The early history of the US Coast Guard had a simple but profound motto:
“We have to go out, we don’t have to come back.”

Instead of feeling INSPIRED, COMPELLED, and CALLED, the Church is often defined as FEARFUL and PASSIVE, while being DISCONNECTED and DISENGAGED from our world.

The Church in 2020 will always face the temptation the run away from danger, but we are called to GO!

Background of Ephesians 2: In the midst of turmoil and division, Paul is calling the Church towards a message of ONE:

•ONE humanity (verse 15)
•ONE body (verse 16)
•ONE spirit (verse 18)

One Nation (verse 19)
“You are no longer foreigners and strangers.”

Within the church, there is a seat at the table for each and every person.

One Family (verse 19)
“Fellow citizen’s with God’s people and members of His household.”

Within the church, our identity comes from being a citizen of His kingdom.

One Temple (verses 20-22)
“Rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.”

Jesus is the cornerstone, and the church is RISING UP to become His temple, a place where His Spirit dwells.

What does it mean for us, the church, ”to rise to become His temple” in 2020?

At HFCN, we are committed to living lives of complete obedience to God. So we sense His love compelling us to worship Him wholeheartedly but, more than that, we will reach beyond our walls to welcome the outsider, the broken, the lost, the hopeless. Our work to bring hope to others through the person of Jesus Christ will make us relevant and valuable in our community.

-HFCN Church Purpose Statement

What does it mean to be relevant?

• We believe that God’s purpose for the church was relevant then.
• We believe that God’s purpose for the church is relevant today.
• God’s purpose for the church is not outdated.

Specifically, when we speak of a church that is relevant, we are focusing on three things:

REAL
• We are REAL - honest about who we are (and who we’re not)
• We take time to listen, to understand those we are reaching
• We tell our real story about faith in Christ
• We don’t pretend or hype and we aren’t playing games
• We’re not afraid to speak truth to what’s happening today

URGENT
• We understand that this really matters - eternal life and eternal death hang in the balance
• We believe that we are in the last days and that “waiting till tomorrow” is bad evangelism and bad theology. (Thus, “The Future is Now.”)
• We have hope and we will cannot keep it to ourselves
• We won’t be pushy, but we will have urgency to share the Gospel faithfully.

IMPACTFUL
• We make a meaningful difference.
• We realize that nothing happens apart from the love of Christ flowing through us.
• We don’t expect people to “have their act together” before extending a hand to them.
• We truly care and people know it.
• We’re not intimidated by sin, but we don’t turn a blind eye to it either.

• God’s work will be done through the church (We are His Plan A)
• If the church is irrelevant, it’s not because our marching orders have changed.
• God doesn’t become irrelevant.

Bottom Line:
There is no substitute for the church being the church.