One Collective’s
Philosophy of Ministry
Core Scriptures
Acts 3:1-10
Luke 4:18-19
John 4:1-42
2 Corinthians 3:18-4:18
Luke 10:25-37a
Acts 17:26-27
Theology
What we believe
This section, taken together with the referenced statements and covenants, is our statement of faith. It’s intended to be broad enough to allow partnerships to flourish, but specific enough to set anchors for faith that flow into practice. It represents the core of what we believe and what holds us together, without being exhaustive in scope.
We believe in the inspiration, authority, and power of the Scriptures in the Old and New Testaments. We affirm the mystery of the Trinity—One God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We affirm the Lausanne Covenant and the WEA Statement of Faith. • 2 Timothy 3:16-17 • John 14:6 • 2 Corinthians 3:18-4:18
Things are not alright. Since Adam and Eve, all the world is broken and everyone except Jesus is separated from God. Everyone has the same need for food, freedom, and forgiveness, but our broken relationships with each other and with God restrict our access to these necessary things. • Isaiah 53:6 • Acts 3:1-10 • Proverbs 31:8-9 • Psalm 9:9 • Psalm 103:6 • Isaiah 1:17 • Isaiah 58 • Luke 4:18-19
Jesus is the only hope for all the world. His words, works, and ways guide all we do. Our continual focus is to abide in Him. Our path is not a new one. It’s both ancient and future. The way was inaugurated by Jesus who walks with us. • Acts 4:8-12 • 1 John 2:6 • John 15:5:8
Out of love for all the world, Jesus provided the way for us to be restored to our intended relationship to God by taking our sins upon Himself on the cross. In His death and resurrection, Jesus destroys the works of the evil one. Only Jesus provides eternal salvation and is the foundation of forgiveness. He is making all things new. • John 14:6 • 1 John 3:8 • Isaiah 42:16 • Isaiah 43:19 • Jeremiah 29:11 • Revelation 21:5
Only Jesus can transform lives and communities, but he invites us to join with Him in His work. We will not separate mission and compassion, because Jesus doesn’t. Transformed lives lead to transformed communities, and transformed communities lead to transformed lives. • John 4:1-42 • Luke 10:25-37 • Acts 17:26-27
Rooted In Jesus
The Identity & Ministry of ONe Collective
Our identity and ministry is rooted in Jesus Christ. His character, life, and mission in the world empower our work. He is at the center of all we do. Therefore, as an organization, we exist and work toward transformation in response to His call, by His resurrection power, and for His glory.
Jesus is (He proclaims and embodies) good news to a lost and broken world, separated from God and suffering under the corrupting and oppressive effects of sin in all its forms. He makes all things new and ushers in the dawn of a new reality—life in the kingdom of God—which He offers to all who will receive it. (Mark 1:15)
Looking at Jesus’ life and ministry we see what the coming of the kingdom looks like—both physically and spiritually. By the power of God, the blind receive sight (John 9, Acts 10); the sick are made well (Luke 17, Acts 9); captives are set free (John 8, Mark 5); the hungry are fed (John 6); the poor are provided for (Acts 4, James 2, Revelation 3); and the lost are found (Luke 19, Luke 15). All of this together expresses God’s mission of creating a new social reality under the lordship of Jesus that exists for the blessing of all.
Jesus not only proclaims and embodies the good news of the kingdom, but by sacrificially offering up His own life as God incarnate upon the cross, He absorbs the full measure of the death-dealing results of evil and human rebellion. Taking all sin upon Himself, Jesus becomes our peace, triumphing, once and for all, over Satan and all spiritual authorities and powers that might seek to separate people from God, from one another, and from life in God’s kingdom.
Having taken the wages of humanity’s sin upon Himself, God vindicates Jesus by raising Him from the grave. In the resurrection, Jesus breaks the power of sin in all its forms, reconciling the whole world to God the Father and imparting to those who follow Jesus as Savior and Lord the ministry of reconciliation.
Jesus lives as the perfect expression of God’s kingdom, teaches the perfect way of living in God’s kingdom, gave His life as the perfect means of establishing God’s kingdom, was raised as the perfect testimony to the advance of God’s kingdom, and sent the Holy Spirit as the perfect guide to direct and empower His people to embody and extend God’s kingdom. It is this vision of God and God’s kingdom—one that addresses the full range of the integrated needs of humanity—that shapes the identity and animates the ministry of One Collective.
Rooted in the person and work of Jesus Christ and empowered by the leading of the Holy Spirit, we seek to join with God in His work—coming alongside, embodying, announcing, acting, and extending invitations to experience, and understand the fullness of life to be found in God’s kingdom.
Guiding Statements:
Passion (what drives us)
No one is invisible and everyone has access to food, freedom, and forgiveness
Vision (what we see)
Lives and communities transformed by the power of God
Mission (what we do)
We bring people together to help the oppressed
Guiding Statements, Core Values, & Strategy
Core Values:
People — We honor all people and treat everyone with respect and dignity. We work in community alongside both our colleagues and those we serve. We always assume, seek, encourage, and build upon the best in others. We respond to the needs and feelings of others in an appropriate and timely manner.
Integrity — We always strive to do the right thing. We are vulnerable, genuine and transparent in our interactions; speaking the truth in love. We do what we say we will do, creating high degrees of trust.
Empowerment — We get things done together. We delegate authority with responsibility. We choose to communicate in ways that lead to understanding so that powerful and creative collaboration can emerge. In order for us to move forward, we employ a discipline of continuous improvement without getting stuck in the ideal of the perfect.
Excellence — We work purposefully, bringing our best every day. We work with each other to create the best outcomes, and we share credit accordingly. We encourage individual development and provide appropriate accountability. We embrace best practices while remaining sensitive to the leading of Jesus.
Central Strategy:
Integrated Community Transformation
A holistic strategy rooted in the ways of Jesus and focused on sustainable change in oppressed communities around the world. A trained leader, called a Catalyst, leads a process that:
Responds to physical and spiritual needs in a holistic way,
Clearly defines a specific community,
Brings together partnerships, expertise, support and essential resources from outside the community, and
Empowers local change-makers and local assets to be Jesus’ agents for transformation.
Integrated ministry begins with the understanding that in order for a person to find transformation, both their physical and spiritual needs must be addressed.
By focusing on a specific Community (either a defined geographic location or groupings of people that share a common affinity), problems and solutions can be approached through the ways of Jesus and results can be measured.
A trained leader called a Catalyst serves like a “general contractor” - bringing together local leaders, organizations and churches, businesses and schools, utilizing the strengths and resources available and empowering them to address systemic problems within the community. Partnerships, expertise, support and essential resources from outside the community are added to create pathways to sustainable change.
Transformation is the end result - and it occurs when the whole needs of a community are being met - No one is invisible and everyone has access to food, freedom, and forgiveness. Evidence that transformation is beginning to happen is observed as the ways of Jesus begin to take hold, local assets start meeting local needs, and a growing desire emerges to reach out into nearby communities.
This vision is made possible through the partnership of those who give, those who serve, and those who are ready for change. This is what unites us all as One Collective, where the ways of Jesus transform lives and communities around the world - and it’s because of you that this vision is made possible.
Strategy that Changes the World
See how One Collective leaders around the world are living out a tested strategy modeled after the ways of Jesus.