What are we doing?
In the next five years, we will pursue spiritual formation so that we will become Good Samaritans to the families in our community, internalizing the gospel to serve our neighborhoods. We will take thousands of people on a journey of a lifetime. This adventure is biblically fueled and missionally focused as we relentlessly pursue God’s dream for our church – to become Good Samaritans to the families in our community.
We picture platoons of people putting on the full armor of God so they are equipped to be messengers of mercy. As our discipleship grows we will see neighborhoods turned upside down by the unexplainable kindness of our members.
Motivated by the compassion of the Good Samaritan and inspired by the Good Shepherd’s own words “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat” (Matt 25:35) and recognizing the call of Scripture to “train up a child in the way he should go” we intend to be difference makers in our community through two key areas of focus: ending hunger for children in our local schools and arming parents with biblical wisdom so they can navigate the rough seas of daily living.
Our sense of urgency is stirred because hunger extends its toxic tentacles more each year in the Goose Creek area. Research shows that hunger is one of the primary reasons children perform poorly in school. This year an average of 67% of local elementary students receive free or reduced meals. Our sense of urgency for families’ spiritual lives results from the drastically different way their children view and engage the world.
We see families, their lives parched by our muddled culture, guzzling living water. We see marriages welded together and Moms and Dads unlocking the secrets to being godly parents to a spiritually disaffected generation. We picture schools of teenagers adrift without Christ being thrown the life jacket of Hope. We envision the hunger quotient in our schools diminish as 300 undernourished children laugh while relishing their weekend meals.
We imagine this as God’s dream for our church. As hundreds of us renovate our lives through discipleship, we fulfill God’s call to be Good Samaritans, internalizing the good news of the gospel by loving God and others in practical, life-giving ways and transforming our community in the process.
In the next five years, we will pursue spiritual formation so that we will become Good Samaritans to the families in our community, internalizing the gospel to serve our neighborhoods. We will take thousands of people on a journey of a lifetime. This adventure is biblically fueled and missionally focused as we relentlessly pursue God’s dream for our church – to become Good Samaritans to the families in our community.
We picture platoons of people putting on the full armor of God so they are equipped to be messengers of mercy. As our discipleship grows we will see neighborhoods turned upside down by the unexplainable kindness of our members.
Motivated by the compassion of the Good Samaritan and inspired by the Good Shepherd’s own words “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat” (Matt 25:35) and recognizing the call of Scripture to “train up a child in the way he should go” we intend to be difference makers in our community through two key areas of focus: ending hunger for children in our local schools and arming parents with biblical wisdom so they can navigate the rough seas of daily living.
Our sense of urgency is stirred because hunger extends its toxic tentacles more each year in the Goose Creek area. Research shows that hunger is one of the primary reasons children perform poorly in school. This year an average of 67% of local elementary students receive free or reduced meals. Our sense of urgency for families’ spiritual lives results from the drastically different way their children view and engage the world.
We see families, their lives parched by our muddled culture, guzzling living water. We see marriages welded together and Moms and Dads unlocking the secrets to being godly parents to a spiritually disaffected generation. We picture schools of teenagers adrift without Christ being thrown the life jacket of Hope. We envision the hunger quotient in our schools diminish as 300 undernourished children laugh while relishing their weekend meals.
We imagine this as God’s dream for our church. As hundreds of us renovate our lives through discipleship, we fulfill God’s call to be Good Samaritans, internalizing the good news of the gospel by loving God and others in practical, life-giving ways and transforming our community in the process.
Helping people become good Samaritans
Why are we doing it?
Why choose the term Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) to describe our vision and personify our people? Because the Good Samaritan internalized the gospel message by fulfilling the great commandment (to love God and love others as yourself) and the great commission (go into the world - without regard to time, money or resources and show the love of God to strangers, even our enemies). The Good Samaritan provided medical care, food, clothes and shelter. This term seemed to capture the two primary groups of people in our community: families with children and families in need. Both need to hear the gospel applied in relevant ways. For some that is providing physical needs, for others it may focus on spiritual and/or emotional needs.
We believe that values drive our decisions and decisions shape our lives! Underneath our mission to internalize the gospel to serve our neighbors, Peace Church’s core values shape our church and provide a framework by which all its ministries operate. They explain why we do what we do.
1. We believe that the Bible is true and that its teaching is the catalyst for life change in a person’s life and in the church. (Romans 12:7, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, James 1:23-25; Hebrews 4:12; Acts 2:42, 20:32)
2. We believe that lost people matter to God, and therefore they ought to matter to the church. (Luke 5:30-32; Luke 15, Mathew 18:14).
3. We believe poor people matter to God, and therefore they ought to matter to the church. (Psalm 140:12; 35:10; 82:3; Proverbs 14:31; 21:13; 22:22-23)
4. We believe that the church should be culturally relevant while remaining doctrinally pure. (1 Corinthians 3:1-3)
5. We believe that followers of Christ should be authentic and strive for continuous spiritual growth. Further, we believe this is normal for every believer. (Matthew 26:38; Ephesians 4:25-26 & 32; Philippians 1:6; Romans 8:29; Hebrews 12:1; 1 Corinthians 3:1-3)
6. We believe that the church should operate as a unified community of servants stewarding their spiritual gifts. (Romans 12, Ephesians 4; John 13; Philippians 2; 1 Corinthians 12 & 14)
7. We believe that loving relationships should permeate every aspect of church life. Therefore, we believe the church should be an emotionally healthy, caring, supportive place. Here, we believe that laughter, fun and flexibility are essential to good health. (1 Corinthians 13; Nehemiah 3; Luke 10:1; John 12:34-35)
Why choose the term Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) to describe our vision and personify our people? Because the Good Samaritan internalized the gospel message by fulfilling the great commandment (to love God and love others as yourself) and the great commission (go into the world - without regard to time, money or resources and show the love of God to strangers, even our enemies). The Good Samaritan provided medical care, food, clothes and shelter. This term seemed to capture the two primary groups of people in our community: families with children and families in need. Both need to hear the gospel applied in relevant ways. For some that is providing physical needs, for others it may focus on spiritual and/or emotional needs.
We believe that values drive our decisions and decisions shape our lives! Underneath our mission to internalize the gospel to serve our neighbors, Peace Church’s core values shape our church and provide a framework by which all its ministries operate. They explain why we do what we do.
1. We believe that the Bible is true and that its teaching is the catalyst for life change in a person’s life and in the church. (Romans 12:7, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, James 1:23-25; Hebrews 4:12; Acts 2:42, 20:32)
2. We believe that lost people matter to God, and therefore they ought to matter to the church. (Luke 5:30-32; Luke 15, Mathew 18:14).
3. We believe poor people matter to God, and therefore they ought to matter to the church. (Psalm 140:12; 35:10; 82:3; Proverbs 14:31; 21:13; 22:22-23)
4. We believe that the church should be culturally relevant while remaining doctrinally pure. (1 Corinthians 3:1-3)
5. We believe that followers of Christ should be authentic and strive for continuous spiritual growth. Further, we believe this is normal for every believer. (Matthew 26:38; Ephesians 4:25-26 & 32; Philippians 1:6; Romans 8:29; Hebrews 12:1; 1 Corinthians 3:1-3)
6. We believe that the church should operate as a unified community of servants stewarding their spiritual gifts. (Romans 12, Ephesians 4; John 13; Philippians 2; 1 Corinthians 12 & 14)
7. We believe that loving relationships should permeate every aspect of church life. Therefore, we believe the church should be an emotionally healthy, caring, supportive place. Here, we believe that laughter, fun and flexibility are essential to good health. (1 Corinthians 13; Nehemiah 3; Luke 10:1; John 12:34-35)
Our Values in Action
How are we going to do it?
Jesus said, “Follow me!” When he spoke these words, he wasn’t offering an invitation to a destination, rather it was to a relationship with a Person who would radically change one’s way of life. What was true then is true today. Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship with Jesus which results in radical life change. Following Jesus is the heart of Christianity. When we study the life of Jesus, we find that his life was all about relationships. First his relationship with the Father, second, his relationship with his disciples, and third, his relationship with the people who didn’t know God at all.
So what does the life of a Jesus follower look like? How does one internalize the gospel and become a Good Samaritan? At Peace, we believe the answer is relationships. We use three key words to describe these relationships: Abide, Connect and Share. How do you deepen these three relationships and grow as a follower of Jesus? The same way you deepen any relationship – TIME.
Jesus said, “Follow me!” When he spoke these words, he wasn’t offering an invitation to a destination, rather it was to a relationship with a Person who would radically change one’s way of life. What was true then is true today. Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship with Jesus which results in radical life change. Following Jesus is the heart of Christianity. When we study the life of Jesus, we find that his life was all about relationships. First his relationship with the Father, second, his relationship with his disciples, and third, his relationship with the people who didn’t know God at all.
So what does the life of a Jesus follower look like? How does one internalize the gospel and become a Good Samaritan? At Peace, we believe the answer is relationships. We use three key words to describe these relationships: Abide, Connect and Share. How do you deepen these three relationships and grow as a follower of Jesus? The same way you deepen any relationship – TIME.
Abide |
Connect |
Share |
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A follower of Jesus abides in Christ personally and daily. The way we live our lives as Believers can best be summed up in the following ways:
Time spent daily with God. Time spent weekly in church. Time spent consistently with a small group. Time spent annually in mission. See how living life this way can encourage you in your faith. |
A follower of Jesus connects in community in large and small groups. Our vision is to become spiritually re-formed by internalizing the gospel – making the words of Christ come alive in our hearts. Peace University is a series of monthly lectures on Christian topics given by professors from Charleston Southern University. See how you can learn and grow in your walk with Christ.
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A follower of Jesus shares in the mission locally and globally. One of the characteristics of our church is we love to feed people. About eight years ago when we discovered how many children in our local schools have little or no food to eat on a daily basis, we decided that was unacceptable. See what we are doing to remedy the problem of hungry children in our community.
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