mission statement
MINISTRY DISTINCTIVES
ROCKPOINT SANDBOX
MISSION (Sandbox side 1)
We exist to guide people into a life changing and growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES (Sandbox side 2)
Biblically based and Spirit empowered
The Scriptures are the word of God and the guide for our lives. We neither add to nor detract from His word in our teaching. The Spirit of God gives us the empowerment needed for living lives that are pleasing to God. It is the dual ministry of the Word and Spirit that gives us the ability to follow Jesus and bring spiritual transformation to our lives.
Humble Dependence
We recognize that we can do nothing of lasting spiritual impact without the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, apart from me you can do nothing of eternal significance, but if we remain in Him we will bear much fruit (John 15:5). We are therefore committed to humble dependence on God in each of our ministries through concerted prayer, staying close to Christ and recognizing that all we do is for Him.
Gospel Centered
The heart of the gospel is that Jesus came to die for our sins, redeem us, transform us into His image, and give us eternal life. All of our ministries are designed to help people experience the joy of becoming one of God's children, experience the daily presence of Christ and follow Him more closely. We are committed to seeing authentic life transformation through the Holy Spirit who empowers us to live out the gospel in service to Christ rather than conformity to our world.
Grace Filled
We are a community that practices the example of Jesus in showing grace to one another and to those who do not know Jesus. This includes forgiving one another when an offense has been committed, avoiding legalism in all of its forms, loving one another unconditionally and honoring individual choices in areas where Scripture is silent. We are committed to treating one another with love and respect and to follow the Biblical guidelines for conflict resolution.
Inclusive
All people matter to God and are of equal value in His sight. We welcome all who desire to find and follow Christ. We are committed to ministries that meet the needs of all generations and to go out of our way, like Jesus, to love and minister to those who are hurting, needy or marginalized by society.
Community and World Focused
We have a deep commitment to bring the good news of Christ to our community and world through evangelism and ministries of compassion. We are committed to showing the love of Christ by meeting needs within our community. Rockpoint is outward looking in its focus and desires to be a voice of hope and help to those around us. Ministries of compassion are close to the heart of God and a priority for Rockpoint.
Leadership
We believe that God designed the church to be led by a leadership board of Godly individuals who will ensure the spiritual health, ministry direction and intentionality of the staff and congregation. We are committed to strong leadership, working in team toward this end. We believe that healthy team ministry at all levels, working under the leadership board will directly impact the effectiveness of our ministries.
CENTRAL MINISTRY FOCUS (Sandbox side 3)
The central ministry focus of Rockpoint is to encourage and facilitate everyone to actively use their abilities, skills and spiritual gifts in service to Christ and the advancement of His gospel. (Ephesians 4:11-16)
CULTURE (Sandbox side 4)
We are committed to a culture of spiritual vitality at Rockpoint Church. This means that our lives should be characterized by the following priorities that flow from the love of God and that define one who is following Christ closely.
Grace
God's grace in our lives is undeserved and cannot be earned. It is a free gift from a loving God who has redeemed us. We accept His grace with thanksgiving, live in His grace through the power of the Holy Spirit and share that grace with others through loving relationships, acts of service and the concern of Christ toward others.
Growth
The Christian life is one of ongoing growth into the Character of Christ. We are committed to a culture that facilitates real life change rather than settling for a mere intellectual faith. We believe that keys to life change include the practice of prayer, time in the word and fellowship with others as well as a commitment to personal obedience to Christ.
Gifts
Our lives are incomplete unless we are actively using our gifts and talents to serve others and advance the cause of Christ. We strongly encourage every believer to be actively involved in ministry in line with their gifting on a regular basis in the church and in our sphere of influence. We will only be fully healthy as a congregation when all are using their varied gifts which together complement and complete one another.
Generosity
Just as Christ freely gave his life for us, He calls us to generously share what God has entrusted to us for the advancement of His gospel. We take seriously the words of Jesus, Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:21). We are called to be a people who are stewards of God's resources who freely give back to Christ a portion of what He has given us and to care for the needs of others in the body.
Gathering
The Scriptures tell us that we are to live in community with others within our church: To love one another, care for one another, carry one another's burdens and encourage one another. We were not designed to live in isolation but to grow, live and minister in a loving, caring community.