Our DNA

The good news of Jesus is the proclamation that because of Christ’s death and resurrection our sins are forgiven, God’s wrath is satisfied, we are reconciled to God, and we will live forever with him. This is the best news we could ever hear because apart from Jesus we are hopelessly lost and unable to save ourselves. We have a corrupt sinful nature which makes us spiritually dead, and our actual sins bring condemnation. A Biblical term for good news is the word “Gospel.”

This Gospel changes people. To name a few things, the Gospel frees from guilt (Romans 8.1); it enables people to break free from remaining sin (Colossians 3); it softens our hearts so we can forgive as we have been forgiven (Ephesians 4.32); it makes us see our idols are worthless so we turn from them (1 Thessalonians 1.9-10); it makes the things of this world seemingly dim in comparison to how great Jesus is (Matthew 13.44); it calms our fears and gives hope (Matthew 6.34); and it gives us peace when we fear our faith will fail and Satan’s darts come hurling at us (Philippians 1.6). Upon receiving the Gospel unbelievers are saved and existing believers grow in Godliness (Titus 2).

Therefore, the Gospel is the most powerful thing we can ever encounter. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes (Romans 1.16). We can speak of government power, economic power, military power, or nuclear power, but only the Gospel has the power to change someone’s heart. We need to hear the Gospel every Sunday and need to preach it to ourselves daily.

This is why at Sojourn we want people to experience the good news of Jesus in all of life. Toward this end, the following principles form the DNA of Sojourn:

Gospel-Centered Worship

From start to finish the entire worship service centers on Christ as we meet God and experience renewal in the gospel. Each week God’s people should leave renewed and encouraged with the certainty that they are recipients of God’s free grace and forever citizens of his everlasting kingdom.

At Sojourn our worship service is liturgical, which means worship is a dialogue with God that centers of the grace of Jesus. There are responses throughout, confession of sin, assurance of pardon, a sermon, and communion every week. Through these liturgical movements the Gospel is further impressed upon our hearts.

To help root us in the Gospel we are also a “confessional church.” By that term we mean we make use of our creeds and confessions which clearly articulate the truths of the faith. We use the Apostle’s Creed, Nicene Creed, and Athanasian Creed along with the Heidelberg Catechism, Belgic Confession, Canons of Dort, and the Westminster Standards. These creeds and confessions also connect us to the history of Christianity and the great leaders of the faith who have gone before us.

Our worship style includes songs selected that are singable, doctrinally rich, and stirring to our souls. Familiar and modern hymns that fit that criteria are sung with appropriate instrumentation in a way that bolsters congregational singing in a powerful way. Our worship will help us give glory to the God we enjoy.

Preaching is expository, which means we preach the meaning of the text. We often go through books of the Bible, verse by verse. Every sermon connects to Christ because the entire Bible is one story about salvation in Jesus (Matthew 1). Every sermon seeks to show how the Gospel applies to all of life.

Gospel-Centered Community

People today are feeling separated and lonely even amongst the business of life. We seek to build communities where people feel a sense of belonging—a place where everyone knows your name and shares life together with genuine hospitality. We share meals together, we share the joys and sorrows of life, we study God’s word together, and we pray for one another. All of this is because the blood of Christ brings us together as one family and household of God (Ephesians 2.11-22).

For many, church has become spectator event. One can attend a service, leave, and nobody will ever notice. This trend does not fulfill God’s design for the church. In the book of Acts we read about people breaking bread daily in people’s homes. In Paul’s letters he frequently mentions certain congregation members as if everybody knows who they are. Therefore, we are not interested in just doing another worship service in this city; we seek to plant a loving and vibrant Jesus-seeking community.

To help us be that this kind of church community we seek to be a mid-sized church with one worship service. This way we all know each other over time yet are big enough to do ministry in the city. We also will have small groups and discipleship groups available so people can grow in their faith and knowledge of Jesus in a more intimate way.

Gospel-Centered Mission

We are committed to being out in the city living, loving, serving, and caring for others in every area of life. The temptation we want to avoid is becoming a Christian subculture of people who are withdrawn from the people and affairs of the city. God tells his exiles in Babylon: “Seek the welfare of the city and pray to the Lord on its behalf —in its welfare you will find your welfare.” Through proclaiming the gospel we hope the lost are saved and those without hope find hope in Christ.

As we grow to about 200 people we seek to send a group off with their own church planter to start more gospel-centered churches so more people are reached.