Kingdom Culture at Antioch

The value of every individual member and the effort for unity within the body  

Kingdom Culture Vision 

Our desire as a church is to define more clearly God’s call for our body to emulate heaven by being a racially and ethnically diverse people that live out Kingdom Culture as a unified body. These clarity statements are not offered to appear socially conscious nor are they offered to appease the initiatives of any group of people. They are offered to help people understand the direction of our church related to biblical Kingdom Culture. The statements also serve as accountability to our leadership to be intentional about the fulfillment of these statements. Biblical Kingdom Culture encompasses many aspects of how Christians should embrace societal concerns, but for clarity and forward movement this statement primarily refers to racial issues.  

 

A “Kingdom Culture church” is a Spirit-led, biblically based family of God embracing every nation, tribe, people and language, committed to worshipping Jesus and living out Kingdom values in community. 

 We are clearly stating that we are for Jesus Christ, His Church and His mission to the world.  We are committed to engaging culture from a biblical worldview; therefore, our mission is not to align to any specific person, social trend, political party or organization but to challenge everyone in all spheres of society to live as disciples of Jesus and to apply biblical conviction in their leadership and influence. Prioritizing Jesus does not mean practicing ‘color blindness’ but simply means that we will honor Jesus first and then honor the uniqueness of every tribe, tongue and people among us.   

 

Also, because of our biblical convictions, we are clearly stating that we oppose any form of human oppression towards, but not limited to, the poor, women, the unborn, the elderly, the immigrant, people of every culture and race, and persons with mental, emotional, social or physical disabilities.   

Kingdom Culture Values  

  1. Church members prioritize Christian identity over any racial, cultural or political identity. I Peter 2:9-10   
  2. Value is placed on every person of any race, gender and age. Value is shown in many ways, often through encouragement, honor, care, meeting one another’s needs, rejoicing and mourning with one another and advocating for one another when subject to injustice. Romans 12:9-16, I Corinthians 12:12-27  
  3. Church leaders seek God and respond to the Holy Spirit’s leadership in establishing Kingdom Culture through church leadership, church teaching, and church ministries and services. Acts 13:1-3  
  4. Church leaders equip every church member to understand and apply God’s Word when distinguishing between Kingdom Culture and societal narratives. Acts 15:1-35 
  5. Church leaders prayerfully discern when to speak publicly about societal issues and controversies. When they do speak publicly, it is done to teach biblical perspective and declare truth. Ephesians 4:11-16  
  6. Church members participate in cross-cultural relationships with the hope of learning to love one another and to dwell together in unity. John 13:34, John 17:20-24, Ephesians 2:14-16 
  7. Kingdom Culture Plans (Educate, Relate, Advocate) 

Educate 

  1. Create a list of cross-cultural resources to help us understand one another. 

        2. Church leadership will communicate and train the church to understand key social issues. 

    • Course on understanding culture from a biblical worldview will be offered fall 2021 through Life University to be followed up with a course in the spring semester that speaks to specific cultural issues such as race, poverty, women, the elderly, etc. 

         3. Develop Kingdom Culture training resources.   

    • Training was developed and implemented in Jan 2020. It was captured in video and made into a training resource and distributed to all churches in the Antioch Movement. 
    • The Elders have included the statement on Kingdom Culture into the church’s overall vision statement and strategy plans. 

Relate 

  1. Increase cross-cultural relationships within the body. 

    • Elders and pastors have actively engaged in cross-cultural relationships with church ‘owners’ and attenders. 

        2. Leadership will commit to engage in diverse church relationships within the city including pastors’ prayer gatherings.   

    • Several Antioch elders and pastors actively participate in prayer and dialogue with a variety of pastors across the city who represent various cultural groups. 

        3. Antioch will look for opportunities to host cultural community events and diverse worship/prayer gatherings.  

    • Currently working with an African American producer to host a Gospel concert in 2022. 

         4. Continue Antioch Come Together and DiverseCity initiatives. 

    • DiverseCity scheduled for September 26th and December 12th  

    • Come Together scheduled for October 16th  

         5. Adult Pastoral Team will develop Kingdom Culture strategy for Lifegroups. 

    • Our vision for Kingdom Culture is being added to Antioch’s new Lifegroup leader training process including the new Lifegroup leader website. Kingdom Culture vision is also included in the church’s Ownership Night. 

 

Advocate 

  1. Develop feedback process for racial/cultural concerns for staff and the church.  

    • Feedback process is being implemented into the church’s new website as well as the website for Lifegroup leaders. 

        2. Provide venues for Antioch people to process relational and societal challenges.  

    • Counseling groups were provided to staff in 2021 with follow-up discussions with senior leadership. 

    • Counseling groups were offered to all DiverseCity participants in 2021. 

    • Currently developing cultural discussion groups for the fall of 2021.  

          3. Facilitate Antioch’s Kingdom Culture business initiative. 

    • Course to be offered in Sept. 2021. 

          4. Develop relationships with city leaders on ways to engage key social issues in Waco. 

    • Church leadership participates in ongoing meetings and dialogue with the mayor and a city council member. 

           5. Develop Antioch’s missions’ recruitment initiative to facilitate more missionaries from diverse backgrounds. 

    • Currently in the process of identifying candidates and distributing funds to people of color committed to international missions. 

             6. Commit to sustained prayer and intercession for Kingdom Culture vision. 

              7. Diversify music expression during Sunday services. 

    • Currently building relationships with African American musicians who are helping the Antioch worship ministry learn how to broaden our corporate services musical expression. 

    • Several Spanish singers and musicians are actively participating in the worship team and lead out in Spanish worship songs in corporate services. 

Acts of Mercy

Acts of Mercy is the Crisis Relief and Disaster Relief arm of Antioch and Antioch Movement. Acts of Mercy works to mobilize the Church to save lives in times of disaster and to bring sustainable transformation to communities locally and around the world.

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Friday Club

Invest in the lives of children at Friday Club with games, fun challenges, tasty snacks, small group discussions and even field trips around the city. We meet every Friday from 4:15 to 6:30 p.m. during the school year. Not only do you get to invest in a child, but you’ll also have an opportunity to connect with the family if you pick up or drop off your student(s).

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Man and Salvation

We believe man was created by a direct and immediate act of God. [Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 2:4]

We believe man, by transgression, fell from the state of righteousness and holiness in which he was first created into total spiritual depravity, a state of death in trespasses and sins in which he is held as a slave of sin and an enemy of God. As such, he is unable to attain divine righteousness by his own efforts but must be redeemed and delivered by the power of the gospel. [Romans 5:12-21; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4]

We believe repentance and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ are an integral part of God’s work of justification of the believer. Through faith in the shed blood of Christ, he or she is justified and made a partaker in the death of Christ. [Romans 5:1, 9]

We believe it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. [Ephesians 2:8-9]

We further believe the emphasis for a continuous walk in grace should be on demonstrating righteousness and purity of heart, believing in the keeping power of God, walking after the Spirit and not after the flesh, living a lifestyle that demonstrates the character, standards and convictions of Jesus Christ and not being conformed to the world. [Jude 24; Romans 8:25; Galatians 5:16-25; Romans 4:1-5; Romans 12:1-2]

We believe repentance is dependent upon the conviction of the Holy Spirit in the lives of sinners and believers and upon their response. The conviction of the Holy Spirit, which often accompanies the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ, will result in the revelation of the sinfulness of self, which should lead to godly sorrow. [2 Corinthians 7:10; Psalm 51; Acts 11:18; 2 Timothy 2:25; Romans 1:18-32; Matthew 9:12-13]

We believe that in the final judgment, which will accompany the return of Christ, every person will give an account to God of every aspect of this earthly life. Unbelievers will be separated from God for eternity in hell. Believers will experience the final resurrection and live eternally with Christ in the new heavens and the new earth. [1 Corinthians 3:10-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:11-15]

The Godhead

We believe in one God who has revealed Himself in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. [Romans 1:20]

The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are all co-eternal and all stand equally superior to time, free from the temporal distinctions of past and future.

We believe in God the Father, Creator of all things visible and invisible. [Colossians 1:15-16]

We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, who came into the world to reveal the Father and was the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person. Jesus Christ was the Creator of everything, for by Him all things were made. We further believe that in Christ dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form and that He was very-God and very-Man. [John 1:1-2, 14; 1 Timothy 3:16; Acts 7:37-38]

We believe in Jesus Christ’s pre-existence, incarnation, virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, substitutionary and atoning death, bodily resurrection, bodily ascension into heaven, exaltation, present rule at the right hand of God, coming personal return in power and great glory and everlasting Kingdom and dominion. [Acts 1:11; Acts 3:19-21; Daniel 7:14; Revelation 20:4]

We acknowledge His Lordship—that Jesus Christ is Lord over all things in heaven, on earth and under the earth. [Philippians 2:9-10]

We believe in the Holy Spirit, His present ministry, His indwelling, His empowering, His impartation of gifts for today and His transforming power in the lives of all believers. [1 Corinthians 12:4-11; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 1:13-14]

The Lord's Commands

We believe in the Lord’s Supper and believer’s baptism as acts of our obedience and a testimony of our faith. [Matthew 3:6; Mark 16:16; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29]

We believe water baptism (by immersion) is an obedient response to the command of Jesus. Baptism is to be performed only upon repentant believers in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. [Matthew 28:18-20]

We believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit. [Acts 2:4; Acts 10:46; Acts 19:6]

We hold that the real evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is one’s response to the Word of God, a Christ-like life, showing forth Christ’s character and experiencing and manifesting the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. [John 16:13-14; John 15:26; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11]

The Family

We believe God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both are created in God’s image. Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the Lord. [Genesis 1:27-28; Genesis 2:20-25; Matthew 19:4-6; Psalm 139:13-15]

The Church

We believe the Church is both universal and local. All believers form the Church, in unity with all believers throughout history; and yet, the church is also local, with believers gathering in committed community and under the authority of Christ. [Ephesians 1:22-23]

Scripture describes the Church as:

This language is intimate and reveals Jesus’ commitment to and care for His people. Furthermore, the Church is God’s instrument for revealing His purpose and the fullness of Jesus on earth for His glory. [Ephesians 3:10; Ephesians 1:23]

STARS

We believe mentoring relationships can help kids succeed in school and in life, which will be part of transforming their lives, their families and our community’s future. 

Antioch started the STARS Mentoring Project in response to the needs among youth in our neighborhood. In this Mentoring Project, we are building strength, resilience and hope in the children of our community through mentoring relationships and academic support.

Many kids in our community are struggling in school, experiencing some degree of poverty or are lacking positive adult role models. These are huge barriers to a child’s success in school and to ending cycles of generational poverty. Studies have shown that not graduating from high school has a huge effect on people’s lives, and 3rd-grade reading ability is one of the main factors that determine whether someone makes it to high school graduation. We invite you to join us and invest in the students of our community.

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Serve

Book Club

Our vision is to see a future where every student in Waco, TX, can read and succeed. Statistics show that 3rd graders who read below their grade level are eight times less likely to graduate high school. STARS aims to change the course of a child’s life by raising volunteers to read with two to three students once a week for 30 minutes at their school. This is a big treat for the kids, and we’ve seen many of them catch up to their grade’s reading level. Our goal is to have 1,000 mentors in schools throughout Waco. 

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Unbound

End human trafficking. Ignite hope.

 Unbound is Antioch’s anti-human trafficking ministry, working to mobilize the Church and activate local communities to fight human trafficking. Since 2012, Unbound Waco has empowered more than 10,000 youth to stay safe, trained thousands of professionals to identify and respond to human trafficking and served more than 340 victims and survivors in our community. Unbound Waco also provides leadership to the Heart of Texas Human Trafficking Coalition. 

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Engage the Nations

Engage the Nations exists to bridge the gap between the local church and our long-term teams by mobilizing interns to help fulfill the Great Commission in this generation. We will mobilize teams for 3-month internships that will work with long-term teams to catalyze church planting and disciple-making movements in their regions. Our goal is that each intern will have encounters with Jesus, be equipped as a disciple-maker, be envisioned for the lost and learn how to support the long-term work going on around the world. Our hope is that our summer teams will be able to identify key, fruitful and apostolic locals who, upon the team’s departure at the end of the summer, can be connected with the long-term team for continued investment and discipleship.

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Recovery Ministry

Our desire is to empower men and women to know their identity in Christ and help them develop Bible-based tools to live out their life’s purpose in freedom.   

Antioch Recovery Ministry exists to help bring holistic transformation to both men and women struggling with drug and alcohol addiction through biblically based recovery groups and discipleship. We provide a safe, welcoming and judgment-free environment where men and women come together to work through their recovery journey. We offer an opportunity to be part of a supportive community and learn together through authentic discipleship how to get free from addiction. 

Addiction can leave behind a wide range of short- and long-term effects that can be devastating—not just to the individual—but to the community, state and nation. It destroys families, friendships and careers and impacts a person’s overall health. Here is how we integrate discipleship into recovery:   

  • Weekly Recovery Groups (Separate meetings for men and women) 
  • Discipleship Groups 
  • Referral Assistance  
  • Provide Community Support
  • Provide Recovery Tools
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Church Planting School

Reaching the nations of the earth

A core part of Antioch’s vision is to see reproducing, disciple-making churches planted in every country around the world. Jesus said in Matthew 28, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” For some, this means responding to the call of God on their lives to go to another nation and be part of God’s redemptive work. If God has called you and you have completed the Antioch Discipleship School, we invite you to apply to the Antioch Church Planting School. The ACPS will train and equip you for overseas work as well as increase your awareness of what God is doing in the earth. 

If you aren’t sure if you’re called to the nations but are interested in learning more about it, we would love to talk to you.

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Marriage and Family

Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime.  The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both are created in God’s image. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect and to lead his family. A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. She, being in the image of God as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his companion in managing the household and nurturing the next generation. Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the Lord. Parents are to demonstrate to their children God’s pattern for marriage.
Genesis 1:27-28; Genesis 2:20-25; Genesis 1:27; Ephesians 5:25; Ephesians 5:24; Genesis 2:20-21; Titus 2:4-5; Psalm 139:13-15

Faith in Practice

Sexuality
Women in Ministry
Race and the Glory of God

Jail Ministry

We host Sunday services in the local county jail for inmates, both men and women. Services include worship, preaching/teaching and ministry response times. We provide inmates with Bibles and devotionals upon request. Through this ministry, we’re reaching many in our community who are feeling broken and hopeless and bringing Jesus into such tough places. There are many opportunities to be part of this team, including going to the jail, writing inmates and interceding. If you are interested in this ministry, please contact us at impactwaco@antiochwaco.com.

Food Distribution

Our mobile food distribution happens twice a month in the Antioch Waco parking lot. Through this ministry, we have the opportunity to provide groceries to hundreds of families in need in our community each month. As cars are loaded with groceries, volunteers offer to pray for those who would like it. This takes place the 2nd & 4th Tuesday of each month. If you would like to volunteer with this ministry, please email us at impactwaco@antiochwaco.com.

Sports Ministry

Through our Sports Ministry, we’re able to engage kids and families in our local community where they’re most comfortable and provide great coaching, mentorship and a model of life following Jesus. We do this by working with local little leagues, running sports camps and taking impact trips. This is a great way to build relationships with families and student athletes in our Waco community. If you’re interested in learning more about Sports Ministry and our available volunteer opportunities, please contact us at impactwaco@antiochwaco.com.

Prayer Trips

Strategic Prayer Trips are short-term trips overseas and in the US where we learn to follow the Holy Spirit, ask for His guidance and leadership and obey onsite. The goal of these trips is to obey the Father and to see the Kingdom of God advance in the earth.

SERVE Trips

SERVE is an opportunity to spend up to 11 months as part of an international church planting team. Participants get the experience of making disciples, living cross-culturally and working as a team under the leadership of seasoned missionaries. This internship experience helps young people determine whether long-term church planting is right for them. Timeframes and costs for the internships will vary based on location and will be subject to final approval from the Long Term Team who would be hosting. Please note that the SERVE application is in-depth and comes with the requirement of having finished an Antioch Discipleship School.

The Bible

We believe the Bible is the inspired, authoritative, living, eternally reliable Word of God, equally in all parts, and without error in its original manuscript and our primary and authoritative source of revelation from God, superior to conscience and reason, though not contrary to reason. Therefore, the Bible is our final authority for faith and practice and is necessary for our daily lives as it continually points us toward the person of Jesus. [2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Peter 1:23-25; Hebrews 4:12]