Aims

The most important thing about Emmanuel is not what makes us distinct. The most important thing is the Gospel that we share in common with every other true church. As a result, we have no unique visions or USPs. Emmanuel is not a novel business seeking more customers. Our primary aim is the same as every Christ-loving church throughout time and space. Since the good news about Jesus has been sown in our hearts through our acceptance of Jesus’ life and death for our sins, we aim to bring our saving God glory as we await the great day of harvest when we will be with Christ forever. In one famous parable, Jesus famously described the good news of God’s Word as a seed:

“The Seed is the Word of God,”

Luke 8:11

In light of Jesus’ imagery, the members of Emmanuel prayerfully seek four specific aims that we see throughout churches in the New Testament.

  • 1. Sowing the Gospel Locally

    At Emmanuel we are committed to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ together in Exeter. We believe that telling someone how they can be right with God and how they can live with Him in all eternity, is the very kindest way we can love our neighbours.

    This task was Jesus’ final command to his disciples (Matthew 28:18-20). As a result, we want to tell the people of Exeter the best news in the world - that God made them and loves them; and that though they (like everyone) have fallen so terribly short of the holiness required to enter heaven, the righteous Lord Jesus Christ has died in their place - for all their guilt - and has risen from the dead that they might rise too, having trusted in Him.

    For God’s glory, we prayerfully aim to sow the Gospel locally.

  • 2. Growing in the Gospel Organically

    We are also committed to discipling one another, as we live out our Christian life together. We do this because we grow as Christians when we speak the truth in love to one another (Ephesians 4:25).

    For us to grow as disciples of Jesus, we need one another to: teach us, encourage us, and humbly show us what we can’t see about ourselves. We are working to build a culture where it is normal to be discipling one another in the Gospel, and we want this discipleship of one another to happen organically. As a result, our church programs are minimal; We are not about meetings for the sake of meetings. Nor are our programs demographically driven. However, what we do encourage is involvement in one another’s lives - regular prayer and the reading of the Bible together.

    For God’s glory, we prayerfully aim to grow in the Gospel organically.

  • 3. Displaying the Gospel Visibly

    Thirdly, at Emmanuel we are committed to church membership. We want to show off the Gospel corporately as we live radically new, changed lives.

    Jesus calls us out of the world - the kingdom of darkness - and into his family - the kingdom of light (Colossians 1:13, 1 Corinthians 6:14). The members of Christ’s Church are those who have been radically converted by the Holy Spirit and are now seeking to live with Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. Consequently, we believe that regenerate local church membership – where committed followers of Jesus commit to loving and caring for one another - is a powerful witness to this truth. Church membership (as seen through baptism and the Lord’s Supper) displays who belongs to Jesus’ alternative kingdom of love, truth, and justice. Church membership reveals the Gospel clearly to a watching world.

    For God’s glory, we prayerfully aim to display the Gospel visibly.

  • 4. Planting the Gospel Regionally and Globally

    We are finally committed to seeing the Gospel spread beyond Exeter. This is because for all that we hope to see the Gospel spread in Exeter, we also want to see it spread beyond Exeter.

    In time, we hope to see more churches planted across Devon and Cornwall and the south-west region of the UK. We also want to foster partnerships with local churches worldwide. As a result, we pray for other churches in and around the Exeter region, and we give regularly to other Gospel-preaching churches all over the world.

    For God’s glory, we prayerfully aim to plant the Gospel regionally and globally.