Our Core Values
Thank you for your interest in the Aura Church. The four columns that grace the portico of the Aura Church represent the foundational pillars that inspire our ministry—God’s Word, discipleship, outreach and community. We hope “Our Core Values” listed below will help you to better understand how we endeavor to apply the biblical worldview in our personal lives and in ministry to the community.
I Based in Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
We believe the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament are the authoritative Word of God as written by the inspired authors in the original autographs. They are sufficient in all matters related to faith and practice. We strive to model our personal lives and all ministries, policies, and practices after the teachings found in the Bible.
II Grounded in Prayer (Acts 2:2-47)
Prayer and worship were a vital part of every gathering of believers in the early church. Whether expressed in personal quiet times, meetings, small groups, classrooms, or at church services, prayer and worship are two primary ways that we connect with God. As we enter into God’s presence, God helps us to empty ourselves, temper our own self-orientation, discern His will, and to be refreshed by the renewing power of His Holy Spirit.
III Transforming Lives through the Great Commission (Matthew 22: 37ff & 28:19)
Every vision cast at the Aura Church—our ministries and goals are measured against the Great Commandment (love God and our neighbor) and the Great Commission (make disciples of all nations). All ministries are designed to grow spiritually mature disciples and to reach new friends who are open to experiencing God.
IV Relevant (John 17:14-18)
In His Great Commission (Matthew 28:19), Jesus said go into the world. The church isn’t a building, it is a group of believers called to share their faith. God calls us to build bridges in our culture by being good neighbors to our friends and relatives, without sacrificing our foundational biblical truths. We believe that God wants us to understand where our unchurched friends are, the issues they face, and the way they think—God calls us to learn their language and to share, in their language, how Jesus gives true purpose and meaning to their lives.
V Caring (I John 3:16-24)
Shaping attitudes, motivating, and encouraging one another to discover new places where God wants us to be is primarily a relational process not a task. While ministry entails many tasks, effective ministry emerges out of sincere relationships that are nurtured in genuine friendship and care. We cannot live apart from the world. Rather, we strive to engage the world for Christ without being influenced by influences in the world that are ungodly. We also strive to build genuine love-based relationships with unchurched neighbors, friends and relatives and seek opportunities to share the love of Christ with them.
VI Empowering (Ephesians 4:11-12)
The people at the Aura Church are the ministers, Rev. Dr. Jeffrey W. Tilden is our pastor and spiritual leader. The Bible says, “God gave some to be pastors and teachers to prepare God’s people for works of ministry so that the body of Christ may be built up.” Pastors equip members for ministry. Every Christian is a minister. Pastors work with fellow believers to develop leaders to build up the body of Christ. The Church Council shares in spiritual leadership with the Pastor and is responsible for visioning, implementing, and evaluating all ministries of the Aura Church.
VII Excellence (Philippians 4:8-9)
Jesus said we cannot serve two masters. We believe every act of service, every expression of leadership, our worship services, and our Bible studies deserve our fullest commitment to honor God with excellence. Our desire is to offer God nothing less than our best at any particular time and place. We resolve to think about excellence, to pray about excellence, and to produce the best possible fruit for God’s Kingdom. We believe such a commitment to excellence will strengthen our witness with unchurched friends and help us to establish enduring credibility in our contemporary culture.
VIII Authentic (Matthew 18:15-20)
The most effective witnesses for Jesus are real people who strive to model honesty, integrity, vulnerability, and accountability. No one at the Aura Church is an island in and of themselves. The ability to admit mistakes, seek helpful criticism, and be open to new ideas is a vital aspect of maturing in Christ. We strive to acknowledge our strengths and weaknesses while staying focused on the vision God has given us. We believe that conflict is an opportunity to honor God and that God uses it to help us grow. We manage conflict by following the Matthew 18 Principle that commands us not to gossip and to go directly to the person involved.
IX Self-Multiplying (I Kings 19:20-21)
Just as Elijah chose a successor, our church desires to pass the baton of ministry and leadership to a new generation of believers. True expansion of the Kingdom of God means that leaders are training, mentoring, equipping, encouraging, and enabling others to build up the church so that it can effectively reach the lost for Christ.
X Team-Oriented (Matthew 4:18-22)
Jesus shepherded, mentored and taught a core group of disciples. We value teamwork at the Aura Church. We recognize that each individual possesses a special calling, spiritual gifts, and a unique personality type. Pooled together, the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts. Team-orientation strives for consensus but is not bound by it. As a team we strive to combine together the maximum amount of resources, even the voices of those who disagree, in order to implement increasingly effective ministry.