The Vision
- Vision 2008-2009
Sound Biblical Teaching
- 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
- 2 Timothy 4:2-3 “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage-with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”
- Titus 2:1 “You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.”
- Titus 2:11-15 “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age, while we wait for the blessed hope- the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.”
In the past, we have started developing relationships with our mentors and local churches. The process is necessary for us as a fellowship on Santa Clara University’s campus to grow in sound biblical teaching. Over the past years, we have seen the various churches growing the members who are involved. It is imperative that our members become involved with a church of sound biblical doctrine.
Jesus declared “I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life” in John 14:6. John 1:1 states, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Our Lord declared he was the truth and that the Word was God. Our prayer and desire is that we might find Jesus, the TRUTH, through the Word of God.
We desire in nightlife, small groups, churches, mentors, or whatever we do to have the word of God become the final authority in our lives. “All scripture is God-Breathed” and must be taken as such. There will come a time when men will not put up with sound doctrine, and that time is now. It is necessary that as a fellowship by the power of the Holy Spirit to reach and even thirst for such a need. Our hope is that we might be corrected, rebuked, taught, and encouraged through God’s word into our lives every day.
Welcoming Atmosphere
- Acts 2:42-47 “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
- Philippians 2:3-4 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
- Philippians 1:1-2 “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”
We desire as a fellowship of our Lord Jesus Christ to be welcoming just like Paul to the Philippians. In Acts 2:44 “All the believers were together and had everything in common”. Desiring not only for our “common” to stop with our friends but rather we hope to extend this love to the greater community of believers and non-believers, our leadership team hopes to instill this passion. In a concerted effort to cause a welcoming atmosphere, we desire to hold each other accountable, become transparent, and dissolve cliques.
Financial Responsibility and Integrity
- Psalm 112:1-5 “Praise the Lord. Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands. His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man. Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice.
Core desires to become financially responsible and has implemented a Finance Coordinator to do just that. We want to conduct our “affairs with justice”. By fundraising, donations, AS funds, and other various revenues, we desire to flatten the financial barriers for ministry opportunities. For example, retreats will become much easier with additional money. Possible locations become available and scholarships for students will allow more people to attend retreats.
Outreach
- Matthew 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”
We, Core, desire to “make disciples of all nations”. We hope to truly be the hands of Christ, offering our arms open to the Santa Clara community and beyond. We hope to make everyone on our campus aware of Core’s presence and for that presence to be welcoming. By offering out our hearts to the community, our hearts will be open to sharing the faith and identity that lies within us, the gospel of Jesus Christ. There are those who have suffered, are suffering, and will suffer. As a united body we will make it a priority to reach out to the broken with words and deeds. We recognize the divide between the east and west side of campus. By making an intentional focus on not having distance limit the intimacy within our fellowship, our fellowship will grow much closer together and the campus community. Our hearts care deeply for the people of this campus and our influence on it.
BeLoved
- Song of Solomon 2:16 “My beloved is mine, and I am his”
BeLoved will be led by Yasmin Aranda in an effort to pursue biblical womanhood. Of the course of the next year, BeLoved will become a central focus of development in the ministry of Core as a whole. After Alpha Omega’s creation and development, a need for women to grow in Christ and with each other was needed. Recognizing Wonderfully Made as a sister ministry and focused on women, BeLoved serves a different purpose. A purpose not aimed at body image, but rather aimed at in depth bible study, discipleship, accountability, fellowship, love for each other, and love for the biblical men of their lives.
Alpha Omega House
- Psalm 127:1 “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
The Alpha Omega House will serve as a place to foster biblical manhood, discipleship, spiritual maturity, brotherhood, hospitality, and a meeting place for Alpha Omega and Core. Over the coming years the house has great potential as a firm establishment. The house shall be passed down from generation to generation of Alpha Omega members. We recognize God must “build the house”, and that house will be in the hearts of his elect.
Connect Members to a Local Church
- 1 Corinthians 12:12 “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.”
It is imperative for the members of fellowship to be connected to a local church. In order for growth, the local church must be involved as well as members to the local church. Being “one body”, we all must function as the body together. Without each other, parts of the body become immobile. The result is a handicapped and paralyzed church of Christ. Our hope is for those who attend church to come to Core, and equally important if not more so is for those who do not attend church but attend Core, to find a church.
Support the Freshmen
- Titus 2:2-4 Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children.”
As a leadership team, an effort to support freshmen is essential as a model for the rest of the body. Freshman are coming to Santa Clara into a completely new environment, and leaving behind all they ever knew. Making friendships are reaching out to freshman is important. Through various mediums such as social events, meals, and meaningful conversations, a connection can be made and relationships formed with freshmen who desperately need a family. Let the older and wiser teach to the younger all they know.
Prayer
- Romans 12:12 “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”