General Standards for Our Christian Community
As a Christian community, Cafe 1040 exercises and expresses its Christian beliefs through the following standards.
Standards for Representatives
We believe that our representatives have been called to serve as a priesthood of all believers within our community:
As you come to Him, the living Stone – rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to Him – you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ… But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:4-5,9)
We further believe that all our representatives play equally important roles in exercising and expressing our beliefs as a community.
If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. (1 Corinthians 12:17-23)
In response to God’s calling on their lives, our representatives work together to advance our Christian mission of leading a generation to tell the story of Jesus where is has never been told. Cafe 1040 representatives are responsible for defining, cultivating, leading and/or representing our Christian community as an expression and exercise of our Christian beliefs. As such, each Cafe 1040 representative is an integral part of our community and plays a vital role in carrying out Cafe 1040’s Christian mission. Accordingly, we expect each representative to comply with the following obligations:
Christian Beliefs. All representatives shall affirm their agreement with the Cafe 1040 Statement of Faith and with the additional distinctive Christian beliefs of our community set forth in this Policy and in other policies adopted by the board of directors. Representatives shall not subscribe to or promote any religious beliefs inconsistent with such beliefs.
Christian Conduct Standards. All representatives shall at all times (both during working and nonworking hours) (i) model our Christian beliefs for others, (ii) perform all of their responsibilities as a service to God, and (iii) endeavor to comply with Biblical standards of conduct exercising or expressing our Christian beliefs, including Christian community standards adopted by the Cafe 1040 board of directors or management from time to time.
Distinctly Christian Activities. Each representative shall be ready, willing, and able to lead or contribute to distinctly Christian activities such as devotional worship, prayer services, and teaching on world missions.
Standards for Participants
Although our independent contractors, our ministry partners, the students/graduates in our mentorship and training programs, and other participants generally do not represent the Cafe 1040 Christian community, they do contribute to our community, to the experiences of other participants, and to the accomplishment of Cafe 1040’s mission. Accordingly, participants shall affirm their agreement with the Cafe 1040 Statement of Faith. Furthermore, participants are expected in the course of their participation in our community to respect the additional Christian beliefs held by Cafe 1040, support our mission, and abide by the Christian conduct standards applicable to them. We may give preference to participants, such as independent contractors, who share our Christian beliefs.
Standards for Community Activities
In furtherance of its mission, Cafe 1040 engages in activities for evangelism, mentorship, missions, training, worship, and other Christian purposes. We engage in such activities solely to exercise and express our Christian beliefs and to further our Christian mission or purposes. In furtherance of our purposes, we may provide services or goods to groups and persons who are not associated with Cafe 1040. But we may decline to engage in any activity if we determine that such activity either:
Expresses a message of support by Cafe 1040 for any view contrary to our Christian beliefs,
Is inconsistent with any applicable Christian community standards adopted by Cafe 1040 from time to time, or
Materially undermines our ability to accomplish our mission or act in furtherance of our purposes.
