April 29, 2002
"Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it."
1st Corinthians 12:27
One biological term that is just coming into common usage is known as DNA. DNA is the essence of each individual human body. What then is the DNA of the spiritual body called the church? Tom Bandy says it consists of 4 things:
Core Values
Basic Beliefs
Vision
Mission
Core values are simply the basic behavioral choices we make in our daily living. They are not a list of propositions to be adhered to but the actions we take in our daily living. If we are Christ’s body, the challenge is to adopt his behavioral patterns.
Basic Beliefs again are not propositions but a series of actions, the principals, symbols, stories we turn to in times of stress. Dare we call it spiritual Gaviscon?
Vision again bears a different connotation in this environment. It has to do with the images, songs, or metaphors, the mere recollection of which elicit joy and demand to be shared.
Mission goes beyond our normal understanding in that it requires total sacrifice of the members thus capturing the imagination of the public and yet is so simple to understand that it can be written on the side of a bus.
At First Baptist we seek to define each aspect as individuals and then collectively as a church body and then to go on and become more Christ-like both as individuals and as a church. You can help. Come join us.
"I inherited a belief that, in the very radical sense of the gospels, all men were equals as children of God, and should be met and treated by us as our masters."
Dag Hammarskjold
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
201 Oak St.
Mauston, WI 53948-1333 608-8474555
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