Lifestyle Expectations

Accountability
We participate in witnessing to the good news from God in Jesus Christ. We serve on behalf of Mennonite Church Canada and Mennonite Church US through the agency and program in which we work. We commit ourselves to live in accordance with the way of Jesus and to reflect Christ-like standards in our personal and professional conduct.

Spiritual Disciplines
We desire to be shaped and led by God's Spirit and to cultivate the spiritual disciplines that nurture the fruits of the Spirit, seeking to be loving, joyful, peaceful, kind, generous, gentle, and disciplined. As individuals and together with our coworkers we are committed to transformation and growth, forgiveness and reconciliation in Jesus Christ.

Living in Community
We affirm that discipleship to Christ is best lived out in Christian community. We are committed to nurturing trust, and to maintaining and restoring right relationships in the communities within which we live and serve. We will demonstrate mutual respect and integrity in sharing leadership, and in fulfilling our responsibilities. We will celebrate diversity of personal backgrounds and nurture acceptance in our Christian community.

Relating to Church and Culture
We will participate actively in local gatherings of the Christian community. We will show respect and regard for the moral, social and religious values of our coworkers, fellow believers, host communities, and differing cultural contexts.

Personal Witness
We commit ourselves to care for others and to witness actively against racism, violence, promiscuity, all forms of abuse and other destructive attitudes and behavior. We will work actively to live in accordance with principles of sound ecology, good health, just distribution and wise stewardship. We will conduct ourselves in ways and settings which will not harm our witness, our service, or our personal health. We are committed to reserve sexual intimacy for the marriage covenant. We strive to be people of integrity, free from lies, manipulation and deceit, faithful in keeping promises and trustworthy in managing resources.

Openness to Admonition and Reconciliation
When we fail to live in accordance with these commitments, we will be honest about our actions and motives and will accept responsibility for them. We will seek forgiveness, communicate our desire for restoration, and be open to the redemptive intention of our coworkers. We will move toward reconciliation and renewal by taking steps to set things right and rebuild broken trust.

Commitment to Assignment
We will both serve and learn, ready to have our lives broadened as we open ourselves to explore new insights for Christian growth and service. We will identify with the objectives of our assignment and will use our vocational skills and spiritual gifts to accomplish them.

These Lifestyle Expectations are based on the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective. A summary statement of the Confession can be found at MennoLink.org.