LAUP Core Values
Love for the poor: Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor”
Compassion and Servanthood: Mark 9:35 “Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, ‘Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all’”
Racial Reconciliation: Ephesians 2:14 “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility”
Identification and Incarnation with the Poor: John 1:14 “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us”
Simple Living: Matt. 6:21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”
Spiritual Warfare: Ephesians 6:12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms”
Community: Acts 2:42-47 “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved”
Spiritual Formation: Mark 1:35 “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed”
Partnership and Sustainability: Psalm 131:1 “My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me”. (Application: we are committed to not manufacturing our own attempts to love the poor temporarily, irresponsibly, or simply for students’ personal growth, but to come alongside those who are consistently invested in the urban poor, who will remain when we leave. We also work in partnership with churches and groups motivated to invest in our mission.)
Leadership Development: Luke 10:1-24 , The Sending out of the Seventy. (We seek to equip young leaders to minister to the urban poor, send them out, and then have them return to process what they are learning and grow as leaders.)
