“One Church” Vision

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God,

who sits on the throne,

and to the Lamb.”

Revelation 7:9-10

We know the end of the story – the church of Jesus from every language singing in one voice praise to King Jesus. We live with the end of the story in mind!

At Mill City we often say there is only one church, it just meets in many locations. There are reasons that local churches exist and why they differ. However, we choose to live into the One Church Vision we see in Revelation 7 by seeking unity among the local churches in the midst of our diversity.

Local churches often worship in different languages, have different theology and worship style – yet we serve the same Jesus Christ who conquered death so we could live a new life now and forever with him.

Reverend Sandra Van Opstal says in her book The Next Worship that there are three values that allow unity in diversity in the church of Jesus:

• Hospitality – which expresses, “we see you”
• Solidarity: which expresses, “we stand with you”
• Mutuality: which expresses, “we need you”

As Mill City Church we commit to faithful expressions of this unity by serving other churches, both established and new church plants. We commit to meaningful cross-cultural experiences of worship and fellowship. Sharing language, food, and custom. We intentionally seek how we need others to grow to be more like Jesus and to live more fully into our mission. 

Rather than merely pursuing the goal of diversity, we lift up the values of hospitality, solidarity and mutuality knowing that these values lead to holistic diversity not just in our worship services but in our lives as Jesus followers.

~Pastora Jackie Batres, Pastor Marvin Batres, Pastora Stephanie O’Brien, Pastor Aashish Baskaran