As a gospel-centered community, we envision our partnership in mission to be so shaped by the gospel that our service to God expresses itself in:
WORSHIP
Worship that recognizes God’s holiness and reflects that holiness in our daily lives while depending entirely upon God’s grace (Psa. 15). We see our gathered worship shaped by the Scriptures, centered on God, and marked by the following values:
- Reverence and joy expressed by humble hearts in gospel-saturated song and prayer (Psa. 145; 146; Rev. 5:8-14)
- Faithful, gospel-centered sermons that engage both our personal lives and the cultural stories that surround and shape us (2 Cor. 4:1-6; Acts 17:16-34)
- Appreciation for diversity in the Body as we unite under our common Head, Jesus Christ (Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12:12-26; Eph. 4:1-6; Jms. 2:1-13)
- Hospitality and winsomeness toward newcomers; accessibility toward all (Col. 4:3-6)
WITNESS
Witness that declares Christ through faithful and clear proclamation matched with merciful and loving service (Matt. 28:18-20; Gal. 1:8-9; 2 Cor. 4:1-6; Luke 10:25-37; 1 Thess. 2:8). We see our witness being borne out in the following contexts:
- Every member living as a missionary, treating every sphere of their personal lives as a mission field (e.g. home, work, church, school, grocery store; Acts 1:8; 17:24-31; 2 Cor. 5:12-21)
- Home Fellowships and other small groups partnered together to advance the gospel through their own specific ministry focus (Jn. 17:20-23; Phil. 1:27-30; 1 Thess. 1:2-10)
- Congregation-wide partnership in church planting and other strategic initiatives or events (Acts; John 12:24-26)
- Kingdom-wide partnerships with fellow laborers in the MetroWest and New England and with
missionaries across the globe (Phil. 1:7, 27-30; 4:10-20)
DISCIPLESHIP
Discipleship that helps form character and train both affections and skills in following Christ (2 Tim. 2:14-26). We see our discipleship guided by the following initiatives:
- To teach the Scriptures at every level of ministry with a view toward the grand storyline of redemption and its central gospel message (Luke 24:25-27; 44-49)
- To develop elders who serve together as overseers, shepherds, and trainers (Acts 20:17-38; 1 Tim. 4:6-16; 1 Pet. 5:1-4)
- To provide intentional leadership training for every level of ministry at Westgate and for broader kingdom ministry (2 Tim. 2:1-2)
- To cultivate a pervasive culture of life-on-life discipleship (e.g. families, friends, coworkers, home fellowships) aimed at fostering maturity, equipping for gospel service, and passing the faith on to the next generation (2 Tim. 2:1-2; 3:10-17)
What do you mean by “gospel-centered”?
What does gospel-centered community look like?
What do you mean by "mission" and "community," and how do those two things relate?