Our ministry philosophy can be summarized by a few passages in scripture. One passage is Ephesians 4:11-13, which establishes that those gifted in leadership (pastors for example) are to "equip the saints for the work of ministry". We hold to the historic protestant doctrine of the "priesthood of all believers", and want to apply that towards giftedness as well. Our conviction is that God "gifts" all believers, and that those in leadership have a responsibility to equip, train, and mentor others in the Body to not only discover their gifts, but to encourage them into ministry. As many others begin to discover and employ their giftedness in areas of ministry, our church will flourish!

Another seminal passage is Luke 7:36-50, which tells the story of the woman who annointed Jesus' feet with her tears. Because she forgiven much, Jesus says, she loves much. Tahoe Christian Center is a "place of refuge where grace abounds". We want to err on the side of mercy and compassion (see James 2:13-"Mercy triumphs over justice"). From the very beginning, TCC has been a place for those in trouble to find help. And that help needs to be non-judgmental in nature. We want to have the full measure of love that Christ has (see John 13:1), which includes "tough love" as well as the softer side of love that we've emphasized. The wrist bands WWJD remind us that Jesus set an example during his earthly ministry that we can follow. When you consider the grace that he extended to people in need, sometimes incurring the wrath of religious leaders while doing so, it becomes obvious that such a philosophy is not always easy to live out. But God's strength helps us to do so (see Hebrews 13:9).

Yet another element of our ministry philosophy can be seen in passages like Jesus' priestly prayer in John 17 and also Psalm 133, which both stress unity. The world needs to see the unity of the Body of Christ. Pastor Tom Salter was mentored by pastors who lived out the power of unity. The "Church of Modesto" is one vibrant example of what unity in the larger Body of Christ can accomplish. We are a part of what God is doing on the north shore of Lake Tahoe, and want in a united way with sister churches to impact our region for Christ. Beyond praying with other pastors, and occasional meetings of several churches in a united format of worship and prayer, we aim to think and pray strategically for a harvest sent from God, that will be larger than any one church can handle. Luke 5:1-7 illustrates that when God sends the harvest, it is usually larger than any single entity can accommodate. John 17 reminds us that the world wants to see unity, and will be drawn towards Christ by our standing together with others in the Kingdom of God. Therefore, we will endeavor to speak positively concerning other churches, and strive to cooperate with other congregations as much as possible.