Our Purpose:

We exist to Glorify God and IMPACT our community and the world.

·     I =    IMITATING Christ
·     M =   MEETING needs (Ministry)
·     P =    PROCLAIMING the Good News (Evangelism)
·     A =    ASSIMILATING people into the church (Fellowship)
·     C =    CELEBRATING God (Worship)
·     T =    TEACHING  the Word of God (Discipleship)

We base our purposes on these 2 key scriptures.
 
·       The Great Commandment:  “Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart – soul & mind.'  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Mt. 22:37-40
 
·       The Great Commission:  “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Mt. 28:19-20
 
FROM THESE PASSAGES WE DISCOVER THAT OUR PURPOSES ARE THE FOLLOWING:
 
1.     To love God with all of our heart is WORSHIP
2.     To love our neighbor as ourself is MINISTRY
3.     To go and make disciples is EVANGELISM
4.     To teach others is DISCIPLESHIP
5.     To baptize is FELLOWSHIP
 

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Our Values:

WE VALUE GROWTH.     Acts 2:47

We recognize that Heart of the Springs Church is a living organism and the state of its health is determined by growth in three levels:

·       Internal – Equipping members

·       Expansion – Enlisting new members

·       Extension – Establishing new churches

WE VALUE SERVANT LEADERSHIP.     Matthew 20:28

We recognize that Jesus Himself set the standard for self-sacrificing servant leadership and that He commanded those of us who would be His disciples to follow His example.

WE VALUE INNOVATION.     1 Corinthians 9:19-22

We recognize that while the message is timeless and unchanging, our methods must be evaluated and adapted to the people and the culture that we are trying to reach.

WE VALUE PEOPLE.     Acts 17:27

We recognize that people cannot be expected to live like believers until they are believers. We must meet them where they are so that we can show them where God is.

WE VALUE RELEVANCE.     Matthew 7:24-25

We recognize that many people believe that the Bible’s message is outdated and does not address the practical issues of life in the modern world. Therefore, we must make every effort to present God’s truth in a way that is pertinent and applicable.

WE VALUE FAMILY.     Ephesians 2:19

We recognize that all believers everywhere make up the universal church family and that all believers that unite with this congregation make up the Heart of the Springs Church family. It is critically important that we are united in purpose and committed to serve, support, encourage, and hold each other accountable as loving family members.

WE VALUE FELLOWSHIP.     Acts 2:42

We recognize that God expects us to take time to develop personal relationships. He expects us to become involved in each other’s lives, to recognize needs, and to seek to meet those needs both spiritual and practical. Cultivating Biblical fellowship is just as critical as any other purpose of the church.

WE VALUE ENCOURAGEMENT.     1 Thessalonians 5:11

We recognize that living out our Christian beliefs is incredibly challenging. In fact it would be virtually impossible if we tried to accomplish it on our own. We must have the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit and the positive reinforcement that only fellow believers can give.

WE VALUE GIFTEDNESS.     1 Peter 4:10

We recognize that God has gifted every believer and that He expects each of us to use our gift(s) to serve Him and each other. Until we have discovered our areas of giftedness and begun to develop them through service we can never reach our potential in Christ as individuals or collectively as a Church.

 WE VALUE COMMITMENT.     Hebrews 12:1-3

We recognize that in many ways our society has lost touch with the true meaning of commitment. We also understand, however, that as believers we are expected to persevere in three critical areas:

·       Our commitment to Christ

·       Our commitment to the Body of Christ

·       Our commitment to the Work of Christ