Our Vision and Values
Our tagline ‘Ordinary people following the extraordinary Jesus together’ sums up who we are as a church and what we do (our core purpose).
Our set of values governs how we do the things we do.
We want everything we do as a church to be:
God-dependent because we are made in God’s image and created to live in relationship with God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) – so we are called to lives of prayer and faith
Bible-based because through the Bible, God reveals his character and plans to us, and speaks clearly to us about all of life and work, shaping us to be the people he wants us to be
mission-focused because Jesus has commissioned us with Good News and equipped us with his Spirit to be a transforming influence – in Shirley and Southampton, and to all nations
grace-filled because at the heart of the Good News is the undeserved immeasurable grace shown to us in Jesus – and so we want to show similar that grace to others
authentic community because Jesus calls us as his followers to be open and honest about our struggles, to share life together, and to speak into each others’ lives
We won’t always get it right! But when we live as a
God-dependent, Bible-based, mission-focused, grace-filled, authentic community, we will give Jesus the glory he alone deserves.
Our vision is that God is calling us to turn our church community inside out. Here are some examples of what it will mean to turn our church community inside out:
⦁ We’re called to do mission together: Jesus sent out people in pairs; Paul always took people with him; it was the community life of the first churches that made a profound impact on others. So we will establish ‘missional communities’, each with a particular focus (eg those affected by benefits cuts; those with learning disabilities; senior citizens; the environment) as they seek to build genuine relationships of love and service with people in our local area.
⦁ We’re to become all things to all people so that by all possible means we may save some (1 Corinthians 9.22). So we will explore spiritual issues in creative ways that will seem quite unlike traditional church services – but which are more effective in helping us to make disciples of Jesus Christ.
⦁ Jesus became flesh and blood and moved into the neighbourhood (John 1.14). Similarly, it will sometimes be more appropriate for us to meet in ‘secular’ spaces instead of behind closed doors or in ‘sacred’ spaces.
⦁ Discipleship involves serving God in all of life (Colossians 3.23), so we will further equip people for lives of everyday mission in our homes, workplaces and leisure-places.
Our set of values governs how we do the things we do.
We want everything we do as a church to be:
God-dependent because we are made in God’s image and created to live in relationship with God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) – so we are called to lives of prayer and faith
Bible-based because through the Bible, God reveals his character and plans to us, and speaks clearly to us about all of life and work, shaping us to be the people he wants us to be
mission-focused because Jesus has commissioned us with Good News and equipped us with his Spirit to be a transforming influence – in Shirley and Southampton, and to all nations
grace-filled because at the heart of the Good News is the undeserved immeasurable grace shown to us in Jesus – and so we want to show similar that grace to others
authentic community because Jesus calls us as his followers to be open and honest about our struggles, to share life together, and to speak into each others’ lives
We won’t always get it right! But when we live as a
God-dependent, Bible-based, mission-focused, grace-filled, authentic community, we will give Jesus the glory he alone deserves.
Our vision is that God is calling us to turn our church community inside out. Here are some examples of what it will mean to turn our church community inside out:
⦁ We’re called to do mission together: Jesus sent out people in pairs; Paul always took people with him; it was the community life of the first churches that made a profound impact on others. So we will establish ‘missional communities’, each with a particular focus (eg those affected by benefits cuts; those with learning disabilities; senior citizens; the environment) as they seek to build genuine relationships of love and service with people in our local area.
⦁ We’re to become all things to all people so that by all possible means we may save some (1 Corinthians 9.22). So we will explore spiritual issues in creative ways that will seem quite unlike traditional church services – but which are more effective in helping us to make disciples of Jesus Christ.
⦁ Jesus became flesh and blood and moved into the neighbourhood (John 1.14). Similarly, it will sometimes be more appropriate for us to meet in ‘secular’ spaces instead of behind closed doors or in ‘sacred’ spaces.
⦁ Discipleship involves serving God in all of life (Colossians 3.23), so we will further equip people for lives of everyday mission in our homes, workplaces and leisure-places.
Further information is available in our vision paper, updated in September 2016.