their greatest joy and fulfillment when serving in their gifts and passion. Every Believer is created for ministry, gifted for ministry, authorized for ministry, and needed for ministry. The Christian Arts Ministry will work to discover, develop & deploy the people God has brought to FBCO for the purpose of building His Kingdom in this place.
Identify and Equip Emerging Leaders
II Timothy 2:2 say, “And the things you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
We believe the greatest among you will be the servant of all. God is raising up men and women who will take the baton of godly character, authentic faith, and servant-hearted leadership to all the world.
Team Works
I Corinthians 14:24 says, “But if all prophecy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all.”
We believe we are designed to work together and that the strength of our ministry will be directly related to the relationships we have together. God designed you with a certain personality, gifts, talents, knowledge and experiences. He has done the same for everyone in the church. Only when we come together and share in all the good things God has blessed us with will we see the full picture of who God is and how we can share that vision clearly with others.