Statement 1: Our Fundamental Identity
We declare that God our Father, in His great love, has redeemed us by sending His Son Jesus Christ and united us as people from diverse cultures into one family through the Holy Spirit committing to us the message of reconciliation.
John 17:20-24, 20:17; Ephesians 2:19-22; Colossians 3:11; Galatians 3:26-29; Ephesians 4:4, 5; Acts 2:5-12; 2 Corinthians 5:19

Statement 2: Cultural Affirmation
We declare that God's truth transcends culture and speaks to all cultures. We affirm the Biblical value, dignity and distinctions of our varying cultures because God uses culture to communicate His truth and grace and receives glory from our cultural expressions. Yet we acknowledge that God declares the fallen condition of all people and their cultures. We claim a personal and corporate responsibility to evaluate and bring Christ-centered reformation to our cultures and society by the Word of God in dependence on the Holy Spirit.
Genesis 1:26, 28; 2:15, 19; Romans 8:18-25; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 3:9-20; Revelation 21:24; 1 Corinthians 9:19-23; Acts 17:16, 22-31; John 17:15-19; Matthew 5:27-43

Statement 3: Repentance & Forgiveness
We acknowledge that great transgressions based on race, gender, class and faith have tragically marked our life together as a human family throughout the history of the world and this nation. While the Church has pursued justice and reconciliation, regrettably it has often participated in this sin through active support or indifference. We join with those believers who confess that true reconciliation cannot be realized without a commitment to repentance, forgiveness and the pursuit of justice.
Nehemiah 1:4-11; Daniel 9:4-19; Ephesians 4:1-6, 32; Philippians 2:1-11; Acts 6:1-7

Statement 4: Necessity Of Grace & Dependency on the Holy Spirit
We seek to apply God's grace to our lives. His grace enables us to love God with all our being and our neighbor as ourselves. God's grace provides the only means to conquer our fears, remove our guilt, resolve our anger and give us the strength to persevere as one family where Jesus Christ is Lord. We declare that the Holy Spirit is our only source of power for true unity in the Body, and that He strengthens us through daily repentance, prayer and the cleansing power of the Word.
Matthew 22:37-40; Ephesians 3:14-19; 4:1-5; Ephesians 5:1, 2, 15-21; Ephesians 6:10,11; Hebrews 2:14, 15; 1 Peter 4:19

Statement 5: Cultural Awareness
We commit ourselves to acquiring greater cultural awareness and sensitivity, starting first with our own cultural bias and prejudices, recognizing that we live in a multicultural city and world. We believe that cultural awareness is foundational to the way in which we develop leaders, conduct worship, equip the body for evangelism and discipleship, and promote justice and community development.
1 Corinthians 9:19-23; Acts 15:19-21; Acts 17:16-34; Acts 26:28,29; Romans 15:1-4

Statement 6: Leadership
We commit ourselves to modeling the reconciliation of culturally diverse believers before the world in our church and ministry leadership. We promote reconciled leadership which understands and values church membership, the unity of the Church, spiritual accountability, the benefit of cultural diversity, shared servant leadership, cross cultural skills, strategic service, sound theology, godly character, spiritual renewal, and discipling emerging leaders.
Luke 6:12-16; Acts 6:1-7; Acts 13:1-3; Galatians 2:2; Isaiah 56:1-8; Revelation 21:24

Statement 7: Worship
We declare that as a reconciled community in Christ we work in our worship services to represent God's Kingdom in our local context. We work to offer God our most precious and valuable expressions of devotion from our varying cultures. Such worship requires the pursuit of excellence as we glorify God in a Christ-centered, believer edifying and seeker welcoming service.
Romans 15:5-11; Isaiah 19:23; Zephaniah 3:9; Psalm 22:27; Revelation 7:9,10; Revelation 21:24

Statement 8: Evangelism
We commit ourselves to work together as a multicultural body to proclaim Good News that communicates Christ to people in their particular cultures with Biblical integrity through culturally sensitive means.
1 Corinthians 9:19-23; 1 Corinthians 10:33; Matthew 20:26-28; Romans 1:14; 2 Corinthians 4:5; Proverbs 11:30; Romans 11:14; 1 Peter 3:1

Statement 9: Discipleship
We declare that as we disciple one another towards Christian maturity, we must obey Christ's command to love our neighbors as ourselves. We do this by keeping the unity of the Spirit, who indwells believers of diverse and historically separated cultures, in the bond of peace.
Ephesians 2:11-22; Ephesians 4:1-4, 11-16; Philippians 2:1-5; Colossians 3:5-14; John 17:23; Romans 14:17-19; 1 Corinthians 1:10; 2 Corinthians 13:11

Statement 10: Justice & Community Development
We declare that the church is called to be the redemptive presence of Christ by proclaiming Good News, which is demonstrated through concrete deeds of mercy and justice. This Good News affirms dignity, cultivates an environment of hope, and restores people to God through Christ and to service in God's kingdom.
Micah 6:8; Luke 4:18, 19; Acts 6:1-7; Galatians 2:10; James 2:1-9

Read more about FCF's Unity Task Force.

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