One of my favorite ways to reflect on God’s power is to admire His creation. He hung the stars, set the earth on its foundation, and breathed life into every living being. It’s fun to try to wrap my mind around the fact that a God of such magnitude and imagination also cares about the small details. And as intricately as He designed the world, He designed you and me.

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Maybe the most intricate design in the human body is DNA. God built us with tiny molecules that determine our appearance, shape our personalities, and keep our bodies functioning at all times. The DNA strands in your cells influence everything that makes you uniquely you.

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While DNA is the foundation of our physical development, our values are the foundation of who we are and who we become. They serve as guiding principles in our lives, informing our thoughts and decisions. Actions are motivated by what we value; if you want to know what someone values, look at what they do. Our values are a roadmap for our lives.

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Right now, our church is in a collection of talks diving deeper into each of our VOUS values. We have seven values that drive everything we do as a church. As you read through them, I hope you can draw from them and apply these principles to your life, ministry, or organization.

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JESUS: IS OUR MESSAGE

This is the message of our church and the foundation of all other values. Our purpose is to share the hope of Jesus. As our church grows and our methods change, the message will always remain the same.

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PEOPLE: ARE OUR HEART

Because all people are loved by Jesus, our heart is for ALL people. Our mission is to bring those who are far from God close to Him and we make no apologies for focusing on this. We want to see people step into relationship with God first and step into community second. We are not meant to go through life alone.

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GENEROSITY: IS OUR PRIVILEGE

At its core, generosity is simple: it’s all about giving more than what is required. Because God has given richly to us, we see it as our privilege to be generous back to Him. There are so many ways to be generous. We can be radically generous with our time, our talents, and our treasure.

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EXCELLENCE: IS OUR SPIRIT

We will always do the best with what we have. We’re on time, engaged, and prepared. We do not strive for perfection but aim to steward what God has placed in our hands with care and excellence. From the way we communicate to our services on Sunday, we do everything to the best of our ability.

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SERVANT LEADERSHIP: IS OUR IDENTITY

We believe that if you are too big to serve, you are too small to lead. The greatest form of leadership is service to others. Jesus came not to be served but to serve, and we model our lives after His. Every role is different but they are all important.

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HONOR: IS OUR CALLING

We are vocal with our honor, meaning we are not stingy with our words. We honor spiritual authority, choosing to joyfully submit to those God has placed in authority over us, while honoring and caring for those God has placed under us.

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PASSION: IS OUR PURSUIT

We do everything with passion. We are passionate about Jesus, His church, and His people. We are not lukewarm in our beliefs or commitment to our mission.

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To put it simply, what we value guides who we become. One of the great adventures of life is continually discovering who God designed each of us to be. Pastor Rich recently shared that we should aim to be value-driven instead of goal-oriented. Hear me out — there is nothing wrong with having goals. They keep us moving forward. But goals focus on what we do; values are centered on who we are becoming. At the end of the day, God cares about who we become more than what we accomplish.

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If you are feeling unsure of what you value, reflecting on A.W. Tozer’s 7 Rules For Self-Discovery can help bring your values to light:‍

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1. What you want most

2. What you think about the most

3. How you use your money

4. What you do with your leisure time

5. The company you enjoy

6. Who and what you admire

7. What you laugh at

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As you reflect on these things, I believe you will find new insight into how to lead yourself, your home, your family, and your teams.