Vision Statement

Imagine a church where the ignored are seen, the rejected are adopted into the family, and the “nobodies” are treasured – not as projects, but as individuals with dignity and value.

Imagine a church where die-hard Republicans and died-in-the-wool Democrats and apolitical people worship and serve and fellowship freely, without rancor.  

Imagine a church where people with a checkered past - or a checkered present - are not judged, not condemned, not shamed, but treated as equally worthy.  

Imagine a church where people find a warmer, more supportive community than at any neighborhood pub.

Imagine a church where people with serious doubts can ask difficult questions without provoking fear or defensiveness or judgment or a torrent of easy answers, but rather humility and compassion.

Imagine a church where the members not only give to people outside, and teach them, but are humble enough to receive from them and learn from them.  

Imagine a church that does not condemn the people outside for their sins, but openly repents of its own.  

Imagine a church where people who have been seriously wounded by other Christians find safety and healing.  

Imagine a church that is known in the community as “The church where anyone can belong,” “that’ll take anyone in,” “where no one is turned away” – and this is sometimes said with respect, but sometimes with disdain.

Imagine a church where anyone who is seeking God can be part of the family - even if their beliefs are strange and their lifestyle is questionable.  

Imagine a church where Christ Followers who have known Jesus for decades and seekers who desperately hope that he is real can be equally at home.

Imagine a church where the purpose of every ministry and the mode of every relationship is to connect with Jesus together.  

This is my vision for Beverly Covenant. 

This already describes us in some ways, to a degree, some of the time. But our fellowship still depends too much on shared culture and viewpoints. For Beverly Covenant to be more faithful we cannot be about Jesus and something else.

Hear the word of the Lord in Colossians 3:11 ~ “Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.”

And in Galatians 3:28 ~ “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

These verses are not about homogenization. They are not describing the process of erasing distinctive qualities so that everyone becomes the same.

Paul is describing the basis of every relationship within the Church. We connect to each other in and through Jesus – not Jesus plus shared cultural or economic values, not Jesus plus shared political viewpoints, not Jesus plus shared secondary doctrines - Jesus alone.    

The phrases, “Christ is all, and is in all”  and “in Christ Jesus” are crucial. They are the ends and the means, the goal and the method of getting there.

Obedience to Jesus’ teachings, following his example of conduct and relationships, worshiping Jesus, praying in Jesus’ name, and sharing life together in and through and because of Jesus – this is what the Lord of the Church is calling us to do.

In fact, it is what makes Beverly Covenant a church (as opposed to a social club, or a community service organization, or a political action committee). And It is the one thing of eternal value Beverly Covenant has to offer.  

May we be and do this more completely, more consistently, more courageously than ever before.