Core Values

Fostering relevant, gift-oriented ministry
All people, regardless of ethnicity or background.
Ministry excellence
Intimacy with God through prayer, worship and God’s Word
Loving relationships that reflect God’s love.
Intentional discipleship
Empowering leadership
Sensitivity to seekers of Christ and their needs.

Fostering relevant, gift-oriented ministry
We value the spiritual gifts of all Christians. We will cultivate ministries that are based upon the spiritual gifts of our people. We value being committed to one another’s growth and success as Christians and hold ourselves mutually accountable. Together we lead others toward the fulfillment of our vision with specific goals and plans, for we exist to serve God by serving others (See Matthew 25:40; Romans 12:3-8; Ephesians 4:11-13).

All people
We value every people group. We will create a culturally integrated church family that celebrates the diversity of God’s Kingdom, and will attempt to communicate the gospel in language and practices that are within people’s cultural context so that the ministry and message of Southlands makes sense and permits them to follow Christ (See Isaiah 56:6-7; Acts 2:1-21; Revelation 5:8-10).

Ministry excellence
Since God gave His best (Jesus Christ) we seek to honour Him by maintaining a high standard of excellence in all our ministries and activities (See Colossians 3:23-24; 2 Corinthians 8:7).

Intimacy with God through prayer, worship and God’s Word.
We value a deep relationship with God. We will grow in knowledge and experience of our Heavenly Father. God commands His people to pray, and we believe that He hears and answers prayer. We celebrate God’s presence in worship by magnifiying the Lord and exalting His Name. We believe the Bible is the Word of God to us and we study it to grow in our knowledge of Him. (See James 5:16; Matthew 4:10; Colossians 3:16).

Loving relationships that reflect God’s love.
We value our relationships with one another in our church family. We believe that the church is created by the Holy Spirit for fellowship. Together we are God’s household, His family as we abide in Christ and He in us. This intimate community is the result of the work of the Holy Spirit among us (See John 15:9-17; Romans 12:9-16; 1 John 3:16-20).

Intentional discipleship.
We value making strong disciples of Jesus Christ. We are committed to helping establish people in the Kingdom by learning and living Christ (See Colossians 1:28).

Empowering leadership.
We value equipping people for life, leadership and ministry. We believe godly leadership concerns what God does in us as objects of His grace. We seek to equip all our uniquely designed and gifted people to effrectively accomplish the work of ministry (See Philippians 1:6; Ephesians 4:11-13).

Sensitivity to seekers of Christ and their needs.
We value people who are investigating the Christian faith. We will make our church seeker friendly in every way we can, and meet people at their point of need. We valued unchurched, lost people and will use every available Christ-honouring means to pursue, win and disciple them (John 4:4-26; Matthew 5:13-14; John 20:21; Luke 19:10).