Core Values
Meaningful Membership
Since we believe that the church is a display of God’s glory, membership at SGF is more than just a title, or a signed card. We encourage our members not to give into
the temptations of consumerism so prevalent in the society in which we live, but rather to become providers and servants in the body of Christ. We encourage our members to actively participate in each other’s lives seeking to experience the full counsel of God through intimate fellowship among saints. This includes accountability to God, to one another, and to our neighbors around us to walk together in a gospel fellowship, by the power of the Spirit, for God’s glory.
We believe that “when a person becomes a Christian, he doesn’t just join a local church because it’s a good habit for growing in spiritual maturity. He joins a local church because it’s the expression of what Christ has made him—a member of the body of Christ. Being united to Christ means being united to every Christian. But that universal union must be given a living, breathing existence in the local church.” –Mark Dever, What is a Healthy Church?
Delighting In His Character
God has placed upon His people the great privilege of spreading His glory and His image across the earth. As a church we strive to do this by making the world around us better. We strive to cultivate beauty in all of life, enjoying the character of God and sharing His love with all those we come in contact with. We desire to be a community marked by the beauty of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as it is written, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’”
As a church we strive to worship in a manner that is both beautiful and simple. We strive to worship God with everything He gives us. If you join us for a prayer time you may find that we are producing artworks, singing songs, reading about foreign countries, enjoying meals together, and engaging in deep soul satisfying worship. God has charged us to fill this world with His glory and splendor. We will strive to do that in our worship and our lifestyle.
Declaring His Truth
God is not silent. He is declaring truth constantly through His Word. We live in a world desperate for truth and we believe that God has called the church to teach, defend, and engage the Word of God with clarity and boldness. We want to be believers marked by our relationship with Christ and His Word. In order to develop deep, soul strengthening love for Christ’s word, we practice expositional preaching and inductive Bible Study.
Expositional preaching is preaching that explains the meaning of a passage in its context. In such preaching, the point of the passage becomes the point of the message. This passage is applied to our lives today.
Inductive Bible Study is study that incorporates observation, application, and interpretation in that order. This approach to God’s Word helps to focus our hearts and minds on truth and enables us to apply the Scripture in a life-changing and powerful way.
As a church devoted to expository preaching and inductive study, we believe that all of Scripture is profitable. So, we see great value in preaching sequentially through books of the Bible and studying books of the Bible together in our small groups. People can hear the voice of God speaking to them, true spiritual growth occurs and people are conformed to God’s image week in and week out
Displaying His Mission
The author of Hebrews instructs us: “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24-25). Isn’t it interesting to see the focus on “one another” and “others” when it comes to growing as followers of Jesus? Often we think of strong Christians as the ones who are most excited to listen to a worship CD or read “heady” theological books. We love theology and encourage our people to be reading good Christian books together that help them apply and better understand God’s word. But, the question must be asked: “If I can’t be committed to a group a people who are different than me, who the only thing they may have in common with me is Jesus Christ, with all their faults and foibles, then what assurance do I really have in thinking that I’m converted to Christ?” The more we’ve known about our own sin and how much God has forgiven us in Christ, then surely that kind of love must find a way out of our hearts to other people, particularly those who are your brothers and sisters in Christ.
That’s our vision for discipleship and growth. That’s what a local church is about. That is the true definition of strength–being able to continue in love that way, with a limited group of people who will not always be your favorite people–but with whom you have in common, Jesus Christ. It is very interesting what Jesus says in John 13, “A new command I give to you, to love one another as I have loved you so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another as I have loved you.” Being “others centered” and convincing ourselves to encourage and love others glorifies God and stirs us up to love and good deeds. We pray that you will join us as we grow together in our love for Jesus Christ.
