We proclaim the gospel to tell the good news of Jesus Christ. As Paul wrote to his disciple, Timothy:  The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience, as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. - 1 Timothy 1:15-16 ESV. The first four books of the New Testament are called gospels because they were written to tell the story of Jesus - three from the viewpoint of the disciples who walked with Him intimately during His time on Earth and one from a historian. See also Philippians 2:1-11 and Hebrews 12:1-3.

We equip through teaching, preaching, and training. We also provide structure, systems, and support to facilitate learning, growth, and implementation. In Ephesians 4:12, church leaders are instructed "to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ," - Ephesians 4:12 ESV. At Redeemer, we want everyone to understand how God has created and called them to carry out their own personal ministries (Ephesians 2:10).

We empower people to discover and move into their purpose and calling through preaching (Romans 16:25), prayer (Colossians 4:2-4), sacraments (Mat 28:19; 1 Cor 11:23), worship arts (Colossians 3:16), Christian education (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 17:11), and relational connections (Hebrews 10:24-25) with each other and the community. We also seek to empower them to "put on the full armor of God" (Ephesians 6:10-18) so that we may "take our stand against the devil's schemes".

We unleash people both within the church and beyond (Acts 1:6). We encourage one another to "look to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith" so that we may "run with endurance the race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12:1-2). As our people are empowered by prayer and the knowledge of what God is doing in and around Lakeland they are unleashed to love and serve their communities by joining forces or even starting local missions. Beyond Lakeland, our people are unleashed to love and serve through short-term missions, prayer, and engagement with missionaries from around the world. Through all of this, we experience the joy of the Kingdom of God (John 15:11).

We love as we are commanded to (John 13:34) and it is beautifully described in the Bible in Paul's first letter to the Corinthians. In 1 Corinthians 13 we read in part: Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;  . . . Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. . . . So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. - 1 Corinthians 13:4-5,7,13 ESV

Jesus taught that His Kingdom was to be an upside-down one. By washing the disciples' feet, Our Lord taught and showed that to lead in His Kingdom is to serve. This radical teaching changes the way we interact in every relationship both inside and outside of the church (John 13:1-17 & Matt 20:16).