SIM USA
SIM is a "Gospel community" that is:
Committed to Biblical Truth
We are committed to biblical truth and joyfully affirm historic, evangelical Christianity. With courage, we declare to the nations the good news of new life in Jesus Christ.
Dependent on God
"By Prayer" and in faith we depend on God for the provision of all our needs. We will demonstrate diligence, integrity, sharing, and accountability in cultivating and using the resources God provides.
A People of Prayer
Prayer is foundational in our life and ministry. "By Prayer" we praise God, seek his direction, request resources, and call upon the Holy Spirit to empower our ministries.
Mission-Focused
We are committed to the urgent and unfinished task of making disciples of Jesus Christ in all nations. In doing this we desire to work in loving, trusting, interdependent relationships with churches and other partners who share our vision.
Church-Centred
We are committed to being a Mission that begins, nurtures, and equips churches to be the expression of Christ in their communities and to reach out with cross-cultural missionary vision and action.
Concerned About Human Needs
We humbly acknowledge that the ultimate human need is to know God. We also believe that he has called us to compassionate, holistic service in this broken world by alleviating suffering, fostering development, and effecting change in society.
A Christlike Community
We desire to be a transforming community dedicated to becoming like Christ in love, servanthood, holiness, and obedience to the Father. We believe that following Christ's example means sacrifice, sometimes hardship, and perhaps even death.
A Learning, Growing Community
We believe in the worth and giftedness of each person in SIM and of those we seek to serve. We practise the giving and receiving of discipleship, life-long learning, consultative leadership, mutual development, and training as enduring disciplines.
Strengthened Through Diversity
We are intentionally international and interdenominational because we believe this expresses the unity of the body of Christ in the world. We believe we will be more effective in ministry as we incorporate the richness of cultural diversity in SIM and celebrate our oneness in Christ.
Responsive to Our Times
We will respond with creativity and courage to evolving needs and opportunities under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. To be effective and relevant, our ministries, priorities, and structures are subject to ongoing evaluation and adaptation.
SIM is a community of God's people who delight to worship him and are passionate about the Gospel, seeking to fulfill the mission of Jesus Christ in the world.
Our purpose is to glorify God by planting, strengthening, and partnering with churches around the world as we:
evangelize the unreached,
minister to human need,
disciple believers into churches,
equip churches to fulfill Christ's Commission.
Those who serve with SIM are committed to the essential truths of biblical Christianity. These include the following:
God
There is one God who exists eternally in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God is the almighty Creator, Saviour, and Judge who governs all things according to His sovereign will and is accomplishing His purposes in creation and in the Church to His glory.
The Father
God the Father is the source of all that is good. He initiates creation and redemption which He accomplishes through His Son and the Holy Spirit.
God's Written Word
The Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, is God's written Word, revealing for all peoples His character and purposes. It is the final authority in all matters relating to belief and behaviour. The Holy Spirit moved the human authors of the Bible so that what they wrote is inspired, fully reliable, and without error in all it affirms.
The Human Race
Humanity is the climax of God's earthly creation, bearing His image, designed for relationship with Him, and being the object of His redeeming love. All people have sinned. This results in guilt, death, and alienation from God as well as the defacing of every aspect of human nature. People are unable to save themselves from sin’s penalty and power and from Satan’s dominion.
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ, both fully God and fully man, entered history as Saviour of the world. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, and lived an exemplary, sinless life in perfect submission to the Father and in loving relationships with others. He died on a cross, rose bodily, and ascended to heaven where He is advocate for His people and is exalted as Lord of all.
Salvation
Christ's sacrificial death, in which He bore the punishment due to sinners, is the only and all-sufficient basis of God's provision of salvation for all people of every culture and age, expressing His love and satisfying His justice. By God's grace the repentant sinner, through trusting alone in the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour, is put right with God, adopted by the Father into His family and receives eternal life.
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit makes the work of Christ effective to sinners, giving spiritual life and placing them into the Church. He indwells all believers, empowers them to love, serve, witness and obey God, equips them with gifts, and transforms them to be increasingly like Christ.
The Church
The universal Church is made up of all who have been born of the Spirit. It finds local expression in communities of believers called by God to worship, fellowship, proclaim the Gospel, and make disciples among all peoples, reflect God’s character, engage in works of compassion, contend for truth and justice, and celebrate baptism and communion.
The Spirit World
The holy angels are personal spirit beings who glorify God, serve Him, and minister to His people. Satan is a spiritual being who was created by God but fell through sin. He, along with other evil spirits, is the enemy of God and humanity, has been defeated by the work of Christ, is subject to God’s authority and faces eternal condemnation.
The Future
The Lord Jesus Christ will visibly return to the earth in glory and accomplish the final triumph over evil. God will make everything new. The dead will be raised and judged. Unbelievers will suffer eternal punishment in separation from God; believers will enter into a life of eternal joy in fellowship with God, glorifying Him forever.
