SALT will continually strive to live by these values – the DNA – that will shape us as God’s people. Based firmly on the commands of the New Testament Scriptures, these values will be the standard by which we will live in relationship with God and in unity with each other. Godly leaders will demonstrate these values as they shepherd a collective of churches for God’s glory. Below are the 5 founding values of SALT that we passionately pursue and guard.

1. DEVOTED WORSHIPERs

We want to be people who are devoted to a life of worship to God. We want to carve out time daily to be alone for prayer, Bible reading and meditation (chewing over). We make time to join with others to pray and study His Word. We regularly celebrate the Lord’s Supper (communion) and can’t stop thanking Him for His grace and mercy. These are not obligations we try to squeeze in, but are learning to develop cravings we can’t live without. We don’t require gifted communicators or musicians; we just love to worship Jesus even in the most basic settings. It is the Object of worship – Jesus – that makes worship exciting to us.

2. LOVING FAMILIES

The body of believers is supposed to be closer to us than our own families (Matthew 12:46, Luke 14:26). Jesus said that "Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." (John 13:35). He also prayed that his disciples would be in "perfect unity" so that the world may believe that the Father sent Jesus the Son (John 17:20-23).

We want to be people who love each other deeply and show this by serving one another sacrificially. We seek a bond that surpasses that of our natural families and is only possible because of our common fellowship with Jesus. We share our possessions and our lives with each other. We seek to obey all of the “one another” commands in Scripture. Christ wants us to be known for our love, and He claimed that our unity would cause others to believe in Him. Our goal is not merely to get along but to love each other deeply, regardless of our origin or life stories, to the extent that Christ loved us, and to be united to the extent that the Father is one with the Son. We particularly acknowledge the unique relationship between Tangata Whenua and Tangata Tiriti. See below: Commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Bi-cultural Partnership.

3. EQUIPPED DISCIPLE-MAKERS

We want all people to become trained for greater works of service. We believe that all believers are called to be disciple-makers. No one should come as a consumer, but all should come as servants. The Holy Spirit has given each of us a gift(s) that is/are to be used for building up the body. We want our leaders to teach us how to lead and help us develop in character through their modelling and teaching. Our goal is that each one of us becomes like Christ, and develops the ability to lead others to Him, make disciples, and plant churches.

4. SPIRIT-FILLED MISSIONARIES

We want to be people who increasingly display Christ’s character and are focused on sharing the gospel with friends, neighbours and co-workers. While this is a personal responsibility we will work together as a Loving Family, supporting each other in God’s mission. We want to be people who are not focused on survival or higher standards of living, but devoted to the mission of God. For some, this will mean going to foreign countries to share Christ with people groups where He has not been heard. For others, this means supporting those who have gone. For everyone, it means boldly and unashamedly sharing the gospel along life’s journey

5. SUFFERING SOJOURNERS

We want to be people who are eagerly waiting for the return of Christ. When we face trials we will, “be very glad – for these trials make you partners with Christ in His suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing His glory when it is revealed to all the world” (1 Peter 4:13). When you read the Scriptures it is undeniably clear that Christians are supposed to expect, lean into and embrace suffering with joy. This calling to willingly walk into suffering for the sake of the gospel is a call for all believers and not just for leaders or those serving in missions in persecuted areas of the world (Matthew 16:24; Matthew 10:21; 2 Timothy 1:8, 3:12; Philippians 1:29). Far from seeking comfort, we thrive on any hardship we get to endure for His Name. Our focus is not on what we can see, but on the unseen world. We refuse to become citizens on this earth. We live as aliens and strangers on the earth, waiting for a better city.

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Commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Bi-cultural Partnership

The Bible presents God’s relationship with people as a covenant relationship where people and a nation belong to God. He is their God and they are His people (Psalm 89:3, 28 & 34; Psalm 105:7-11). Central to the message of the Gospel is the New Covenant, which came into effect by the death of Jesus Christ. When Jesus surrendered his life on the cross to die for the sins of the world, this covenant was sealed with his blood. Any person who puts their faith in Christ and accepts forgiveness through His sacrifice for their sins enters into an everlasting covenantal relationship with God and His family (Luke 22:20).

Early missionaries played a key role in the writing of the English copy of the Treaty ordered by James Busby under the instruction of the British Crown who were influenced by Christian politicians in England who wanted to see the Maori of New Zealand being treated with dignity, respect and value. These same missionaries translated Te Tiriti o Waitangi from the English copy. The Covenant God by virtue of the involvement of His people, His missionary representatives, is integrally linked to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

As a result, God’s covenantal people have a strong responsibility to honour this Treaty or Covenant. We as a church intentionally acknowledge Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the bi-cultural partnership it establishes and stand together with Tangata Whenua of this area. As we uphold the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in this faith community we welcome all Tangata Whenua and Tangata Tiriti, regardless of cultural or ethnic origin, knowing that in Christ any and all divisions are removed in Christ our Lord and Saviour. This is affirmed in Scripture in Colossians 3:11 where we read, “In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilised, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.” (NLT).