Why culture's important.

Most people who visit a church for the first time notice your culture and style before they know the mission, theology or structure of that particular church. What!! Yes, they connect first with the culture of your church before the other three.
Our mission is communicated through a style which should be condusive to the culture we live in. If the style/culture jars with the prevailing culture outside they will find it hard to hear your mission.
We all have a culture. We don't wear hats, at least the women don't! Nobody has ever said "you're not allowed to wear hats here" but we just don't. If you came as a visitor with a hat on, you certainly wouldn't wear it the next time. What the culture is the culture grows. Therefore you should deliberately develop a culture, for if you don't someone else will.
Here at CFC we have developed a style/culture through which we communicate our misson.
1 Honesty. A culture of openness and vunerability. We tell it like it is and so you can be honest here and no one will shoot you.
2 Encouragement. We are appreciative and supportive of people. We build up and not tear down.
3 Expansion. We want to grow in our faith and we want our message about Jesus to be caught by more and more people.
4 Excellence. We want to be the best expression of what God has created us to be. Nothing is too good for God.
5 Humility. We need God's help! We are not better than anyone else just different.
6 Creativity. This means developing ministries around people's giftings not filling ministries with people who don't fit. Using creative ways to reach people.
7. Ownership. People are encouraged to take responsibility for all that goes on. One volunteer is worth a thousand conscripts.
8. Fun. Building bridges, pulling down barriers through having fun.
9. Inclusiveness. No in or out crowd. Peopel connect with others for they are genuinely welcome. Make opportunities for people to feel they can belong here.
10. Generosity. Were we are marked as being givers to God, each other and soceity. We show a generosity of love, grace and mercy.
You get to decide what the style/culture is. Make sure it's agood one.