Being a member of ARCC focuses on knowing our identity and purpose (mission) and core values and striving to live these out individually and as a part of this local family of faith. This mutual agreement is often referred to as a "covenant" (read an excerpt from our church constitution, which includes a Covenant statement).
As in any relationship in life, there is always the issue of what one person expects to give to the relationship and what that same person expects to receive. Of course, the other half of the relationship equation has his or her own set of expectations as well. We feel it is important that, when it comes to being a member of the ARCC family, the expectations we have of one another are stated up-front and as clearly and concisely as possible.
What should we, as a church family, expect from each other?
There are some basic behaviors that we expect of all of our members. Each one is a practical implication of our Core Values. You could call these our "family chores" though hopefully without the dreariness that usually comes to mind when we think of the chores we were “made” to do in our childhood years. Still they serve as a helpful starting point in our desire to be an inviting, connecting, growing, serving and sharing church. Click on each to learn more.
We agree to prayerfully seek and respond to the opportunities God gives us to invite others to the true life that can only be found in a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Inviting people to come and see a portion of His family "in action" is one way to do this, so we invite others to "church"…either on a Sunday morning, a In Touch Home Gathering, or any other church activity. More importantly, we take the time to invite people into our lives. So we often invite others into our own homes before we invite them to a Sunday Worship Service.
Being a disciple of Jesus requires a real connection with his people! It means having the courage to let people see the real you and being the kind of person that would encourage others around you to be real as well. This is where a church "gets real".
So as an initial expression of this core value, we commit to consistently participate in a House Church that meets once a month close to where we live.
Outside of house church meetings, we strive to connect with other people and with other ministries offered through the church’s collective effort (women’s, men’s, youth, recovery, etc.) and hopefully we enjoy spending time with each other even outside of times scheduled on the church calendar!
The early Christians who received the letter that we know as the book of Hebrews in the Bible were chastised for having been Christians for “a long time” and yet evidencing so little growth in understanding and practicing their faith (Hebrews 5:11-6:3). We are determined to not make the same mistake that they did, so we resolve to daily read the Scriptures and to regularly attend a Bible study group (whether hosted by ARCC or another church or ministry) where we can grow in our knowledge and application of the teachings of Scripture.
Most churches operate according to the 20/80 rule—that is, 20% of the people doing 80% of the work. That is not the American River Community Church.
So, as an ARCC member we volunteer one to two times a month in some area of the Sunday morning service (each service is essentially staffed by the people who attend that service).
Beyond this, we seek to find additional opportunities where our unique gifts, talents and abilities can be used serve our church and community on a regular basis. Maybe it’s hosting a house church, helping out with special youth or children’s ministry events, being a member of a PTA, coaching a little league team, volunteering at a senior center…the options are ENDLESS.
To find out more about opportunities to serve at ARCC and in the community, check out "Off the Bench" under the "Interactive" menu.
We believe that the biblical principal of tithing and the practical financial requirements that come with having a home campus, staff, and ministries necessitate that ARCC’s members regularly give a significant percentage of their income joyfully and faithfully, eagerly expecting God to return their sacrificial gifts with the blessings of seeing His work thrive through our church family.
It is also our desire that we would be the kind of congregation that is genuinely moved to support members of our church family and community in times of desperate need (see Acts 4:32-37). So when, for example, a single mom can’t afford something as simple as school materials for her kids, we will be there for her.
