BASILEIA CORE VALUES

“VALUES – VISION – VOCATION”

THEMATIC DESCRIPTION OF

“THE TWELVE PILLARS OF BASILEIA”

[OUR VITAL CORE VALUES]

WE ARE

BASILEIANS…

GOD-FOLLOWERS — BASILEIA EVANGELICAL AFRICAN COMMUNITY OF NIMBALAND (BEACON) — seeking to reflect “THE LIGHT OF LIFE” (John 8:12, NIV) among all people within reach by “fleshing out” the love of God through “THE TWELVE PILLARS OF BASILEIA” which describe the “Soul of our Community of Faith” (Galatians 6:10, MSG).

“MAY YOUR KINGDOM COME. MAY YOUR WILL BE DONE, ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN” (MATTHEW 6:10, ISV).

“THE TWELVE PILLARS OF BASILEIA” (vital core values) are both Celestial (Heavenward: Toward GOD) and Terrestrial (Downward: Toward Humanity). The following summary sets forth our Distinctive Characteristics as a…

GOD-HONORING COMMUNITY

WHERE EVERYBODY IS SOMEBODY IN GOD’S IMAGE

AND CHRIST IS LORD OVER ALL

CELESTIAL VALUES

We Basileians (God-Followers) fully embrace, cherish and seek to live by the more than 500-year-old “Five Solas” of the Protestant Reformation (1517 AD – 1648 AD); an expression taken from the Latin word sola meaning “alone” or “only” …indicating as to what matters most to our “Community of Faith” (Galatians 6:10) wherever the LORD God plants our seeds. The “Five Solas” are as follows:

• SOLA SCRIPTURA (“by Scripture alone”). “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NLT).
• SOLA FIDE (“by faith alone”). “…you have been saved from the punishment of sin through faith. It is not by anything you have done. It is a gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8, NLV).
• SOLA GRATIA (“by grace alone”). “God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it” (Ephesians 2:8-9, NLT).
• SOLUS CHRISTUS/SOLO CHRISTO (“through Christ alone”). “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not have life, but will remain under God’s punishment” (John 3:36, GNT).
• SOLI DEO GLORIA (“glory to God alone”). The Scripture tells us, concerning the LORD God: “Everything comes from Him; Everything happens through Him; Everything ends up in Him. Always glory! Always praise! Yes. Yes. Yes” (Romans 11:36, MSG).

TERRESTRIAL VALUES

GOD’S WORD informs us that all human beings are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26); that the LORD God commands and expects the human race to care for His Creative Order (Genesis 1:28); and that we are to unselfishly love one another because He loves us all (John 3:16). Therefore, we Basileians (God-Followers) desire to live out the true meaning of Responsible Faith in accordance with our Terrestrial Core Values (relationships on Planet Earth):

• AESTHETIC BEAUTY — We seek to mobilize the best, boldest and brightest elements of God-given resources (time, talent, treasure, technology, testimony, tradition, tenacity, etc.) in order to make the planned AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY CAMPUS (ATC) a breathtakingly beautiful, safe, secure and sustainable citadel of learning. “God looked over all He had made, and He saw that it was very good” (Genesis 1:31, NLT).
• COMMUNITY OF FAITH — We exist to “work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith” (Galatians 6:10, MSG).
• CREATION CARE — We desire to be and remain responsible for God’s Creative Order by faithfully obeying the Divine Mandate: “Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge! Be responsible…for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth. You’ll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew, rebuild the foundations from out of your past. You’ll be known as those who can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate, make the community livable again” (Genesis 1:28 & Isaiah 58:12, MSG).
• FOCUS ON GLOBAL AFRICA — We are committed to honoring the TRIUNE GOD (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) by reaching, serving and impacting all Diaspora and Continental Africans within reach; so that “they can have real and eternal life, more and better life, than they ever dreamed of” (John 10:10, MSG) while, at the same time, sustaining themselves as commanded in the Scripture: “Also, make it your goal to live quietly, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands…so that you may win the respect of outsiders, and have need of nothing” (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, ISV).
• IMPACTING OUR HOSTLAND — We work to survive, strive, succeed, thrive and give back to our host communities; just as the LORD commands us: “Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile…because if it prospers, you too will prosper” (Jeremiah 29:7, NIV).
• IMPACTING OUR HOMELAND — We are dedicated to extending a meaningful, community-empowering, and life-transforming helping hand to our homeland; in obedience to the Divine Directive: “…do not hide from relatives who need your help. Go home to your own people and tell them how much the LORD has done for you, and how He has had mercy on you. Great gifts mean great responsibilities; greater gifts, greater responsibilities” (Isaiah 58:7, NLT; Mark 5:19, NIV; Luke 12:48b, MSG).
• UNITY IN DIVERSITY — Without apologies, we are shaped, informed, guided, distinguished and driven by the conviction that there is intrinsic value in every human being irrespective of our wide-ranging differences (cultures, languages, perspectives, personalities, races, talents, traditions, etc.); because God’s “family in heaven and on earth” (Ephesians 3:15, NIV) ultimately comprises “people from every tribe, language, nation and race” (Revelation 5:9, CEV).