Connections

I am ready to get connected and committed.

So you are ready to get connected and committed.  Let me ask you a couple of question so that we can make sure that we are in the right place in this process.  The two requirements to be a part of this fellowship is:

1.  Are you a Born-again believer:  In other words do you believe that GOD the Father sent HIS one and only SON to die for your sins and have you repented of your sins, invited JESUS (GOD’s one and only SON) into your life and made HIM LORD of it your life.

2. Do you agree with our covenant? 

If the answer is yes to both of these questions then you are ready to get connected and committed.  

The Connections Orientation is our opportunity to share with you what we are all about and the direction that we going in as a church.  We also wanted to take the time to talk about the unique ministry culture and opportunities that you will encounter here.  We want you to take advantage of all the resources and tools that are available to you.  We believe that you will grow tremendously.  However, it all starts with getting connected. We can’t stress enough the fact that you need to get connected and continue to stay connected. 

The basis of life is communication.-Edwin Louis Cole

The basis for communication is connection-AB Harris

Staying connected allows the life of those we are in relationship with to flow into our lives.  It also allows the vital connection that we made to establish as a source of life for us.  Three things result from established connections.

1. Trust

2. Growth

3. Progress 

Your connection affects the community that you are a part of.  It allows the community to coordinates its efforts to include you.  Coordinate means that we all can accomplish a task because we are all on the same sheet of music.  When the community progresses it opens doors for individual breakthroughs and victories. Getting connected and committed is more than coming to Church on a regular basis or frequenting your life group.  It is when we make a decision to build relationships with those that we go to church with.  This will require us getting out of our comfort zones and get into the relationship building zones.  The purpose of connection is bring two things together so that they can be a partaker of the life that each is carrying.

Essential

I’m ready to follow GOD and mature in my relationship with JESUS!

This is where the rubber meets the road.  This is the step that will cause us to accelerate into the purposes of GOD and character of GOD.  This is the step toward and into discipleship.  This is where we pick up our cross and follow HIM.  This journey will like all of the other processes continue through our life in some way.  This step is much more than learning the do and don’ts of walking with the LORD.  This is about learning to live in HIS presence and rely on HIS power for every situation and circumstance.  This is about making choices that honor the LORD and causes us to grow down and then up into HIM who is our head, the LORD JESUS.  The Bible says that the LORD goal for us is that we become like JESUS in every way.  

Essential 

This is our discipleship model and plan.  You will be introduced to the discipleship process that we use at the River.  The process is designed to help each believer accomplish four things:

1.  Learn some foundational truths

2.  Learn to apply the things that you have learned in everyday life

3.  Develop a lifestyle that honor’s the LORD and causes growth

4.  Touch others lives with the faith and life that is being developed in your life

Spiritual Formation Groups 

These are the teaching and training groups that meet to further disciple and equip members of the church in specific areas of learning or interest.  

Spiritual Formation Events

These are the weekend schools, conferences and workshops that are geared toward discipling and equipping you in special areas like your marriage or your business.  These are also the special conferences we do annual for the specific reason of giving each person more exposure to the tools and processes that will help them accelerate into their destiny. 

Freedom House

I am ready to be healed and made whole!

Opening our lives to the healing power and presence of the HOLY SPIRIT is so vital to becoming everything that we are destined to be.  Helping people move from brokenness to wholeness is a major theme in our community.  JESUS died to break the power of sin and its effects.  Recognizing the brokenness that sin has produced in our lives is the first step to moving into wholeness the next is being willing to get help.  This is one of those kind of steps that will start here and continue through your entire life.  The HOLY SPIRIT will continue to bring to your attention areas of woundedness either from the past or from the current events in your lives.  In this process we want to identify areas of wounding and expose it to the healing power and presence of the LORD.  We also want to educate you on the various things that we can do to partner with the LORD in the healing process.  Then we want to share ways that we grow in our spiritual health and maintain the wholeness and freedom that we are now enjoying as a result of HIS touch in our lives.   

Freedom House Event! 

Freedom House is our community event that occurs various times through out the month. Its purpose is third-fold. The first is to educate each member about areas of our lives that may need inner healing and deliverance.  The second is to provide ministry to those areas.  The third is introduce each believer to our support community that help minister to those areas of their lives that need ongoing attention.  Freedom House is also where we provide ongoing care for those a part of the community in to learn, discuss and receive ministry. 

Remedy Class! 

Remedy was designed to educate our members foundationally in understanding the spirit realm in which demons operate. It emphasizes the soul of man, how we came to be, Gods original intent, the devils plan to keep people in bondage and the provision GOD provides for man to live in a state of freedom! As each member is educated foundationally in this class, they will be able to target those areas in which the enemy desires to operate and apply the knowledge to the world around them and their everyday life. As this knowledge is applied it will permeate in and through each member.

Healing Point! 

Healing Point is our Counseling System in which we are educating, equipping and deploying biblical counselors.  It was designed to house all of our certified and licensed counselors with in and out of the community. Healing Point Counselors are deployed in the community as well as their region to bring healing and wholeness to the world around them. This is one of many ways in which we engage our city to bring healing and wholeness to our region!

Bodybuilding

I’m ready to get invested and involved by serving

Serving in the house of the LORD is so much fun.  It allows us to use our gifts and abilities to bless others.  It also allows us to develop in areas that we either didn’t know were there or need some addition attention.  Everyone has a different way that they can invest themselves in the work of the LORD.  Finding the best place and the best time is key to enjoy your times of service.  We believe that when believers serve they enjoy their walk with the LORD much more.  We also believe that they grow faster and stronger.  There are a host of opportunities for you to get invested and involved here at the River!

Bodybuilding!  

This is a four-hour event that is designed to teach the basic principles of serving in various ministries of the church. They will discover their gifts, abilities and member-ministries.  It will go a long way toward helping them on their path toward fulfilling their destiny. The event includes a ministry fair.  The Ministry Fair is much like a job fair.  It is a time when all the active ministries and budding ministries showcase their ministry areas and look to link up with the members of the church community especially those that have just finished the Body building Event. This event happens twice a month and is a very important part of our church showcasing the various areas of ministry that can provide members with an opportunity to serve with their gifts and abilities.

Ministry Teams

Ministry Teams are the various ministry groups that have been formed to meet a particular need.  They are maintaining within one of six different ministry areas (Relationship Building, Spiritual Formation, Intercessory Worship, Ministry Development and Support, Urban Missions, and Ministry Pioneering).

Serving Events and Times:  

These are the times that the ministry teams gathered to serve.  These times vary according to the type of ministry and the leadership of those areas.