Church culture is profoundly significant—whether for regular attendees, staff members, or volunteers, it is the environment we inhabit, shaping our experiences, behaviors, and emotional well-being. Like the air we breathe or the sea we swim in, it can mold, bless, or bruise those it touches. Though often subtle and unseen, church culture deeply influences behavior, supports—or impedes—missional vision, and impacts the overall health of the community.
A healthy church culture fosters human flourishing, encourages open inquiry, and nurtures genuine community. It effectively manages conflict and empowers pastoral care, mission, and discipleship. Such a culture is rooted in love and justice, providing fertile ground for the fruits of the Spirit to grow and thrive, guided by the Spirit. An authentic church culture ensures a true alignment between what the church claims to be and how it is actually experienced by the community, staff, volunteers, and all who engage with it.
Here is a document that myself and a few colleagues worked on that seeks to articulate the vision and culture of Lighthouse West Yorkshire - Leeds
I share this as I think it may be helpful to other church leaders.
Vision and Values
Sharing the love of God in word and deed with those battered and bruised by the storms of life.
Vision Statement:
Lighthouse is a Christ-centered, justice-shaped, and hope-filled community where those battered and bruised by the storms of life can find healing, wholeness, and life in all its fullness. We seek to inspire and equip the wider church to look and love more like Jesus among those on the margins of society.
Values and Culture:
Culture and values are at the heart of Lighthouse, helping us flourish and thrive as individuals and as a community. Culture is the glue that holds together all our components, while our values point to what is most important to us. A goodness (tov) culture is both beautiful and worth cherishing and protecting. This culture is reinforced by the embodiment of our values in every area of Lighthouse’s life and ministry.
An authentic culture at Lighthouse is evident when there is consistency between what we say we value and how it is experienced by our community, staff, volunteers, and all those who interact with us.
1. Spiritually Formed (Growing Together)
At Lighthouse, we value being formed and shaped into the image of Jesus above all else. Drawing from a rich diversity of church traditions—eucharistic, liturgical, charismatic, contemplative—we take seriously our allegiance to Christ and prioritize practices of prayer, communion, and scripture reading. These practices help us fix our eyes on Jesus as we strive to live lives marked by both radical and sustainable love.
2. Missionally Motivated (Going Together)
At Lighthouse, we believe that love is active and tangible. We embrace and enact a holistic and liberationist missional approach with an unapologetic “bias for the poor.” In a world full of chaos and brokenness, we seek to be hope-filled realists, advocating for the oppressed and carrying the light and love of Christ into darkness. We celebrate both immediate and gradual transformations, valuing creativity and adaptability in our structure, programming, evangelism, and acts of worship.
3. Theologically Rich (Learning Together)
We believe that education and theological development deepen our understanding of mission, discipleship, and pastoral care. At Lighthouse, we value mature understandings of addiction and trauma, integrating these insights into our Spirit-empowered models of worship and ministry. We actively seek to learn from and share our knowledge with both our Lighthouse family and the wider church community through seminars, conferences, lectures, mentoring, and podcasts.
4. Goodness Culture (Working Together)
At Lighthouse, we cultivate a goodness (tov) culture where team members and the community can flourish together. We prioritize people over projects and programming, taking Jesus seriously, not ourselves. We strive to bless everyone who works, volunteers, or interacts with us—even in disagreement—by extending kindness and generosity. Within the team and in pastoral care, we speak the truth in love, fostering a culture of openness and transparency. We value healthy disagreement, welcome pushback, and encourage open dialogue and the free exchange of ideas. Within a framework of high accountability and low control, we embrace faith-filled risk-taking and authenticity. We love to collaborate, raise up leaders, and share generously with other organizations and churches, recognizing that we are stronger together.
5. Family Feel (Loving One Another)
At Lighthouse, we want to be known for how we love each other. We believe that those who profess faith in Jesus Christ have been adopted into His family and can call one another brothers and sisters with all honesty and integrity. This is both a beautiful and costly commitment that brings unique challenges, which we navigate with compassion and courage. As we seek to be a spiritual home and loving family for those battered and bruised by the storms of life, we prioritize quality time, creating safe spaces, and sharing meals and activities together. Our love is not time-limited and makes no sense apart from Jesus. This love is often tangible in our gatherings and is embodied in how we serve, forgive, comfort, and celebrate one another.
Comentarios