Our Strategy

Prayer, Preaching, & Patience

Our strategy for winning Macy and the reservations for Christ is simple—faithful obedience to the strategy of the church as found in the New Testament. Not pragmatism, “felt-needs,” contextualization, cultural sensitivity, insider movements, anthropology, sociology, psychology, or any other convenient but ultimately destructive missional strategy, but Scripture alone. Therefore, we are continually devoted to:

Prayer and fasting (Is. 56:7; Matt. 21:13; Mk. 11:17; Lk. 19:46; Acts 1:14, 24, 2:42, 4:23-31, 6:4, 12:5, 13:2-3, 14:23, 20:36, 21:5), for apart from God we can do nothing (Jn. 15:5; 2 Cor. 3:18, 4:4, 6). We endeavor to be a praying people that cause Satan and his demons to tremble (Acts 19:15) as we “weep before the porch and the altar” (Joel 2:17; see also 1:13, 2:12; Ezekiel 9:4) for Godʼs glory in the salvation and sanctification of many souls—echoing John Knox in crying out to God, “Give us Macy or we die!” (Gen. 30:1)—trusting that He alone will pull down the strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4), principalities, and powers of the darkness of this age (Ephesians 6:12). Prayer is the visible engine of our church.

The authority and sufficiency of Scripture (Acts 2:42; 17:11; 1 Tim. 3:15).

The centrality and primacy of the faithful proclamation of God’s Word in a demonstration of the Spirit and of power (1 Cor. 2:5; see also Mk. 16:20; Acts 4:33, 14:3; Rom. 15:19; 1 Thess. 1:5; Heb. 2:4; 1 Pet. 1:12; see furthermore Matt. 7:28-29, 13:54, 22:33; Mk. 1:22, 6:2, 11:18; Lk. 2:47, 4:32; Jn. 7:15, 46; Acts 4:13, 6:10, 14:1).

The centrality, supremacy, and exclusivity of Yahweh—the God of the Bible— who is not a generic deity but a specific Person who is God of all other so-called “gods,” Lord of all lords, and King of all kings (Josh. 22:22; Ps. 82:1, 86:8, 95:3, 96:4-5, 97:7, 9, 135:5, 136:1-3; Dan. 2:47, 11:36; 1 Tim. 6:15; Rev. 17:14, 19:16), including over the “gods” of false religions—whether Allah, Wakanda, Zeus, Jupiter, the thousands of Hindu gods, or any other so-called god—who are really demons (Ps. 106:35-39; 1 Cor. 10:18-22).

The centrality and primary of the public proclamation of the Good News as the primary method (1 Cor. 1:21) commanded and modeled in Scripture of fulfilling the Great Commission: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). Jesus Himself not only modeled this itinerant heralding of faith and repentance (Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:14-15; Luke 4:14-15), but He instructed both the Twelve and the Seventy-Two disciples to do likewise during His earthly ministry (Matthew 10:5-15; Mark 6:7-13; Luke 9:1-6, 10:1-12). This proclamation method is exemplified elsewhere in the New Testament by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:12-; Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3); Peter (Acts 2:14-41, 3:11-16, 8:6-8, 10:27, 34), Philip (Acts 8:6-8, 40); Paul (Acts 9:20, 29, 13:44-52, 17:17, 17:19-34, 18:27-28, 19:9-10, 20:20, 21:40), and Apollos (Acts 18:27-28). And it was the primary method of warning of impending judgment in the Old Testament (Ezra 10:9-14; Nehemiah 8:1-8; Jeremiah 7:1-3; John 3:1-5; Isaiah 5:29; Amos 5:10; 2 Peter 2:5).

The centrality of the offense of Christ crucified (1 Cor. 1:23), including the supremacy and exclusivity of the Lord Jesus Christ, God the Son, as the only means of forgiveness of sins and eternal life (Jn. 14:6; Acts 4:12; Phil. 2:9-10).

The reality that the believer is created into a new man by new birth/regeneration by the Holy Spirit and therefore has consequent power, freedom, and victory over the presence and power of sin and CANNOT remain enslaved to habitual, premeditated sins such as alcohol, drugs, and sexual immorality (Jn. 3:1-8; Romans 6, 8; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 3:27; Col. 3:9-10).

A consistent apologia of radical, counter-cultural, supernatural love for God supremely and others sacrificially Matt. 5-7; Lk. 6:20-49, 12:8-24; Acts 2:41-47, 4:32-35; 1 Cor. 13:1-13; 2 Cor. 8:1-9:15) as we live as aliens and strangers upon this earth with eternity in our eyes (Phil. 3:20; Heb. 13:14; 1 Pet. 2:11).

Never (as a church) engage in social outreach—AA/NA meetings and addiction recovery/counseling services, support groups, soup kitchen, thrift stores, “work and witness” mission trips, medical aid services, after-school programs and daycares, ESL/tutoring/education, arts and crafts, sports, etc. While these things may not necessarily be bad in and of themselves, the sole province of the church is the salvation and sanctification of souls. Period. We serve the lost by preaching Christ to them. Period. If you want feel-good busyness, go somewhere else.

Proclaiming the multiethnic, transculturalness of the believers unity in Christ (Jn. 17:11; Rom. 3:22, 29; 1 Cor. 7:19, 12:23; Gal. 3:28; 1 Pet. 2:9-10).

Emphasizing the necessity of daily picking up one’s cross, dying to self, and forsaking all—including family, culture, and people—(Matt. 10:34-39, 16:24-27; Mk. 8:34-38; Lk. 9:23-26, 14:25-35) in the pursuit of Christ as a hidden treasure (Matt. 13:44) and a pearl of great price (Matt. 13:45-46) (see also Phil. 3:7-14).

To be continually devoted to ensuring the entire city of Macy in particular, and the entire Omaha Nation in general, have heard the Gospel message (Acts 19:10; Rom. 15:19, 23).

Reaching entire households, through their husbands and fathers, to Christ (Acts 10:24; 16:30-34). You win the man, you win his household.

Never relying on the arm of the flesh, nor catering to the “felt-needs” of the lost (1 Cor. 1:18-2:16; 2 Cor. 3:18, 4:4, 6; Phil. 3:3).

Repeat until a harvest is reaped or the Lord calls us home, in which case others will reap the harvest using the same means.