FAA & FAITH
At First Aid Arts we have consistently communicated our identity as a “faith-valuing” organization. Our work in trauma recovery and mental health support necessitates a serious appreciation for the role that faith plays for both care receivers and care providers - each often finding their greatest source of resilience and motivation from their core beliefs.
Whether we consider ourselves “religious,” “not religious but spiritual,” or a pure “materialist,” none of us have an exhaustive understanding of the universe and are making assessments about reality that set the bearings for our operation in the world. This faith underpins and orients all of our personal decisions, values, and interpretations. Worldview, or faith, is akin to a set of glasses, or a scientific theory that we use to assess and make meaning of individual events and patterns of data. Whether individuals and organizations see themselves as “religious” or “secular” they are nonetheless operating by faith in important, fundamental ways.
FAA STATEMENT OF FAITH
What is a “statement of faith,” and what is its purpose? Definition of key terms will aid in clarity.
“Faith”: belief or trust, based on evidence, without exhaustive knowledge.
All people are non-omniscient and therefore have faith and operate according to a worldview, with fundamental unifying and explanatory theories.
A “worldview” necessarily provides important answers to questions regarding bedrock, objective reality. A worldview should address epistemology, origin, meaning, morality, and destiny. A worldview should pass the tests of internal coherence, and correspondence to empirical reality.
In order for an organization to be organized , healthy, and functional, its members must logically share core and necessary points of alignment in faith and worldview. In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, love.
The FAA Statement of Faith anchors and aligns our team, but our mission does not include promoting our beliefs to those we serve or engage in partnership. If a partner or service recipient explicitly requests to engage around matters of faith, we may choose to do so.
What is the faith and worldview of First Aid Arts? What are the essentials we affirm to be a healthy, productive, well-organized organization?
At First Aid Arts our shared conviction is that logic and empirical evidence convincingly point to the existence of a transcendent God who created the universe. We believe the transcendent creator God is the God of the Christian Bible.
We believe there is sufficiently compelling textual and archaeological evidence that Jesus of Nazareth is a historical person. His life and teachings split human history in half, making every person decide whether he is who he said he is - God - or a liar or lunatic. Based on the evidence, we believe he is who he said he is.
Just as Jesus regarded the holy Scriptures as God’s authoritative Word, we who follow him organize our lives under the authority of the Hebrew Bible, the teachings of Jesus, and the writings of the early Church, canonized under the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the Old and New Testaments of the Christian Bible.
The essential doctrines of the historic Christian faith, rooted in the authority of the Bible, lead us to affirm the following:
We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.
We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We believe in the deity and humanity of Christ, in His virgin birth, 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, in His present rule as Head of the Church and in His personal return in power and glory.
We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful men and women 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 barrenness of damnation.
We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, with equality across all individuals and people groups, regardless of race, culture, gender or class.
These essential doctrines comprise the Good News revealed by the life and teachings of Jesus, believed by those who walked with him, and taught by the historic Christian Church. It is important to make clear where First Aid Arts stands as an organization. Every individual team member has their own relationship with God and developing theology. It is normal for our understanding and convictions to change. Team members are not expected to champion each of these doctrines at all times, but substantial alignment and respect for these doctrines and the team members that hold them will be necessary for healthy alignment at First Aid Arts.
FAA MISSION IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW
NATURE OF THE WORLD : There is one objective, transcendent reality. We are all in relationship with reality in universal and personal ways. The tools of logic, reason, and science are universally relevant, and to be applied with love and wisdom.
FAA Application: We are evidence-based, and follow the scientific method. We love the truth and are not afraid to follow the evidence wherever it leads over the long haul. Our programs teach empirically-observed, evidence-based hard science regarding our biology as it relates to trauma and recovery.
NATURE OF MANKIND : Every human being is made in the Imago Dei (image of God), imbued with equal dignity. We see every person as worthy of support and capable of healing and growth. Made in the image of the Creator, every person is also creative. Imagination distinguishes humanity from the rest of the created order. It is core to our ability to survive and thrive.
FAA Application: Beauty is not merely pleasurable, nor is creativity just for fun. They are powerful tools for envisioning and then living a better future after pain, suffering, and trauma. If you can see it, you can walk toward it. If you can hear it, you can dance to it. Beauty brings comfort and hope. Creativity works the imaginative muscle that allows people to see and pursue life after trauma, and provides ways to cope with life’s ongoing challenges.
NATURE OF OUR PURPOSE : The chief objective of mankind is to enjoy and glorify God. We are to love God, neighbor, and self, as we steward ourselves, our lives, and the world. We are to love and serve our friends, strangers, and even our enemies. We are to create and cultivate beauty and order.
FAA Application: The center of our mission target is the least served and most in-need. In prioritizing our offering of services in this way, we fulfill our purpose of glorifying God by extending the blessings He has given us. We also fulfill Christ’s command to love and serve “the least of these” as though we are serving him. We proudly and eagerly serve all people. Research shows self-care for trauma-care providers is essential for sustainably and effectively loving your neighbor.