St. Mark's Church - Burlington, Mebane, North Carolina

Vision and Mission

Our Mission is To Connect People To Christ And One Another!

BECAUSE JESUS CAME TO SEEK and to save the lost, we feel compelled to do the same. But Jesus went beyond rescuing people from hell; He wanted to make them fit for heaven. Through the various sub-ministries of the church, we desire that people not only meet Christ but over time grow in their faith so that they become conformed to His character. This spiritual transformation is best seen as individual believers live obediently to Christ's commands and enter into authentic community with one another.

"The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." Luke 19:10

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and love your neighbor as your self." Luke 10:27

St. Marks Church exists to be a biblically functioning community of believers that is committed to reaching spiritually lost people and assisting them to become fully developing followers of Jesus Christ.

WE CANNOT FULFILL CHRIST'S MISSION ALONE as individuals. We are a church because God wants us to be together and represent Him with our unified diversity. Our goal together is to further His kingdom in our midst, but we also, in obedience to His Great Commission, labor to extend His kingdom worldwide. Our work is not over when we become a biblical community we're a biblical community so that we can accurately reflect Him to the world.

"They spent their time learning the apostles teaching, sharing, breaking bread, and praying together. The apostles worked many miracles and signs and everyone felt great respect for God. All the believers were together and shared everything in common. They would sell their land and the things they owned and then divide the money and give it to anyone who had need. The believers met together in the Temple everyday. They ate together in their homes, happy to share their food with joyful hearts. They praised God together and were liked by all the people. Everyday the Lord added those who were being saved to the group of believers." Acts 2:42-47

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." Matthew 28:19-20

Six Steps - Sinner to Saint

As we investigate the Six Step Strategy, it is important to mention that we do not believe this is the only approach a church could take to reach the lost. While it is supported by biblical examples and principles, we certainly don't think it's the biblical formula. It is no more than a practical approach that supports the individual efforts of our church members to reach lost people and see them become fully developing followers of Jesus Christ.

Build a relationship with an Unchurched Friend.
Rather than beginning with the message of Christ, we seek to make connections so that when we do share the message, we have credibility. People are more inclined to consider a radical message from a trusted friend than from a stranger. The love and interest we show cultivates the ground in preparation for sowing the seeds of the Gospel.

Share a Verbal Witness
It is not enough just to be nice people, unbelievers must hear why we are the way we are, who can save them, and how.

Invite Them to a Weekend Service
Every weekend, we use the services at the church to present some aspect of the message of Christ in a way we call - Christianity 101. Every part is coordinated so that the seeker is the primary target audience, not the already convinced. The elements work together to communicate a consistent theme. We use a variety of means to get the message across in a compelling and often unexpected way. The combination of the groundwork, verbal witness and the impact of a highly relevant, creative presentation bring home the message so that the unchurched person considers investigating the age-old truth of Jesus Christ. Experience shows that people need time to process information. When that process in honored, the commitments made take root better than poorly informed impulse decisions

Participate in a Small Group
A small group is often one of the best places for life change to take place. 4-10 believers gather at least two times a month to share their lives, learn from God's Word in a discussion format, and serve one another. Groups often serve the church by being a serving group, or through periodic short-term service.

Serve in the Body of Christ
THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES EVERY BELIEVER a spiritual gift, and that gift is to be used for the common good. Whether in a small group or on a serving team, every participating member knows he or she is truly part of the church when his or her spiritual gifts are being used to further God's work in the church and beyond.

Steward Financial Resources
WHEN GOD BECOMES MASTER of our spending and giving habits, we can be confident He is master over one of the most personal areas of our lives. All our resources are entrusted to us to use for Kingdom purposes as well as for meeting personal needs. The last step is to allow God to have freedom in this area of our lives. That way, what we keep as well as what we give (using the historic benchmark of 10% of our income as a starting reference) honors Him in every respect.

THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF ST. MARK'S CHURCH

Because we are a collection of many diverse individuals, we all have slightly different ideas with regard to how we go about serving Christ. Yet certain common beliefs unify our efforts and give us guidance in providing ministry. These guiding principles can be summarized using the following 12 statements.

People who are living their lives separated from Christ are important to God and they are vitally important to us as a church.
Full devotion to Christ is normal for every believer.
The Bible is God's Word and is relevant to our contemporary culture.
God's power for ministry is released through prayer.
Genuine worship can be meaningful and relevant to both believers and those who seek a relationship with God.
Every believer should be serving in his or her spiritual gift area.
Life change happens best in small groups.
Pastors are charged with the responsibility of mobilizing, equipping and releasing believers for ministry.
Excellence honors God, reflects His character, and inspires people to invest in God's work.
St. Mark's Church should continue to grow until every person in Burlington, NC and the surrounding communities has heard the Gospel.
A healthy church is characterized by people who are redeemed and sent out for ministry.
Discipleship is best accomplished one life at a time.