Honor
Honor is first a heart issue before it is anything else. Honor begins by honoring God first AND then honoring His creation in the people He surrounds us with. Honor is to esteem others as valuable and precious; it is a gift, not a reward, we give openly.
Conversely, dishonor is not simply to treat someone as odious or worthless, it is simply to treat as common what God calls holy!
We honor because we are honorable, not because we decide someone deserves it. (Philippians 2:3)
God's Word
The Bible communicates the character and nature of God, reveals His promises, Corrects, Directs, Equips, and Protects us. It is a life-giving force that transforms us into His image. (Romans 12:2)
Generosity
Generosity is first a position and condition of the heart. We connect deeply with God when we are an open vessel that He can use to pour out His blessings on others.
It is a clear understanding that we are blessed to be a blessing. Yes, it involves our finances, but it even more about our time, our talents, and our care for others.
It is an “over and above” position of the heart. It begins with “What can I do” rather than “what’s the least that I can do.” (John 3:16, Isa 32:8)
Relationships
Great relationships are built from shared values, not common traits or interests. When we surround ourselves with people who are all pulling in the same direction, we can accomplish amazing things.
Great relationships are built intentionally, not haphazardly. Relationships are the glue that binds team members together. It helps us identify the greatness in the people God has aligned us with and enables us to speak life and strength into them when they need us most. You can’t build a strong church without them!
(Ps 133:1-3, Ecc 4:9-12, Heb 10:24-25)
Discipleship
We are each individually responsible for our own growth in faith and trusting God. We cannot depend on others to “grow us” or “feed us.” The word “disciple” literally translates to “follower.”
Biblical success then becomes a personal pursuit in the context of Godly relationships. We don’t attain Biblical success by shortcuts, compromise, or equivocation.
Biblical success is achieved by choosing daily to live a “what matters most” life and paying the price to achieve greatness for God’s kingdom. We accomplish discipleship through Bible studies, small groups, and servant leadership. (John 12:26, Matt 16:24, Phil 3:12-17)
Servant Leadership
Servant Leadership is leading with excellence in serving others. It begins by LEADING YOURSELF to adopt a Kingdom mindset that is born from a spirit of Gratitude.
The spirit of a servant leader rejects self-centered, selfish thinking and seeks to be the best they can be, deploying their greatness to benefit others.
It is taking a step back so others can take a step forward. Servant Leadership looks for opportunities to be the answer to a need, turning the blessings God gives us into the empowerment to bless others. (Mark 10:42-45, Luke 19:17, 2 Cor 6:11-13)
Core Verse
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people– the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world–just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit. For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Col 1:1-14 (NIV)