Norman Community Church’s mission statement comes directly from Jesus’ words in Mark 11:17, where He says, “My house will be a house of prayer for all nations.” This seems to us the clearest expression of what Jesus thought the church should look like.

This passage of scripture has three key words: "House", "Prayer", and "Nations". Each word is filled with a depth of meaning but also reveals a certain dimension or direction that a faithful disciple will exhibit. These directions or dimensions are UP, IN, and OUT.

House (IN)

This implies a spiritual family. In other passages of scripture, God’s people are referred to as a body or an army, but Jesus’ clearest expression of the gathered people is to call the church His “house.” A house is where a family lives. This is a place where we most deeply receive and embrace others. This is a place where we are known and loved for who we are, and where we can take off our masks or false pretenses. God longs to give Himself in committed relationship with people and there is no clearer expression of that then calling His people a “house”.

The scriptural foundation for this dimension of our life together is in John 15:12. “Love one another just like I have loved you”. Jesus expects our love and commitment to one another to reflect something of the very likeness and manner in which He has first loved us.

Jesus stated that, “My mother and brothers are those that hear the word of God and put it into practice.” Jesus was telling us who He commits himself to – those who hear his words and put them into practice. We are to follow his example and commit our lives to one another as we commit to putting Jesus’ words of loving one another into practice in our lives.

Prayer (UP)

This signifies Jesus’ expectations for the atmosphere and fuel of the spiritual family of God. He desires a people of prayer. A spiritual family that would pray early, pray late, pray without ceasing, pray in times of blessing and pray in times of difficulty and crisis. The defining characteristic of these people would be prayer. One overriding responsibility of the followers of Jesus is to cultivate a continuous atmosphere of prayer in our individual lives and our corporate expression of life together.

We want to model our prayer life after our teacher and master, Jesus. Just as He often slipped away early in the morning to pray (Mark 1:35), we believe each individual should take responsibility to maintain a “flowing heart” like Jesus described in John 7:37-39, “if anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” This “flowing heart” is characterized by an inward resonance of the presence of Jesus during our day. It is something that must be quietly cultivated by protecting intimate, consistent time alone with Jesus.

Each individual should also find ways to gather with their House Church family and pray together. In Luke 18:1-6, Jesus tells a parable for the express purpose of showing the disciples “that they should pray and not give up.” Jesus ends the parable with the statement “when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” While He is speaking of His second coming, Jesus clearly links one of the manifestations of faith as praying and not giving up. In these words of Jesus he defines “faith” as persevering prayer.

Prayer is literally an expression of our level of dependence on God - both individually and corporately. We are actually depending upon God in direct proportion to our level of prayer.

Nations (OUT)

This is Jesus’ aim. The story of human history is a romance and God is at the center drawing a people to Himself from every tribe, tongue, and nation to purify and fill with His love so they may be brought into a place of nearness to his heart forever. It’s out of this fiery love that we speak and interact with those in our worlds who don’t know Jesus and we offer His love and grace and invite them into relationship with Jesus.

We pursue and welcome in those outside the kingdom. Jesus says in Luke 16:9 that He came to earth for this purpose: “to search and rescue that which was lost”. In John 12:26 Jesus declares that “whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant will be also…” If Jesus is seeking and saving those who have lost their way and we are His servants, then Jesus expects us to join Him in that pursuit. Seeking, alongside Jesus, those who are lost is as much of a part of being a disciple as loving the church well and prayer.