God’s primary desire for His people is the worship of his name. When he redeemed the children of Abraham from slavery in Egypt his purpose was that they might worship him (Exodus 3.12; 7.16; 8.1, 20; 9.1, 13; 10.3, 7, 8, 24, 26).

The sheer volume and detailed instructions for worship given through Moses testify to the centrality of worship in the corporate life of the people of God in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, worship is underscored by Jesus who declares that the Father is seeking those who will worship Him in Spirit and in truth (John 4.23).

The “Great Commission” is given in the context of worship (Matthew 28.16-20) and Paul describes the worship of gentiles and Jews as nothing less than the confirmation of God’s promises made to the patriarchs (Romans 15.7-12).

The Bible concludes with the Book of Revelation where a great multitude of people is described. We are told that this multitude is so great no one could count them, and that they were from every nation, tribe, people and language. This great gathering of God’s people is united in the worship of God (Revelation 7.9ff). The great and ultimate goal of evangelism is the worship of God.

True worship results in a deep passion for evangelism. If great multitudes of people are going to worship God, then they must be reached with the gospel of God’s mercy in Christ.

Indeed, the multitudes of worshippers in Revelation are described as those who are purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ (Rev. 5.9). This multitude of people from every nation, tribe, people, and language is the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham that in him all people on earth would be blessed (Genesis 12.3) and that he would be the father of many nations (Genesis 17.4-6).

This promise is realized as people come to faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 3.26, 29). Thus, evangelism is the means whereby the vision of multitudes of people worshipping God becomes a reality. True passion for the worship of God demands an equal passion for evangelism. God’s redemptive work has His own worship as its ultimate goal.

This is nowhere seen more clearly than in God’s redemption of His people from bondage in Egypt. Again and again, God tells Pharaoh to let His people go that they may worship Him (Exodus 3.12; 7.16; 8.1, 20; 9.1, 13; 10.3, 7, 8, 24, 26). Jesus Himself declares that the Father is seeking worshippers (John 4.23), and the risen Lord gives His “Great Commission” to His disciples as they bow in worship before Him (Matthew 28.16ff).

Worship and evangelism are inseparable, and a true passion for the worship of God must result in a deep passion to reach out with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Thus, a worshipping church is a church with a mission: reaching the lost with the gospel so that the ranks of those who worship God may ever increase.

Thus, evangelism is the primary task of the church, which issues in multitudes gathered in the worship of the triune God.

In the Great Commission, Jesus says, “... 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 ...”

This means that as we bring the gospel to all people, those who believe are to be initiated and thus incorporated into the visible church through the sacrament of baptism. Furthermore, we have a responsibility to all those whom we baptize and bring into our church, whether they be long-time members or new converts.

We must teach them and assist them to obey everything Jesus has commanded us. Thus, it is imperative that every believer God has entrusted to us be guided into the word of Christ.

We believe the best context in which this can happen is the small group ministry. It is in the context of a small group that people can best be “discipled.” This, however, is not the only place. Our Sunday school ministry is another excellent context for people to be helped to obey the commands of Jesus, as is Sunday worship where the word of our Lord is opened, read, and taught.

Broadly speaking, we see mature disciples as those who are committed to worship, learning, fellowship, and ministry—all of which are informed by a theologically “Reformed” worldview as contained in our doctrinal standards. These four points are elsewhere developed.

The Apostle John writes in Revelation 5 that those worshipping Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, “… sang a new song:

‘You are worthy … because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.

You have made them to be a kingdom of priests …

Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise.’”

The Apostle Peter writes (1 Peter 2.9, 10), “… you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God,

that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

Though we worship God for all His glorious attributes, it is His loving grace seen in the gospel that lies at the heart of our worship.

That grace has made us His people … His sons and daughters through faith in His Son.

Worship is, at its heart, a celebration of the grace of God.

Corporate worship should reflect the evangelization of the community in which the church is found.

No individual church will reflect the full ethnic and cultural diversity of the worshippers in Revelation 5 & 7.

Nevertheless, the church must beware of overlooking those peoples within its own immediate community.

We must evangelize our own Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, as well as the ends of the earth (Acts 1.8).

Every community has varying degrees of ethnic and cultural diversity, and we are called to reach all those in our Jerusalem.

Thus, we resist the homogeneous principle of church growth, which has been prevalent throughout the later part of the 20th century.

Instead, we embrace a parish mentality that drives us to reach all peoples in our community.

We seek to “make disciples of all nations” right here in Dover, Delaware, and to come together in worship, to the glory of God.

This is not to deny that it is easiest to reach people just like ourselves or that we should not reach them with the gospel.

It is, rather, to affirm that we will reach out to all peoples with the gospel.

We do so with the assurance that it is God’s will that our worship reflect the broadness of His love for all peoples.

We seek to carry out the Great Commission (Matthew 28.16-20) right here in Dover, beginning with our immediate neighborhoods.

Worship that most clearly reflects the heart of God is worship in which people from diverse origins and cultures gather as one. This vision is seen in Revelation, where people from every nation, tribe, people, and language worship together. It fulfills God's promise to Abraham that all nations would be blessed through him (Genesis 12.3; 17.4-6).

Only the gospel can bring true reconciliation between people, overcoming natural divisions of race, social status, gender, and other barriers. The church is the place where the power of the gospel is visibly manifest in the unity of those who, by nature, are divided. This unity reflects the answer to Jesus' prayer for all believers: "May they be brought to complete unity" (John 17.23).

The gospel breaks down racial divisions. Paul emphasizes this in Ephesians 2.14, where he writes, "Jesus… is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility." Similarly, in Colossians 3.11, Paul declares, "There is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all." This unity is not just racial but extends to class and wealth divisions. James warns against favoritism in the church, urging believers to treat rich and poor alike (James 2.2-5).

The gospel also bridges gender divides, as Paul teaches that "in Christ there is neither male nor female" (Galatians 3.28). This does not erase gender differences but affirms the equal dignity of men and women in Christ.

Through the gospel, we are reconciled not only with God but with one another. It calls us to overcome all human barriers and pursue unity, especially in worship. This is the vision of the church: to break down divisions and bring people together, fulfilling the Great Commission in our communities and gathering all peoples to worship God.

Worship that brings together people from diverse origins and cultures requires intentional outreach to all peoples and a worship style that reflects the cultural expressions of those we seek to reach. Reaching out to people different from ourselves is not easy or natural. We are naturally sinful in our racial pride and often struggle to accept people of other races.

This is why the New Testament speaks so extensively about unity in Christ over against racial division. Paul found himself in chains for teaching “the mystery of the gospel” (Ephesians 6.19-20)—that “the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members of one body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 3.6). This radical truth remains as revolutionary today as it was in Paul’s time and requires intentional action to be realized.

Thus, we are committed to reaching all people in our community, with a worship style that respects and reflects their cultures. We take on the posture of missionaries, seeking to connect with people from different backgrounds. In doing so, it is essential that we respect and embrace the cultural distinctives of those we are trying to reach. This means we must sometimes set aside our personal preferences in worship style for the sake of winning the lost.

As Paul writes, “We become all things to all people so that by all possible means we might save some” (1 Corinthians 9.23). We embrace the cultural expressions of those we seek to reach, while holding on to the rich traditions of Christian worship throughout the ages. The result is a “third culture”—a new cultural fabric woven from the diversity of the people we reach, reflecting the beauty of God’s own image, which is borne by all people.

We are so sinful, lost, and helpless that only the life and death of the Son of God can save us. The good news is that those who trust in Jesus Christ, rather than in themselves, are “holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation” (Colossians 1.22-23).

The good news is that “God made (Christ), who had no sin, to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5.21). Through His death on the cross, Jesus paid the penalty for all our sin. There is no further payment to be made.

Not only has our sin been taken away, but through faith, we have been given the righteousness of Jesus. We are already as holy and righteous as we can ever be. This righteousness is the very righteousness of Jesus, credited to us by faith through grace alone.

Thus, the gospel is good news not only to the unbeliever but also to the believer. It constantly reminds us that the assurance of our salvation is not based on anything we do, but solely on what Jesus has already done for us!

The gospel is not merely the way we enter the kingdom of God; it is the way we live our lives in that kingdom. We are justified and sanctified by faith. At the heart of our sin—affecting both us and our relationships with others—is pride. Pride seeks worth through performance and swells in success. Wounded pride leads to discouragement and self-hatred.

The gospel tells us that we are worse sinners than we ever imagined, but that we are fully accepted by God in Christ. The more we see our sin, the more we realize that we are saved entirely by grace. As we grow in our understanding of the gospel, we grow in humility before God and each other. Pride is subdued, and our view of ourselves decreases while our view of God's grace increases. This transformation leads to a deeper love for God and obedience driven by love, not obligation. The law of God becomes a joy, a way to delight Him, rather than a means of gaining His favor.

The gospel also releases the Holy Spirit in our lives. Even our desire to obey God will fail if we rely on our own strength. This is what Paul addresses in Galatians 3, where he rebukes the believers: “Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?” Paul reminds them that “The righteous will live by faith,” and it is by faith that they receive the Holy Spirit (Galatians 3.14). As we continually believe the gospel, the Holy Spirit produces in us the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5.22).

This radical transformation is most clearly seen in believers who love the Lord with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength, and their neighbor as themselves. The love for one’s neighbor is most powerfully displayed in reaching out to those from whom we naturally distance ourselves. This is illustrated in Christ's parable of the Good Samaritan.

The church is a community where the barriers that divide people are overcome, demonstrating the reality and power of the gospel to transform lives.

We believe the church, expressed in individual congregations, is the primary means by which God extends His kingdom. Therefore, we are committed to the continual growth of our congregation and to establishing new churches. Our goal is to ignite a movement of churches throughout the Delmarva Peninsula and to the ends of the earth that embrace our core values and beliefs. In doing so, we seek to obey the Great Commission (Matthew 28.16-20) by making disciples of all nations and teaching them to obey everything Jesus has commanded.

In our church, evangelism is not seen as just a particular ministry but as something that permeates everything we do. From the nurseries and the appearance of our building to our shepherding group ministry and the hospitality extended to newcomers, we aim to be outward-facing. Even in our corporate worship, we expect to be “overheard” by those who do not yet believe. Our goal is to be especially hospitable to outsiders, drawing them to faith in Christ. We seek to equip and motivate every member toward an evangelistic lifestyle, with the goal of bringing multitudes to faith in Jesus and teaching them to obey all He has commanded.

Additionally, Grace Church is committed to planting new churches that embrace our core values and beliefs. We serve as a launching site for new churches, providing practical training for church planters, and offering financial and people resources for church plants throughout the Delmarva Peninsula and beyond.

Finally, we support the global work of church planting, with a particular focus on church plants that aim to become church-planting churches themselves.

The gospel does not only transform our spiritual lives; it affects all areas of life. We see this in the life of Jesus, who not only proclaimed the forgiveness of sins but also healed the sick and fed the hungry. Jesus saw people as whole beings, and so do we. We embrace a holistic understanding of the gospel, seeking to minister to both the material and spiritual needs of people.

Our goal is to demonstrate that the gospel transforms neighborhoods through ministries of word, mercy, and justice. We aim to show that the gospel lifts the poor and reconciles races and classes. We seek to love and respect the poor as image-bearers of God. As Evangelical Christians, we feel a particular urgency for such ministry, as the Evangelical church has, for much of the 20th century, sacrificed the ministry of mercy in favor of separation from the “social gospel.” We reject this division and affirm that the gospel has deep social implications.

Furthermore, we believe the Kingdom of God should be felt in all areas of culture. We encourage Christians to work with excellence in their professions and to apply Christian values in all they do—whether in business, government, the military, the arts, or elsewhere. Our goal, as Paul wrote, is to “…take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10.5).