Ethos Statement

St Andrews is registered as a Charity.  We are a church made up of people from many walks of life, who all share a common vision: To be God’s transforming presence for High Wycombe and beyond.

We seek to do this through:

REACHING

out to others, meeting needs, and sharing the good news of Jesus

EQUIPPING

those in St Andrew’s to grow deeper together and as disciples of Jesus

RESOURCING

the wider church and town by planting churches and encouraging mission

The ethos of St Andrew’s is expressed in our values of:

  1. Deep Relationships. Building a family of people that is real, authentic, and welcoming to anyone.
  2. Compassionate Mission that makes disciples, is intentional in evangelism and concerned with justice and care for all those in need both globally and locally.
  3. Community Transformation that is looking to see change in all spheres of society working in partnership with other agencies and churches where we can.
  4. Emerging Generation. We are multi-generational with a passion for investing in the next generation to follow Jesus.
  5. Spirit Empowered Ministry that releases God’s healing, freedom and transformation and doing the works of the Kingdom.
  6. Biblically based. Equipping people to live more like Jesus, growing in love, prayer, holiness, humility, and generosity.
  7. Passionate Worship. We long to worship God in a way that facilitates encounter with God. More than songs, it is loving God with our heart, soul and mind.

The members of St Andrew’s seek to apply this ethos by creating an environment of love, faith, understanding, commitment and a sense of community, welcoming all who come into the church with love and acceptance and without judgement, as Jesus would have done.

All members are encouraged to develop lifestyles that are honouring to God in all areas of their lives. As a church, we expect our leaders to model good relationships which are based upon orthodox biblical standards regarding family life and sexuality* , and we seek to maintain standards of behaviour that convey respect for people and property.  

When conflicts, disunity or broken relationships occur we aim to resolve them promptly with compassion and prayer. 

*This means honouring the sacred nature of sexuality and the creation-order of male and female. For what we mean by this, and more broadly, by ‘orthodox biblical standards’ please see www.eauk.org/what-we-do/public-policy/sexuality-and-identity