Oakbrook Evangelical Free Church

About Oakbrook’s Values

Our values define the atmosphere in which we can accomplish our vision.  We value discipleship.

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19)

Discipleship means…

Loving God

We want to honor Him with our worship and enjoy his presence.  We want to be dedicated followers of Jesus Christ.  We want to imitate Christ’s character.  We want to devote ourselves to learning and obeying His Word.  We want to be firmly planted in the local church.  And we want to be involved in His purposes.

Loving People

We value the intrinsic worth of every individual and commit ourselves to love and care about them.  This is the second of the Great Commandments.

We value being connected to each other and we intend to do life together with other believers for mutual growth, encouragement, accountability, fun, and making a difference.

Lost people matter to God and they matter to us.  We are committed to a passionate pursuit of the unchurched and the lost.  Our desire is to build relationship bridges not religious walls. To encourage and bless people, to be their answer to prayer and to move them towards Christ and beyond.

Building strong families and friendships

We value honest, authentic relationships with God, ourselves, and with each other. Our desire is to help people build strong marriages, families and friendships.  We value authenticity (truth-telling) because it is the basis of personal, spiritual and relational growth.

Loving Truth

In a relativistic society we believe God has spoken.  The truth of God’s Word opens our eyes, sets us free and gives us stability and direction.  Our objective is to teach God’s Word faithfully for life-change.  We want to know, live and tell the truth.

Pursuing Excellence

Discipleship means giving God our best.  Therefore, we give ourselves to pursue excellence (Leviticus 22:20-22; Numbers 18:29-30; Ephesians 6:5-6; Colossians 3:23-24); to bring glory to God.  This requires focus on details, concentration on doing a few things well, gift-based ministry, on-going training, evaluation and the work of the Holy Spirit.  Passion for excellence is characterized by respect for quality and a yearning to use God’s gifts in a way that pleases Him.  The quest for excellence is a mark of maturity.

Serving generously

Serving is about making a difference. This is where we reach past ourselves and get involved in God’s purposes worked out through the local church. It is the giving of our time; talents and treasure to see more of His Kingdom come to Earth.