Village Church is launching in about ten weeks. It is amazing to think about what God has done in less than a year. Bringing people from all ages and all walks of life together around the vision of Village Church.
Since the beginning we have said that strategically we are not going to be a church that does tries to do everything because a new church which tries to do everything well, does nothing well. There are not enough people, leaders, or resources for a church plant to do everything well. So, we are not going to try. We are instead going to do our best to bring honor to God by a few things to start and to do those things with excellence.
1. Teaching Ministry
The ministry of teaching/preaching is, we believe, central to the life of the church. When the early church gathered one of their priorities was being taught the Bible (Acts 2.42). This is because being a disciple of Jesus is about being a "learner" (disciple means learner) of Jesus, which means we must be learners of Scripture, the book which is all about Jesus. This means we will unashamedly gather around the Bible every week to learn about what it looks like to love and follow Jesus in the twenty-first century.
In order to cultivate an environment of discussion and dialogue there will also be Q and A at Village Church, where you will have opportunity to ask any question you want, either on a microphone or through text messaging.
Village Church also has a Pastor (the only paid leader of Village Church) who is gifted in teaching and preaching the Bible in a challenging and relevant way, and who loves to interact with people around their questions about God, the Bible, and the cultural relevance of Christianity.
2. Worship Ministry
Worshiping God is also central to discipleship of Jesus. This is done with our whole lives, not with just singing. But singing to and about God (Acts 2.47; Eph. 5.19), reading Scripture, and expressing our love and service to Jesus through artistic mediums (original films, music etc.,) are tangible ways worship can be experiences when the corporate body of Jesus gathers.
Because this was a priority for the early church, like teaching/preaching, it is for us as well. Village Church has been blessed with some musically gifted people and a great worship leader. His desire is to serve those who gather by cultivating an atmosphere of worship each Sunday morning. Helping us focus on Jesus, in order to grow closer to Him in all things. By His grace God has gifted us with a great facility (Rosemary Heights Elementary School), and we are going to work to turn it into an fun, energetic, welcoming environment for everyone who comes and that it will help accomplish the mission of seeing lives transformed to become fully devoted followers of Jesus.
1. Teaching Ministry
The ministry of teaching/preaching is, we believe, central to the life of the church. When the early church gathered one of their priorities was being taught the Bible (Acts 2.42). This is because being a disciple of Jesus is about being a "learner" (disciple means learner) of Jesus, which means we must be learners of Scripture, the book which is all about Jesus. This means we will unashamedly gather around the Bible every week to learn about what it looks like to love and follow Jesus in the twenty-first century.
In order to cultivate an environment of discussion and dialogue there will also be Q and A at Village Church, where you will have opportunity to ask any question you want, either on a microphone or through text messaging.
Village Church also has a Pastor (the only paid leader of Village Church) who is gifted in teaching and preaching the Bible in a challenging and relevant way, and who loves to interact with people around their questions about God, the Bible, and the cultural relevance of Christianity.
2. Worship Ministry
Worshiping God is also central to discipleship of Jesus. This is done with our whole lives, not with just singing. But singing to and about God (Acts 2.47; Eph. 5.19), reading Scripture, and expressing our love and service to Jesus through artistic mediums (original films, music etc.,) are tangible ways worship can be experiences when the corporate body of Jesus gathers.
Because this was a priority for the early church, like teaching/preaching, it is for us as well. Village Church has been blessed with some musically gifted people and a great worship leader. His desire is to serve those who gather by cultivating an atmosphere of worship each Sunday morning. Helping us focus on Jesus, in order to grow closer to Him in all things. By His grace God has gifted us with a great facility (Rosemary Heights Elementary School), and we are going to work to turn it into an fun, energetic, welcoming environment for everyone who comes and that it will help accomplish the mission of seeing lives transformed to become fully devoted followers of Jesus.
3. Children's Ministry (Village Kids) / Youth Ministry
South Surrey and the surrounding districts are full of young families. God has gifted us with two great Children's Ministry leaders. Both of them are qualified ECE educators, and directors of two separate daycare's in the GVA. Most importantly though they have a passion for both Jesus and kids. Their top priority is teaching kids about Jesus in a fun and safe environment. Rosemary Heights is a great school for the Children's Ministry of Village Church (called "Village Kids"), with lots of room, both indoor and outdoor, to play, learn and build relationships with other the kids.
What's amazing about the team God has brought together is that we also have men and women who are dedicated to seeing families flourish, and who are available to come alongside parents (together, single or otherwise) who have questions, struggles, and everyday pressures of raising a family, who are able to help carry the burden, as the apostle Paul instructs us to. We think this capacity to reach out and help young families in practical and tangible ways is going to be one way Village Church serves the community of South Surrey from the beginning.
As part of this as well we have a Youth Ministry led by a great youth minister (Jordan) who has a passion to see young people transformed to become fully devoted followers of Jesus. The Youth Ministry will likely begin with opportunities to connect relationally monthly, and a Community Group which gathers weekly to study, pray and encourage one another.
4. Community Groups
Jesus instructs His followers to love one another. One way we intend on cultivating a community of love is through what we call Community Groups. These are smaller groups (say of 10-20 people) who meet in houses, apartments, and condo's, to study,pray and support one another. This is where more intimate, authentic relationships are built and sustained. Where real community is cultivated.
These groups will give the opportunity for individuals to be shepherded, loved and guided by one another. When people are in hospital for instance, or struggling with relational issues, or any number of other things, these are the people who will help care for one another in an intimate and deliberate way. This kind of relational connectivity is one of the most unique things about Jesus' church, and we hope to establish these communities as very hospitable, and welcoming groups from the beginning.
Jesus instructs His followers to love one another. One way we intend on cultivating a community of love is through what we call Community Groups. These are smaller groups (say of 10-20 people) who meet in houses, apartments, and condo's, to study,pray and support one another. This is where more intimate, authentic relationships are built and sustained. Where real community is cultivated.
These groups will give the opportunity for individuals to be shepherded, loved and guided by one another. When people are in hospital for instance, or struggling with relational issues, or any number of other things, these are the people who will help care for one another in an intimate and deliberate way. This kind of relational connectivity is one of the most unique things about Jesus' church, and we hope to establish these communities as very hospitable, and welcoming groups from the beginning.
5. Missional
The last thing to mention here is not really a ministry but an attitude, a DNA, which shapes every ministry of Village Church, and that is being missional. What we mean by this is that Village Church desires to reach people who do not yet know Jesus, and that the primary way we see this happening is that the peo
ple who make up the church, must be like Jesus in that they spend time with non-Christians to love, serve and tell them about Him. This is captured well by Ed Stetzer when he says "A missional church is not succesul by its dynamic leaders but by its dynamic members." To work and walk together, create and play together, debate and eat together, all to the glory of God.
This means that we want to be a church that lives to for the good of people and the good of the city. That serves the people of Surrey by being engaged and involved in the life of the city and its six districts. Surrey is a diverse city. The second largest in B.C. It needs missional churches to reach out and be involved in gospel-centered renewal of city-life. This is part of the long-term vision of Village Church. It must begin small though (focused on the Southern Surrey districts) and then as God leads us we will begin doing more and more to bless the city: planting churches, helping resource ministries, getting involved in community projects, etc.,. This missional DNA is adopted from our mother church, South Delta Baptist Church with its focus on church planting.
This means that we want to be a church that lives to for the good of people and the good of the city. That serves the people of Surrey by being engaged and involved in the life of the city and its six districts. Surrey is a diverse city. The second largest in B.C. It needs missional churches to reach out and be involved in gospel-centered renewal of city-life. This is part of the long-term vision of Village Church. It must begin small though (focused on the Southern Surrey districts) and then as God leads us we will begin doing more and more to bless the city: planting churches, helping resource ministries, getting involved in community projects, etc.,. This missional DNA is adopted from our mother church, South Delta Baptist Church with its focus on church planting.
In past generations the desire to reach people for Jesus has led some churches to abandon the gospel, and others to water it down. It led some to focus only on preaching and others only on works of good deeds. For us, neither of these routes is faithful to God, nor ultimately successful in transforming people into fully devoted followers of Jesus. What is needed is a group of real and authentic people, living missional, gospel-centered lives, clearly pointing people to Jesus in both their words and their deeds. Speaking the gospel and embodying it in their actions as they seek to renew both individuals and the cities in which they live.
We want to call people to nothing less than this.
