Vision

“A community of Christ sharing Christ with our community.”

• We are strengthening the faith of our church community through worship, witnessing and discipleship ministries with the goal of building

a people fully devoted to Jesus Christ.

They shall be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendour.

Isaiah 61:3c

• We are endeavouring to make our faith community one that is accessible and receptive to the diversity of Toronto, engaging seekers and offering
a credible Christian witness.

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:14-16

• We are sharing in the life, service and work of our communities so that together through these relationships we will be
participants in God’s redemptive work of grace and transformation.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8

…so where the river flows, everything will live. Ezekiel 47:9
　

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MISSIONS

Mimico Baptist Church exists to be

“A community of Christ sharing Christ with our communities.”

In the vision statement is held the truth and tension of being the people of God, as defined by the scriptures. We exist, not merely to create and nurture the church body; we exist to engage the world around us. The concept of being a disciple embraces the whole vision: growth and deepening of our faith through study, worship, prayer and the like, but also a profound embracing of service and proclamation to the world around us, that the name of Jesus and the values of the reign of God be known and practiced

Within our vision statement there is a very strong two-pronged focus which should infuse every activity and program of the congregation. “A community of Christ” points to the nurture, growth and discipleship of those already following Jesus Christ, from new believers to long-time participants in the congregation. “Sharing Christ with the community” looks to the ways in which our church is connecting with the surrounding neighbourhood, serving, helping and building relationships for the sake of Jesus Christ. Sharing emphasizes the bridging of the two prongs. We must be sure to keep the bridge as our dual focus needs to always be in view whether working in the church or in the community. There needs to be a vital relationship bridging the gap between church and community for the integrity and effectiveness of our witness. We need to be sensitive to our community when we worship and to reflect the church in our witness.

Practical Expressions:

Church: Our Community of Christ. We are strengthening the faith of our church community through worship, witnessing and discipleship ministries with the goal of building a people fully devoted to Jesus Christ.

1. Worship and Discipleship ministries that model, teach and use the scriptures so that our congregation is familiar with God and his ways.

2. Develop and enhance strong relationships among the people connected to Mimico Baptist Church.

   1. Systems for delivering pastoral care to “congregants” as well as community connections. Responding to needs inside and outside.

   2. Activities and events that regard cross-generational and cross-cultural relationships. Intentionally bridging between various groups connected to the congregation.

3. Develop fully committed followers of Jesus Christ through educational ministries, in particular, those ministries focused on children and youth.

   1. Children’s ministries that regard and value participants wherever they are on a journey of faith. Balance between “church kids” and “non-church” ones.

   2. Youth ministries which offer relationally-based opportunities to grow in discipleship, as learners and as servers.

   3. Enhance adult education and discipleship opportunities which all include both the “in” and “out” dynamics.

   4. Develop our library of Christian materials for greater service to congregation and community.

4. We have an intentional focus on raising the next generations of leaders. Therefore we look for and create opportunities to mentor, involve and train people in ministry.

5. Continue to emphasize the Mandarin ministry of Mimico Baptist Church

   1. Nurture interaction and relationships between Mandarin congregation members and other members.

   2. Support and celebrate the achievements of this ministry.

Bridge: Sharing Christ. We are endeavouring to make our faith community one that is accessible and receptive to the diversity of Toronto; engaging seekers and offering a credible Christian witness.

Enhance “gathering events” to reflect increasingly the dual nature of the vision

1. Take further steps to shape worship that is accessible to those “not already churched.” Accessibility issues include physical space, content, style, ways of meeting people, ease of understanding the flow and actions, etc. Some consideration could be given to intentional services for community priority.

2. Promote “congregational” participation in “community” events. Ensure our strong presence, interaction and welcome.

3. Explore ways to encourage people to move towards faith in Christ by both removing barriers and providing safe inviting paths.

Community: With our Community. We are sharing in the life, service and work of our communities so that together through these relationships we will be participants in God’s redemptive work of grace and transformation.

We will evaluate our effectiveness by this dual focus

1. Continue to participate in and offer excellent community-based events and programs, seeking to serve needs and to proclaim Jesus.

1. Capitalize on location and visibility through use of the building, deepening connections with outside groups using the building, sharing events, etc.

2. Enhance ways of expressing Christian identity through community based events.

1. Track networks of relationships and partnerships in the neighbourhood as one key measure of effectiveness of the congregation. Tell the story of these relationships in regular gatherings of the congregation.

2. Further develop a global perspective on mission.

1. Foster partnerships locally and globally for greater ministry impact. Work with our mission partners including Canadian Baptist Ministries, Canadian Baptist of Ontario and Quebec, Toronto Baptist Ministries and others.

2. Provide opportunities for short-term mission experiences.

3. Explore ways to use the diversity of our congregation and our cultural connections to build bridges for ministry.

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