The follower of Jesus Christ is commanded to love others as we love ourselves. In a Christian context, the best way to demonstrate such love is to point people to our source of love (Rom 5:8). We cannot properly love people if we do not see them with a divine perspective. A Gospel-centered anthropology says that every person has been created in the image of God, thus they hold an intrinsic dignity and worth. A worthy creator creates worthy creatures in His image. Divine imagery is rooted in the gospel as it is based on a Colossians 1 reality. All things created were created through the triune Person Jesus.

Soul-Care- We love by understanding that a part of a Gospel-centered anthropology is knowing that our ontology is material as well as immaterial. We affirm that we are embodied souls. The soul is designed with particular capacities that should be understood while caring for the soul as our Lord did.

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Discipleship: Jesus gives the Church the glorious Great Commission through the Apostles. We are to make followers of Jesus from all people groups in the world. We baptize them into the fellowship of the triune God. From there, our task is to teach them to observe all that Jesus has taught. We do this in a formal and informal way:

Formal- The Great Commission can only be completely fulfilled in the context of the local church. Those primarily tasked with guarding and teaching apostolic teaching are the Shepherd/Pastor/Elders of the church. The week-in and week-out Sunday sermon will be the primary form through which formal discipleship is done.

Informal- Because we affirm a priesthood of all believers, all believers have a responsibility to help others understand the teachings of Jesus. This informal form of discipleship works toward the collective “teaching of all Jesus has taught” work of the church. All other efforts in the church fall under Christians helping one another to observe what has been taught through their encouragement, gifts and services for the maturation of the Believer and the work of the ministry.

Preached Word- As stated before, the preached word is the primary action taken in carrying out the 3rd movement of the Great Commission (Teaching). We believe the Bible to be the Infallible and Inerrant Word of God, and in order to be faithful to Great Commission preaching, expositional preaching is the primary convictional method of East Bay Church of Oakland, with occasional Topical sermons.

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Social-Engagement – We believe that the Gospel applies to the material as well as the immaterial worlds. Jesus’ message of the Kingdom (Realm) can transform people and places.

Civic Engagement- The Apostle Paul makes it a practice to engage civic leaders with the message of the Gospel. We, too, seek to follow this apostolic example through speech and service.

Social Enterprise– As early as Acts 2, we see the church creating social enterprises for the wellbeing of her members. Starting non-profits and other efforts in response to the needs of our church and parish will serve as a primary means of seeking the good of Oakland.

Business Start-ups- we value entrepreneurial efforts to the advancement of human flourishing and to the promotion of ministerial sustainability through the application of Christian principles.

Community Service- It is through service that the church best demonstrates its call to be the hands and feet of our master Jesus.

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Training & Raising Up Servant Leaders – Our conviction is to work in tandem with other Christ-followers in the Bay to become a training ground for launching leaders both in and outside of the church.

Church Planting- In playing our part in carrying out the Great Commission we seek to be a church-planting-church. The church still is and will always remain the primary vehicle through which the Kingdom (Realm) of God will be advanced on the earth.

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