Our individual mission and the mission of our church is not unique, but ought to be the same
(or very similar to) other historic Bible believing churches, because God has given us His mission and Jesus has specified what His church ought to be doing to engage the world.

We, as individuals, are “to glorify God (1 Cor. 10:31) and enjoy Him forever (Ps. 16:11).” (see Westminster’s Shorter Catechism). This is done when we as a church fulfill the great commandment (to love the Lord our God with all that we are and to love those around us like Jesus does, Matt. 22:37-39) and the great commission (by making disciples of all nations, Matt. 28:18-20). “The mission of the church is to go into the world and make disciples by declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of the Spirit and gathering these disciples in churches, that they might worship the Lord and obey his commands now and in eternity to the glory of God the Father" (see Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert, What is the Mission of the Church?).

These are the values we hold dear because of who Jesus is and what He has accomplished. We do not image these perfectly, but we strive through the power of His Holy Spirit to live these realities out in our community of faith.

Glory: We exist for the Glory of God.
John 4:23-24; 1 Cor. 10:31; Is.42:8; 43:7

Gospel: We keep the Gospel central to all parts of our life and ministry.
1 Cor. 1:18-2:5; 15:3-4; Rom. 1:16-17; 3:21-26; 8:1-39; Gal. 2:21; Mark 1:1, 14-15

Grace: We are saved by grace, sustained by grace, and share grace with all.
John 1:14-18; 4:1-30; Rom. 5-8; 14; Gal. 2-3; Eph. 2:1-10; Tit. 2:11-12

Ohana: We are called to live in authentic and sacrificial relationship with one another as the church.
John 17; Acts 2:42-47; Rom. 12; 1 Cor. 12-14; Gal. 6:10; Eph. 2:11-22; 4:1-32; Col. 3:1-17

Mission: We are called to make disciples of all nations through the proclamation of the Gospel.
Matt. 28:18-20; Luke 24:44-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:11-21

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

-Psalms 46:1 ESV

The Bible has much to say about safety, deliverance, and rescue. In the Old Testament there were even appointed locations called cities of refuge (Num. 35:25-28), where someone could flee for safety from someone seeking revenge for the inadvertent loss of a relative. The one who committed the accidental act would be delivered form the “avenger of blood” by fleeing to a “city of refuge.” In God’s common grace, He allowed the Hawaiian people a very similar practice.

“In old Hawaiʻi, if you had broken a law, the penalty was death. Perhaps you had entered into an area that was reserved for only the chiefs, or had eaten forbidden foods. Laws, or kapu, governed every aspect of Hawaiian society. The penalty for breaking these laws was certain death. Your only option for survival is to elude your pursuers and reach the nearest puʻuhonua, or place of refuge… if you reached this sacred place, you would be saved.” (nps.gov, n.d.)

Ultimately, all of these are glimmers of the final refuge, safety, and rescue that we find in God as our shelter, supremely revealed in the person and work of Jesus through His crucifixion and resurrection. We are to run from our sin, selfishness, and even our self directed attempts to save ourselves through good works or religious practice, to Jesus as our only true place of refuge.

Lāʻie was once a puʻuhonua, or place of refuge, and it is our heart’s desire and prayer that The Refuge Church would be a community that points people to Jesus as our only hope, and to reflect the safety He provides through how we live, love, and serve one another, the community, and the world.