ABOUT US

Mission & Vision

Our purpose is to exalt and enjoy God, to edify and equip the body of believers,

and to expose and explain Jesus to as many people as possible.

● We believe in the importance of gathering together as believers in Christ

● We strive to teach the Bible clearly, allowing God’s Word to stand on its own

● We believe worship and singing together is critical for the life of the church

● We strive to authentically meet people where they are, helping them move closer to Jesus

● We desire to humbly follow the Holy Spirit’s leading

● We strive to discover and encourage our church members gifts and abilities

● We trust the Word of God in directing our lives

● We are committed to prayer

● We are committed to giving and sharing, both financially and physically

How We Operate:

Scripture does not give an exact model for church governance, but it does outline qualifications and responsibilities of leaders, the proper use of spiritual gifts, the exercise of discipline, and the judging of doctrinal issues. The following is what The Mustard Seed Church believes to be a biblical and faithful expression of church governance.

Jesus is the Head of the Church

Jesus is the ultimate leader of the church. He is the foundation of the church (1 Corinthians 3:11), builder of the church (Matthew 16:18), redeemer of the church (1 Peter 1:17–21), head of the church (Colossians 1:18), chief shepherd of the church (1 Peter 5:1–4; John 10:1–30), and the one who loves the church as His very own bride (Ephesians 5:25–32). Correctly understanding Jesus as head of the church keeps us from taking an unhealthy ownership of the ministry and keeps us focused on obeying Christ and doing everything we do for Him. It’s not our church; it’s His church. We aim to make this real in our prayers, our teaching, our worship, our decision-making, and our service as a church and as leaders. We are all under the headship of Christ.

Elder Led Leadership Model

Jesus is the head over the church, but it is clear in Scripture that He appoints men to oversee and care for individual church bodies. The terminology used in Scripture for this position/office is: overseer/bishop, elder, and pastor. These terms are used interchangeably and synonymously in the New Testament. For example, Peter uses elder (presbuteros), overseer (episkopos), and shepherd (poimen) in his exhortation to leaders in 1 Peter 5:1–2. The New Testament describes elders as pastors and overseers who are to shepherd the flock of God, protect the flock, watch for and guard against wolves, be examples to the flock, visit and pray for the sick, exercise oversight in the church, take care of the church, preach and teach in the church, exhort in sound doctrine, and refute those who contradict. Therefore, the elders are responsible for oversight of the spiritual health of the body of the church, to lead with strategy and vision, and to provide care and comfort. They charge the church staff (paid and volunteer) with handling the day-to-day operations of the church. Scripture also gives a clear list of qualifications for those who would be appointed to such positions (1 Timothy 3; Titus 1—2; 1 Peter 5:1–3).

The Mustard Seed Church operates in a shared leadership model, also known as a plurality of elders. In this model, the church has a team of elders who care for and direct the church, and no one elder has a role of higher authority than another. There are many examples of the plurality of elders and shared leadership in the New Testament (Acts 13:1;14:23;15; 20:17–28, 1 Corinthians 15:15–16, Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 5:17; Titus 1:5; 1 Thessalonians 5:12–13; Hebrews 13:7,17,24; James 5:14–15; 1 Peter 5:1–2). While one of the elders may have a more prominent role or gifting, and may serve as the Lead Pastor of the church and/or a paid staff member and therefore have a larger list of responsibilities related to church function, each member of the elder team carries the same authority and responsibility for directing The Mustard Seed Church. The apostle Peter, in the early church, offers a good example of this as he had a more prominent role, but Peter was not referred to as a senior leader over the rest of the apostles. In his letter, the apostle affirms this when he refers to himself as a “fellow elder” (1 Peter 5:1–2). In Galatians 2, Paul confronts Peter showing an example of accountability and a balance in authority (Galatians 2:11). Shared leadership allows the elders to share responsibilities and burdens and provides moral and administrative accountability.

Financial Board of Advisors

The Financial Board of Advisors exists for the purpose of financial and legal accountability and integrity, and guiding the church in wise financial stewardship. The Financial Board of Advisors is not primarily responsible for the spiritual health and direction of the church, but serves the church body, staff, and elders by providing advice and financial oversight.