PEFC Distinctives:

We believe that maintaining the bond of unity in the Spirit of Christ is essential. We hope to cultivate an atmosphere where healthy friendships can flourish. Bearing one another’s burdens through prayer and showing acts of kindness are key components in expressing our love for one another.

We are committed to
peace-making and resolving conflicts, to believing the best in each other, to not allowing conflict to go underground, to speaking well of others, and to not listen or participate in gossip.

I. Made in Gods Image:

“Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female
he created them.”

“Then the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him."”

“Into our pervasively individualistic worldview, we speak the gospel message of reconciliation, unity, and identity as the people of God. This is perhaps the most significant “culture gap” that the church
has to bridge.”
-Chester and Timmis

“Now the Lord said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."”
Genesis 12:1-3

“'You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel."”
Exodus 19:4-6

“But you who held fast to the Lord your God are all alive today. See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.'”
Deuteronomy 4:4-6

II. Saved to Community

“As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

For it stands in Scripture: "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame." So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone," and "A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense." They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.”

“My being in Christ means being in Christ with those others who are in Christ. This is my identity. This is our identity… If the church is the body of Christ, then we should not live as disembodied Christians.”
-Chester and Timmis

“And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."”
Matthew‬ ‭28:18-20‬

III. Koinonia

“According to this model, Bob and Mary do not
drop church. Instead, their life as persons-in-community enables them to retain
their sanity!”
-The Crowded House

“So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭14:12‬

“For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members
one of another.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:4-5

Do you believe that you are a vital member of this community of believer?

“The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10:16-17

Responding to confict biblically:

Responding to confict biblically

• Get Ready to take a Personal Responsibility.

“"Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:1-5

How have I contributed to this conflict?

How can I take 100% responsibility for my part?

How might that help open the other person’s heart?

“What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?

Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us"? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep.

Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?”
James 4:1-12

Responding to confict biblically

• Get Ready to take a Personal Responsibility.
• Go Privately

When should I go and talk with someone?

Responding to confict biblically

• Get Ready to take a Personal Responsibility.
• Go Privately
• Get Help

This doesn't always mean you call the pastor or an elder but it does mean you call someone who is trusted and close enough to be able to speak truth into the situation.

Responding to confict biblically

• Get Ready to take a Personal Responsibility.
• Go Privately
• Get Help
• Give it to the Church

Programs do not always equal community and relationships.