believe



			Maranatha Baptist Fellowship
	Our Goal (Matthew 28:18-20) To glorify God as we fulfill our calling, we seek to l cultivate a depth of relationship with Christ through prayer and study of the scriptures, which will provide a strengthening of faith, hope, and love throughout the challenges of our lives. l establish a fellowship of authentic worship, relationship, and compassion, which will serve as a basis of ministry. l raise up successive generations of believers and leaders to serve Jesus Christ. l plant missions and churches, as well as partnering with other ministries, both in Topeka and abroad. l pursue and demonstrate unity with the larger body of Christ.		Maranatha Baptist Fellowship

				OUR VALUES *Our values are a summary of our PURPOSE, PRIORITIES, & VISION* statements (pages 6-11). They express the core foundations on which we seek to build our personal and church life.** We value God's MERCY. We believe mercy is fundamental to all that God does in salvation. We therefore aim to extend mercy to one another and to all to whom we minister. (Romans 2:4 / Eph. 2:13; 3:12 / John 8:1-11) We value WORSHIP. We believe worship establishes the posture for everything else we do in our ministries. Therefore we place a high priority on the opportunity to worship God with all of our heart, mind, and body. (Luke 10:38-42) We value GOD's WORD. We honor the Bible as God's Living Word to govern and guide our faith and practice. We want to understand its proper and practical meaning for us, and to live our lives accordingly. (II Timothy 3:16-17)



	We value the ongoing ministry of the HOLY SPIRIT to guide and accomplish His purposes. (Acts 1:8) We value CONTEMPORARY & CREATIVE EXPRESSION. We value expressions of worship which are meaningful to this contemporary culture, but do not compromise the scriptures. Similarly, we desire to "put on" nothing "religious" in language, dress, or style of ministry. (I Corinthians 9:22-23) We value PRAYER. We believe prayer is at the heart of developing a personal relationship with God. We understand the power of PRAYER not as that of pulling God's strings, but of allowing ourselves to come into agreement with Him. (Matthew 5:6-13 / Ephesians 6:18) We value EXTENDING GOD's KINGDOM. We seek to demonstrate the presence of God's Kingdom through prayer and practical acts of service. (Luke 4:18-19, 43/Matthew 6:9-10/Matthew 10:7-8) We value RELATIONSHIPS. We recognize the value of one another in our progress toward spiritual maturity and we seek to develop supportive relationships based in love and truth. (Ephesians 2:19, 4:15-16, 25-29 / Hebrews 10:25) We value AUTHENTICITY. We wish to be open, honest, and objective concerning our experience with God, and to do nothing "for effect." (I Corinthians 2:1-5)		We value HELPING LOST PEOPLE FIND GOD. We recognize that Jesus came not to condemn the world, but "to seek and save what was lost." We value honest and loving relationships with those who don't yet know Him. (John 3:17 / Luke 15, 19:10) We value UNITY. We seek to be a living example of reconciliation and the Gospel's power to break down barriers of prejudice and injustice. This will bring honor to God. (Galatians 3:26-28 & I Peter 1:22) We value EVERY MEMBER AS A MINISTER. We recognize God has "shaped" each of us for significance in the body of Christ. We are committed to equip, empower, and encourage, every member for ministry. (Ephesians 4:11-13) We value SINGLE ADULTS. We are a church where single adults are recognized as valued members of our church family. (I Corinthians 7) We value FAMILIES. We are a church where marriages are honored, and families are supported. (I Corinthians 7) We value CHILDREN & TEENAGERS. We desire to see THEM as Jesus taught. We seek to welcome them into His presence, gladly investing our hearts, and resources to impart the knowledge of God and the future of His ministry to them, and blessing successive generations to rise up and reach their own generation. (Mark 10:13-16)



	Understanding the VISION of Maranatha Baptist Fellowship Vision is a clear picture of God's direction. Vision is the product of God working in us. He creates the vision and we receive it. It becomes our rallying point, a goal toward which we move as His people. Vision comes to us out of a dissatisfaction with what is, and a clear grasp of what could be. The following are areas which God has purposed in our hearts and is stretching us to become: A church l where our worship of God remains dynamic and defines all we are. l where our lives are becoming increasingly centered and satisfied in God's love; liberating us from the false pursuit of what possessions or even people can provide. l which rises above a "fortress mentality", where disciples and seekers can encounter Christ's calling together; where inviting and including others is an important part of our gathering. l where the presence of Jesus establishes an atmosphere of grace and truth; where it's safe to be real but the power of truth to change us is never withheld. l where successive generations and leaders will be blessed to rise up and reach their own generation.		l where we discover Christ's compassion to overcome the critical and cynical spirit of our day; where we dare to care for those among us and around us, especially those who are poor, oppressed, lonely, and in need. l where the power of God, through the presence and gifts of the Holy Spirit, is welcomed to touch and transform us, to speak to us and to heal us in a way that is made clear and common for all to experience. l where we enjoy a generosity in our giving that truly comes from knowing Jesus, and trusting God as our provider; where anxiety and fear caused by practical needs can be broken by an ever-increasing work of faith and freedom within us. l where we enjoy the opportunity to tangibly trust God; pursuing what only God can fulfill, through the exercising of faith and prayer. l where every endeavor is marked by excellence, integrity, and love. l where creativity and the arts are valued, releasing this quality to express the truths of God. l where ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic diversity is deemed as a quality which reflects and honors God. l where individuals and families find mutual support from one another, where single adults are valued, where marriages are honored, and families are supported in love. l where children & teenagers are welcomed just as Jesus welcomed them into His presence; where we gladly invest our hearts, time, and resources in imparting the knowledge of God and the future of His ministry to them. l where we are committed to establishing a tangible presence of ministry in our community.



	OUR PURPOSE Maranatha Baptist Fellowship is a family of God's people. We are committed to loving and glorifying our Lord Jesus. We will celebrate His presence in one accord by equipping each person to serve, and by sharing Jesus Christ with Topeka, Northeast Kansas, and the world. Most simply stated, our purpose is to grow as a community of individuals and families, connecting with God, to change the world. We understand this to involve providing a fellowship where individuals and families can grow together as students (disciples) of Jesus Christ empowered by the Holy Spirit for the sake of sharing the Gospel with the world. OUR PRIORITIES —Exalting God's Presence through various expressions of Honor, Praise, and Love. (Worship) —Encouraging God's Family through fellowship in God's Word and Spirit. (Community) —Expressing God's Love through serving others. (Ministry) —Extending God's call, in word and deed, to those around us, and to the world as God leads us. *(Evangelism)*		Exalting God's Presence (Praise/Worship) The highest priority of God's people is to worship Him, which is, to attribute to God the worth that is due Him. Such worship establishes the posture for everything else we do in our lives and ministry. Therefore, we place a high priority on the opportunity to worship God with all of our hearts. (Luke 10:38-42) Maranatha Baptist Fellowship gives high priority to encouraging and experiencing celebrated worship. Encouraging God's Family (Community) In our world today we see division all around us. We see hatreds rooted in ethnic and national identities. We see hostility between men and women. We see separation between rich and poor. We sometimes even see division among ourselves. (pride, prejudice, hurt, hostility) It should not surprise us that Christ not only addressed our divided condition, but that He has provided the means to overcome it. He has established the church to show the world His reconciling power. Jesus said our unity is critical in revealing this great work of God. Jesus prayed for unity. (John 17:23) Maranatha Baptist Fellowship gives high priority to establishing fellowship that reflects the unity we share in Christ.



	We are to demonstrate Jesus Christ in our midst by developing supportive and committed relationships based in His love and truth. (Eph. 2:19; 4:15-16, 25-29; Hebrews 10:25) Expressing God's Love (Ministry) Christ teaches us that life in the Kingdom involves being servants of God's love and power, just like Christ Himself. (John 3:1-17, 31-38) At Maranatha Baptist Fellowship we believe expressing God's love involves: l Serving one another As we discover and develop our unique talents and spiritual gifts to minister to the life of the church. (fellowship). l Ministering to the needy As we cooperate with the Holy Spirit's ministry of healing the sick, caring for the wounded, comforting the distressed, and freeing the spiritually oppressed. l Serving the poor As we simply follow Jesus, extending compassion and dignity to the "lonely and least" around us. Extending God's Call (Evangelism) Jesus came to "To seek and save what was lost" (Luke 19:10), and sends us into the world to do the same, accompanied by the power of the Holy Spirit.		At Maranatha Baptist Fellowship this involves: Helping lost people find God By simply sharing our lives with them, loving them, and providing a fellowship that welcomes their presence. Our fellowship is focused on inviting people to know and follow Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Serving our community By communicating God's love through practical acts of kindness demonstrating God's own love freely, without any repayment sought. This involves large community outreach projects as well as small group and personal outreach opportunities. Planting new churches and partnering with ministries around the world Through prayer, financial support, and the sending of individuals and/or teams on mission, we share in the joy of reaching our world for Jesus.

				Our Giving As A Church Maranatha faithfully gives to missions. From our undesignated offering we support the Rescue Mission and Goshen Ministries with regular giving. A percentage of the undesignated funds are sent to the Cooperative Program, which is a joint missions support effort among Southern Baptists. Annually, attention is given to special offerings received for Foreign, National, and State Missions.



	Maranatha Ministries For the Purpose of Enhancing the Spiritual Growth And Ministry of Believers							The scriptural base for our church logo is: Set Free - Luke 4:18-19 The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom to the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. Set Apart - Psalm 4:3a Know that the Lord has set apart the godly for Himself... Harvest - Matthew 9:37-38 Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field.

		The ministries listed below do not reflect a complete list of ministry opportunities at Maranatha. However, they do reflect the intent and heart of the leadership of this body to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of those in our fellowship.

			AWANA Bible Studies for all Ages Care Group Ministry Youth Care Groups Single Adult Care Groups Adult Care Groups Women's Care Groups Men's Care Groups Children's Worship Media-Library Men's Ministry Missions Nursery PALS Prison Outreach Women's Ministry Worship Teams Youth Ministry
							This document has been prayerfully compiled by the Senior Pastor, Elders, and Staff of Maranatha Baptist Fellowship, for the purpose of communicating the mission, values, and vision which God has given to us.