Vision

     "MISSION PARTNERS AS THE CHURCH                   AND BEING THE CHURCH IN

                  LOCAL CARE CENTERS"

AVOWED's vision is to send Mision Partners to be sent out as a missionary and to send missionaries to local care centers. The benefits are not just a one-way street. While the elderly very much appreciate the presence of volunteers, much like grandchildren for a family gathering, the seniors provide blessings for the volunteers as well. Many seniors keep volunteers in prayer like family members as well. Volunteers become ministry-minded, and learn to respect and value all people as they engage in selfless acts of service. This ministry brings with it constant teachable moments for volunteers, children, and provides families with life-long memories.

Church is NOT a Building

It is The PEOPLE

The church is the called-out assembly, from the Greek term in the New Testament, the ekklesia. It is a Church which does not depend on forms, ceremonies, cathedrals, buildings, chapels, pulpits, fonts, vestments, organs, endowments, money, kings, governments, magistrates, or any act of favor whatsoever from the hand of man.  The church or ekklesia is composed of all believers in the Lord Jesus.  It is made up of all God's elect-of all converted men and women of all true Christians.   

As the spirit of God resides in us, we are His temple.  We believe we need to be mindful of the Apostle Paul’s rhetorical question, “Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16).

Activities within the confines of a building are not somehow more sacred and right with God than those outside the building walls.  This is of primary importance with AVOWED as we take the “church” to people, rather than taking people to a building. 

As we see in 1 Corinthians 12:12-25, we as Christians have a function as part of the body and it is not necessarily within the confines of an organization or building. 

If the spirit resides in us and we are a temple of God and “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20), the question of “going” to church is not what we are doing with AVOWED, but the church going to those that cannot worship in our buildings we call church. 

As the church is the called out ones, it is the people, and the people are the church – not a location.  The below bullet points of Scripture point this out where the “church” was gathering in specific physical locations - houses.  Not that the people “go” to “church” – they are the church.

• "Also greet the church that is in their house.”  (Romans 16:5)

• “Aquila and Prisca greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.”  (1 Corinthians 16:19)

• “Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea and also Nympha and the church that is in her house.”  (Colossians 4:15)

• “And to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:” (Philemon 1:2)

We do not believe that you can only meet God in a building (or perhaps salvation is only best obtained in the building, or only grow or minister at that location).

We are all justified by faith, not something based from a building.  “But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.  For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.  For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.” (Galatians 3:25-29)

We need to be salt and light, not just in a building:  “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)  We do not believe the meaning of the light is that we are to only shine and do good works in a building or from an “approved” program from a building.

We as believers should be trying to build each other up for ministry work.  In the sense that people are being equipped to actually lovingly minister to needs of other people, “For the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,” (Eph. 4:12).

Implementing the Circuit Riders of the 21st Century

In the early years of the United States, clergy were assigned to travel around specific geographic territories to minister to settlers and to organize worship. They were referred to as "Circuit Riders". They carried at least one Bible and one hymn book in their saddle bags, which is why they were also sometimes called "Saddlebag Preachers".

In a similar fashion, we travel to care centers and individuals in specific geographic areas to visit those without the luxury or freedom to go to a worship service or participate in other activities and friendships as they wish. We, as AVOWED Christians, have the strong conviction to boldly call the lonely, and sometimes forgotten, friends and adopted family. We wish to share spiritual fellowship, as well.

The long-term goal for AVOWED is to include ministry to orphans, following the scriptures in the Bible that speak of the fatherless. The first phase, however, is to address the more neglected demographics within the United States, which are the widows, elderly and disabled.

AVOWED provides all ministries free of charge to the widows, elderly and disabled. The ability to do so, however, does take a financial commitment, and therefore donations are welcomed to those with the calling and means to support those that cannot.