Statement of Faith, Core Values, and Commentary
Statement of Faith
We believe the Bible, consisting of all the books of the Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired, only infallible, authoritative Word of God. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are without error or misstatement in their moral and spiritual teaching and record of historical facts. They are without error or defect of any kind.
We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in his virgin birth, in his eternal, personal pre-existence, in his sinless life, in his miracles, in his vicarious and atoning death through his shed blood, in his bodily resurrection, in his ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in his personal return in power and glory.
We believe that, for the salvation of lost and sinful men, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.
We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Core Values
Core Value #1 - We value healthy, God-honoring relationships. We strive to promptly resolve personal conflicts while promoting a culture that embraces diversity of opinion and rewards helpful, open communication.
"By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35, NIV)
Core Value #2 - We value a passion for work that produces eternal value. We strive to offer products and services that meet real needs of our customers, laying up treasures in heaven.
"But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:20-21, NIV).
Core Value #3 - We value innovation and creativity, and welcome the necessary ambiguity that follows. We strive to press on toward the high calling of Christ Jesus, embracing the purposeful, continuous change this requires.
"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:18, NIV).
Core Value #4 We value individual and team accountability. We strive to build up one another, holding each other to the highest levels of integrity, honesty, fairness, and service.
"For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory" (1 Thessalonians 2:11-12, NIV).
Core Value #5 - We value the uniqueness of every person in our organization. We strive to maximize one another’s effectiveness by putting the interests of others before our own. We honor the commitment, diligence, and skill we see in others.
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others" (Philippians 2:3-4, NIV).
Core Value #6 - We value life balance. We strive to help one another maintain healthy commitments to family, ministry, and work. We seek to create a work environment where these commitments are encouraged and enabled.
"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever" (1 Corinthians 9:24-25, NIV).
Commentary
Our Statement of Faith and Core Values guide and inform our work at ECCU. The inspired, infallible and authoritative Word of God is our true north. We look to the Bible for the inspiration and guidance in all we do. From our waking to our sleeping, we seek to be obedient to God’s Word. But, as James cautions, we are to be “doers of the word, and not hearers only.” We “do” God’s word by serving God’s church. We serve God’s church by helping those who shepherd churches, ministries, missionaries, and Christian schools to be wise stewards of the wealth God has given.
One of our core values is “Work that produces eternal value.” Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5, NASB). We acknowledge that the source of our strength, wisdom, and power to accomplish anything that matters for the Lord comes only from him. We do not work for ourselves alone. We do not work for our credit union, or for our members, alone. We work for Christ and for his kingdom. We know that no work of our own can save us. Salvation comes as a free gift of God’s grace through the work of Christ on the cross for all who believe. But we who are grafted to the vine will bear fruit. Two of the fruits we bear are the safekeeping of ministry dollars and the funds management for ministries. We help Christian ministries pool their financial resources so that the excess of one might fill the need of another just as Paul taught the Christians in Corinth:
For this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality—at this present time your abundance being a supply for their need, so that their abundance also may become a supply for your need, that there may be equality; as it is written, "HE WHO gathered MUCH DID NOT HAVE TOO MUCH, AND HE WHO gathered LITTLE HAD NO LACK (2 Corinthians 8:13-15, NASB).
Another of our core values is “Healthy, God-honoring relationships.” Jesus prays for his followers “...that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us..." (John 17:20 – 21a, NASB). The unity of church flows from the unity of the trinity, as revealed through God the Father, Jesus Christ our Savior, and his Spirit, who indwells every believer. We strive to model this life in community through our work. Through our banking services, ECCU is joined with thousands of Christian workers in over 100 countries around the world. Oceans and borders stand between us, but we are one in Christ.
“Jesus said..., ‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.’” (John 11:25-26a, NASB). We await the return of Christ. Therefore, none of our work is for this world alone. With the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit, we help build the Kingdom. We assist schools that will form children in faith. We bring financial services to churches and ministries that will bring many to salvation. We support missionaries who carry the message of salvation through Christ to every nation and people. When Christ comes again in glory, we will lay all our works before him as an offering of praise.