Threshingfloor Basics – Part 5 – Our Passion

This is the fifth and final post in the Threshingfloor Basics series. Read the rest here:

1. The Mission
2. The Disciple
3. Discipleship
4. The Four Spaces
5. Our Passion

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With Jesus at the core of what we do as we balance the Up/In/Out movements of the Christian life there are several things that get us pumped up. These aren’t things that every Christian or ministry is called to emphasize, but because they’re embedded in our DNA and we feel like the Lord has positioned us to focus on them, we’ve established them as core values. That means these things guide our decisions, are means of measurement, and get talked about a lot. If you’re a part of a Threshingfloor community you’ll hear these things mentioned regularly and acted out constantly.

The Core Values:

• Passion for Jesus: We value passion more than professionalism and programs. Our vision is to raise up a generation who love Jesus with their hearts, minds, souls, and strength, and live out their love zealously.  (Psalm 69:9, Romans 12:11, Philippians 3:7-11)

• Everyone on the front-line: Every believer is called to be on the front lines of the kingdom’s forward movement. Jesus says that anyone who isn’t willing to take up their cross and follow him isn’t worthy to be called his disciple. Our communities are structured to push people to the front lines of ministry and evangelism. We want to make people who simply “attend” Christian events to be pushed toward the joy and fulfillment that’s found in following Christ. (Matthew 10:38, John 14:15)

• Relational Gravity: Rather than depending on events, marketing, or buildings we have chosen to leverage our “relational gravity” to connect others to Jesus. Jesus said that when he is raised up he will draw all people to himself, so we raise Jesus up within our communal and individual lives and act in faith that the gravity of his glory is more than powerful enough to draw the lost to salvation. This means that the Gospel is primarily proclaimed through words in the context of relationships. (John 12:32, Acts 5:12-14, Acts 16:14-15, 28-33)

• The local church: Christ’s mission is accomplished through the building up of the church, so we are passionate about our local churches. We commit to, invest in, and serve the local expressions of Christ’s body. (Matthew 16:18, Acts, Ephesians 1:21-23)

• Communities of grace: Following Jesus is a community project, and we believe this happens best in communities where the grace of the Gospel is a reality, therefore we gather regularly in communities of 6-20 people. Every one of our communities strive to be places where God’s power and love are displayed in and through people. (John 13:34-35, Ephesians 2:13-22)

• Every-day discipleship: Following Jesus isn’t a series of events; it’s a new way of life. We are native missionaries to our culture who live out every-day discipleship in everyday contexts. At work, at school, over dinner, while shopping, and anywhere else that we are, we are there to make disciples.   (Deuteronomy 11:18-22, Psalm 1:1-2, Matthew 28:18-20, Acts, 1 Corinthians 11:31-33)

• Outward focus: Just like God the Father sent Jesus out into the world to save sinners, we go out to reach and disciple the lost. Our gatherings are not the end goal – they are the spaces where we are empowered to go out into the world and bear witness to Christ and the Kingdom. We do this by actively seeking to draw others into the Gospel Community, through serving others selflessly, and through praying for others constantly. (Genesis 22:17-18, Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 20:24, 2 Corinthians 5:17-21)