At Orchard, we lead with our values. Our values are not simply words, they frame the structure for everything that we say and do. We have six guiding principles that help to run our ministry in a way the honors God and serves our Partners more effectively.   

We begin with Jesus is the Center. Orchard wants to see a world where everyone is shining their God-given light in our dark world. But before we can love our neighbors well, we must love the Lord our God with all of our heart, our soul, our strength, and our mind. When you see these two commands in Scripture, you see that one cannot stand without the other: “One of them, an expert in the law, tested Him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:36-30). Jesus informed this lawyer, which helps us understand even today, that in order to love our neighbors well, we have to keep Jesus the center of our motivation. 

There will always be things that distract us from loving God fully. We see that we can all easily move away from this Center without even realizing it. Therefore, we have to keep a few key disciplines on our radar at all times. At Orchard, we do this by focusing on the following: serving others, praying consistently, keeping the Bible as our framework, and we look to embrace our community as a gift from God. When we look at the life of Jesus, these are principles we see at play, and therefore, we emulate these as our values for keeping Christ central.  

So when you serve in the world around you, you have to ask yourself, Well what motivates me? For every action and decision we make, there is an internal motivation that drives what we do as human beings. We eat well and exercise to stay fit and healthy. We save money to spend wisely on things we enjoy. We attend church or Bible study to grow in our understanding of God’s Word alongside others. All of our choices are driven by something internal. When Jesus is kept at the center of these lifestyle choices, in the way we communicate in our relationships, and in the work we are blessed enough to get to do, God receives the most glory and honor.  

We are all prone to wander away from the Center. When you serve others, what is the real internal driver of your actions? Only YOU can ask yourself this question because it’s possible that there are things driving you, that are not holy things. 

Glorifying Jesus Christ is the main goal. Every aspect of Orchard ultimately exists to serve others and introduce them personally to Jesus. As ministry leaders ourselves, our goal is to stand as an example to our Partners and we cannot do this well without focusing our own hearts, souls, minds and strength on keeping Jesus the Center.