DISCIPLESHIP IDENTITY
WHO WE ARE
Jesus commands us to make disciples everywhere we go, baptizing them into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything He commanded (Matthew 28:19-20).
God desires a living, growing relationship with each of us. We believe that God initiates that relationship in baptism, that we may begin a life of following Jesus. So whether you are 1 week old or 102 years old, you are invited to experience the grace of God and begin a life-changing relationship with Jesus.
Baptizing people is about establishing them into their new Trinitarian identity. This means:
God is our Father and we are His FAMILY.
Jesus is our Lord, and we are His SERVANTS.
The Holy Spirit is our Guide and Sender, and we are His MISSIONARIES.
As DISCIPLES, we are a FAMILY of SERVANT MISSIONARIES.
We Are Family. We Gather.
God, the Father, has adopted us as His children. We live in community as brothers and sisters, sharing our lives together. We gather regularly to eat, celebrate, remind one another of the gospel, and live life together.
We Are Missionaries. We Go.
Ever since mankind has rebelled, God has been on a mission to reconcile creation back to Himself. The Father sent the Son to earth to redeem His people. The Son sent the Spirit to enable His people to take part in His mission. We, in turn, are sent ones – called to “go and make disciples”, bringing good news (Matthew 28:18-20).
We Are Servants. We Give.
Jesus left his rightful place on his throne in heaven, made himself a fragile baby and came to dwell in our messy world. He went out of his way to heal the sick and lame, speak good news to the lost, wash his disciples’ filthy feet, and ultimately serve us to the point of death. If the King of Kings is willing to serve in this way and we are called to be disciples of Him, how could we expect to live any different? We are committed to serving one another as family, as well as our neighbors outside of Barefoot Christian Community. We have been blessed by God to be a blessing to others, so we strive to give to those around us.
We Are Disciples. We Grow.
As followers of Jesus, we are constantly being changed and transformed into His likeness. This can be an uncomfortable process, but a healthy one. Recognizing how graciously our Father has accepted us into His family, we have a desire over an obligation to look more and more like the children He has made us. We dedicate ourselves to growing in His Word and understanding our story through the lens of the biblical story.
FIVE OUTCOMES
As a result of faith in Jesus Christ, we see FIVE OUTCOMES that should be present in our lives as we move forward in our journey with God and the Christian community. These are not things to make us more religious; rather, these OUTCOMES put us into a position to be changed by God and be on mission with Him in the world.