He would ask. We hold that the historic Christian faith is rooted in the most significant and literal events in human history-the incarnation, the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Recent arguments that the Christ of the gospels is not the Jesus of history are unconvincing. Rather, we affirm with Paul that if Christ be not raised, then we are of all people most miserable, and our faith is in vain. Based on these core values, let me suggest a general assumption and then some specific strategies that will guide the coming years of my administration.
Growth is, after all, what living, vital organisms do.
If we don't, we're either dead or dying. Neither spiritual nor institutional flatliners have any place in Kingdom work. But vigorous growth is not simply numerical. Much more fundamentally, it involves using all our God-given resources as effectively, as efficiently, and as intentionally as possible to reach our mission. Simply put, it is to train people of God in the Word of God to touch the world for God.