OUR MISSION

"LIVING AND LEADING TOWARD GOD"

The big dream for Northern Hills Church is to be a transformed and transforming community of redeemed sinners living our lives, and leading others’ lives, on a path toward God. The dream is to be a people who are continually gathered and then sent on mission into our communities. [1]

What does it look like? At Northern Hills, living and leading toward God, or being disciples who are making disciples, is recognized by four clearly defined stages known as connect, grow, serve, multiply. LIVING TOWARD GOD includes being connected to our church family, growing our faith, serving our church and world, and multiplying ourselves in others. LEADING TOWARD GOD includes guiding others through the process of connecting, growing, serving, and multiplying.

What is success? Our goal is not to simply ADD people to our number. Our main goal is the MULTIPLICATION of Christ followers living and leading toward God. DISCIPLESHIP is the mission. Our measurement of success does not stop at how many we are “bringing in”, but will more strongly focus on how many we are “sending out” on mission for God. The question we ask is not, “How many people are here on Sunday?” as much as it is, “How are our people transforming their communities and leading others toward a life of mission for God?”

What are the results? The result of living out this mission will be transformed lives, families, communities, cities, and nations for the glory of God.

[1] Why is this our mission? We believe it is the mission of God. Genesis 1-3; 12:1-3, Matthew 4:18-22; 5:13-16; 9:9-13; 28:18-20, Mark 3:13-19, Luke 9:1-6; 10:1-12, 17-24; 6:39-42, Hebrews 5:11-6:3, 2 Timothy 2:1-13, Ephesians 4:11-16.

OUR VISION

"FUELED BY LOVE, WE WILL INTENTIONALLY

ESTABLISH & GROW NEW RELATIONSHIPS"

LOVE IS OUR FUEL [1]

God’s love is the fuel that will launch us toward our destination. The question we will continually be challenged with is, “DO I REALLY LOVE PEOPLE THE WAY CHRIST LOVES PEOPLE?” and “WHAT DOES MY RESPONSE TO THIS LOVE LOOK LIKE?” It’s easy to love people we know well, but what about the strangers all around us every day? What about our enemies? God’s love will be evident in our church in as much as we care for, long for, and hurt for everyone around us in our communities who don’t know Christ. Everything we do as a Church should come out of this reckless love for God and others. Love is our motivation. It is the starting point.

RELATIONAL DISCIPLESHIP IS OUR PATH [2]

Discipleship in the context of relationship will be the road we travel down toward our destination. As we move toward our mission, motivated by our passionate love for God and others, we will follow the path of intentionally establishing, building and nourishing relationships with those in and out of our church. Our mission is to be disciples who are making disciples, and because we are motivated by God’s love in us, our only option is to invest ourselves in the lives of others . We must be a community living as missionaries in our own city with a daily focus toward growing ourselves and others closer in relationship with God.

STRATEGIC STRUCTURE IS OUR VEHICLE

Creating a strategic structure will provide us with a vehicle for the journey. Our structure has been intentionally formed for the purposes of moving us toward our destination and it includes connection events, connection groups, Sunday celebrations, and other ministries, activities, tools, resources, and teaching all fitting neatly into our discipleship process of connecting, growing, serving, and multiplying. The details of our structure must always focus toward funneling our members toward the goal of living and leading toward God. We must always remember that a vehicle without fuel will never go anywhere. This means that our structure, no matter what it looks like, without love, will take us nowhere.

[1] Deuteronomy 6:1-9, Matthew 5:43-48; 22:34-40, Galatians 6:6, 13-15, I Corinthians 13, Colossians 3:12-14, I John 4:7-21

[2] Proverbs 27:17, Ecclesiastes 4:7-12, Matthew 18:20; 9:11-13, 1 Corinthians 12:12-26, Hebrews 10:23-25, 2 Timothy 1:3-6, Acts 2:44-47; 4:32-35

OUR VALUES

Our core values are meant to provide us with support and focus for accomplishing our mission and vision. They are not meant to describe who we want to be, they are meant to describe who we will be. They are not our aspirations. They define our culture and DNA. They are to be used as a filter for every decision and interaction we make. They will provide a measurement tool for our health and focus.

PRAYER 1

Prayer is Present
Teaching with Words and Action
Multilevel Prayer Expectation
More Than Vocal, Orientation of the Heart, Mind, and Soul

ACTION 2

Faith accompanied by Action (James 2:14-17)
Words accompanied by Action
Daily Serving, Growing, Moving, Pursing, Church of Action
Ministries Point Toward Action
Ministries Provide Path for Action

CHANGE 3

Seeking Growth Opportunities
Striving for Relevance
Submission of Personal Will for Mission of Church
Open to New People, New Environments, and New Practices
Plan in Pencil[/animate]

TRANSPARENCY 4

Sin is Visible
Masks Grow Smaller, Grace Grows Larger
Safe Environment
Modeled by Leadership
Path Toward Confession and Support

INTENTIONALITY 5

Always Know Why
Be Aware of the Goal Before Beginning
Do Everything on Purpose
Know the Value, Measure the Success[/animate]

[1] Matthew 6:5-13, Matthew 26:36, Mark 1:35, Luke 5:16, Luke 6:12, Luke 9:18, 28, Luke 11:1, Luke 18:1-8, John 17

[2] Jeremiah 18:11, Romans 12:9-21, 2 Corinthians 10:10-11; 11:14-15, Galatians 6:2-10, Titus 1:15-16, James 2:14-26, 1 John 3:16-18

[3] Matthew 16:21-27, John 14:28-31, Romans 6:11-14; 13:11-14, 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, 2 Corinthians 5:17-21, Galatians 3:23-29, Ephesians 4:17-24

[4] Luke 18:9-14, Matthew 19:28-30, James 5:13-16; 3:13-18, 1 John 1:5-10, Romans 3:21-24, Ephesians 4:25, Colossians 3:1-11, 1 Peter 5:5-11

[5] Job 36:5, Proverbs 19:21, Matthew 22:34-40; 28:18-20, John 14:15-26, Ephesians 5:1-2, 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, 2 Timothy 1:9-12, Hebrews 6:13-20