siGNPOSTS

In order to help you spiritually thrive in your soul, and follow Jesus for the sake of others, there are nine things we must value.  But instead of calling them values, we simply call them signposts, which exist to guide us toward our foresight. You could also see them as characteristics we must have to get there, or criteria to examine our effectiveness.

Also see the sub-sentences below that we call Plumb Lines. In construction, a plumb line is a string with a weight attached that helps the work stay centered and aligned. These Plumb Lines are short memorable sentences that help us create culture, drive mission, and get to our destination! You could think of these as value statements.

Christ alone is the power to change lives.

Christianity is not about religion! It's about resting in a relationship with the One who helps us reign in life! We believe that Christ alone is the power to change lives! As our 212 verse says, "...with him you were raised to new life because you trusted in the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead" (Colossians 2:12).

Healthy spirituality requires healthy habits.

We believe that following Jesus is the journey of healthier spirituality for our souls and others! We encourage our groups and members to create structure and space in their lives through their own personal "Rhythm of Life." This intentional plan makes our hearts open and available to God.  As our other 212 verse says, "May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:2).

In a family every soul matters.

Not only do we practice soul care at our church, but we also pursue the health and wellness of others! The greatest commandment tells us, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all of your strength." But the second greatest is this, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:36-40). An integral part of how we care for the souls of others is through community. Life groups are safe place where the masks can come off, where we enjoy life giving friendships and grow to follow Jesus.

Leadership is key to caring well.

If "In a family every soul matters," as our previous plumb line says, then it's equally important to emphasize that Leadership is key to caring well. 1 Peter 5:2 tells pastors to "Be shepherds of the flock" under their care. This is a foundational piece of what we do at our church. When we care well, we also equip and send well. At Church 212, intentional leadership is an essential factor in caring for souls and equipping them as partners with Jesus on his mission of mercy.

The divine life flows from the Living Word. 

We believe God's inspired Word is the supreme authority of our lives. At our church, we do a variety of sermon series: felt need, books of the Bible, doctrinal, and thematic to the season we are in. We are also passionate about helping you discover your own personal Bible reading plan. We do this because the divine life flows from the Living Word!

Spiritual living is constant companionship with God.

Spirit-filled living follows Bible-centred teaching on purpose. Learning to live in the Kingdom of God means learning to walk intimately with Jesus. Christianity has much to do with filling our minds with truth, but having that truth descend into our hearts is where real inner-life transformation happens. A move of the Holy Spirit is evidenced three ways in our lives: spiritual growth, spiritual power, and love. But, the ultimate goal of spiritual life is constant companionship with God.

True love has the backbone of justice. 

Alongside of soul care and we care culture,  we are to "seek the peace and prosperity of the city" (Jeremiah 29:7). A church may have a reputation for being loving, but true love has the backbone of justice. To experience peace in our communities, we must take our compassion and add justice. Seeking the common welfare of society is an important element to being image bearers and Christ followers. 

Discipleship is the path to Christlikeness.

Jesus has given the church one mission, "Go make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19). Because of this central message, our ninth signpost is "Engagement in the Great Commission." The simple reality is that Jesus calls his followers to partner with him, and thereby engage in his mission. We believe that the Great Commission is the process of growing in the image of Christ and helping others do same. That's why our plumb line for this signpost is the following: Discipleship is the path to Christlikeness. 

The gospel must connect where the people are.

We live in unprecedented times as a church. How do we lead forward in this new digital age? The amount of spiritual content Christians consume is a drop of water compared to the oceans of digital content we consume daily (credit to David Kinnaman). This is the world we live in and we must learn how to live here. How can digital management be a tool for our own growth and the spread of the gospel? That's what this signpost is all about.