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Our Mission

MISSION STATEMENT

As a faithful New Testament church, South Side exists for a single purpose: to fulfill Christ’s Great Commission of making disciples and equipping them to reproduce. We believe this mandate is best accomplished by inspiring the hearts of our people for God, including every new congregant in the church family, instructing each follower in God’s Word, involving all members in ministry, and influencing our community and the world with the gospel.

INSPIRE A HEART FOR GOD

According to Jesus, God’s supreme desire is for His people to love Him with their whole being (Mark 12:29-30). Since that is so, a clear priority of any church ought to be inspiring people to have a heart passionately in love with God:

  • THROUGH CHRIST-EXALTING MUSIC: In Psalm 34:1-3, David said, “I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.” Scriptural, Christ-exalting music, if performed passionately and with excellence, is a powerful tool that can truly touch someone’s heart for God. At South Side, our music is deliberately different from what you hear while shopping or scanning the radio. Music should inspire a passionate heart for God and praise Him in a way consistent with His beauty and character. We use timeless songs and hymns that capture the glory of Christ and convey the eternal truths of God’s Word. We have an exciting choir, vocal groups, and instrumentals. Still, our music reaches its peak in congregational singing as our voices praise God.
  • THROUGH BIBLICAL PREACHING: New Testament worship always focuses on the ministry of the Word of God. 2 Timothy 4:2 insists that we “preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” The primary objective of our preaching is to exalt the name of Jesus as our Savior and Lord. If we genuinely desire to inspire people to develop a heart for God, we must labor to rightly divide the Word of truth.

INCLUDE PEOPLE IN A LOVING CHURCH FAMILY

After a person’s heart has been touched for God, the second priority of our church is to include them as a part of the church family. Acts 2:41 states, “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” People need a spiritual family where they are loved and where they belong. Ephesians 2:19 says, “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.” Being included in a church family happens differently depending on the circumstance. Regardless of the situation, we want every guest to feel welcome and included when they arrive on campus.

      • THROUGH FELLOWSHIP: The moment you walk in the door, you’ll be greeted with a warm smile. South Side is permeated with a friendly spirit of fellowship and Texas hospitality. Our people love each other both in and away from church. Our hearts are always open. We enjoy one another’s company in service, at special fellowships, and in each other’s homes.
      • THROUGH MEMBERSHIP: The Bible teaches that all Christians need a church home. Every person should be included as an identifiable member of a local assembly. Thus, a priority at South Side is to include each guest in the life and love of the congregation to the point that they unite with this body of believers.

INSTRUCT BELIEVERS IN THE WORD OF GOD

One of Jesus’ last instructions was to teach the disciples to follow His commands (Matt. 28:19). The early church “continued steadfastly in the apostle’s doctrine” (Acts 2:42). Teaching is thus every church’s primary obligation from Scripture.

      • THROUGH BIBLE CLASSES: At South Side, we encourage every member to attend the regular Sunday and Wednesday preaching services and get connected with a Bible class. Knowledgeable teachers will inspire you with a heart for God; you’ll feel included in families facing similar challenges. Most importantly, you’ll “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”
      • THROUGH PERSONAL DISCIPLESHIP: The first step of following Jesus as a genuine disciple is learning to walk with Him in daily fellowship. Only as we develop the disciplined habits of prayer, Bible meditation, and corporate fellowship with our church family can we grow into mature believers. But the purpose of discipleship is more than personal growth; it’s spiritual reproduction. We want to make disciple-makers that will multiply converts for the kingdom of God. South Side offers specialized, one-on-one instruction to help you walk with God, reach your world, and invest in a few who will repeat the cycle.

INVOLVE EACH MEMBER IN MINISTRY

Paul taught that every member has a place in the body (1 Cor. 12). Just as there are no useless parts in a physical body, there are no members whose sole purpose is to “sit and soak.” Every saint should be a servant. Every member should minister to others.

    • THROUGH GIFTED SERVICE: 1 Peter 4:10 says, “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” When people accept Christ as Savior, they receive spiritual gifts through the divine enabling of the Holy Spirit. God expects us to use these gifts to serve Christ by serving others in our local church.
    • THROUGH MINISTRY TEAMS: Depending on your gifts, there are dozens of ways to serve at South Side. From photography and graphic design to landscaping and building maintenance, there’s a place for everyone to use their gifts for the glory of God.

TO INFLUENCE THE WORLD FOR CHRIST

Influencers are everywhere today. Social media is replete with those promoting gaudy fashions, offering construction hacks, or webcasting tutorials, even with men teaching women how to put on makeup. Each has a sprawling online presence carefully curated to push the masses toward their favorite cause. But where are the Christian influencers? God’s people are meant to be “salt and light” in a dark and unsavory world. At South Side, we believe the core mission of a church is to engage the culture and influence those around us to love and follow Jesus. No Christian has the power to reach the world for Christ alone. Still, Jesus promised that we would “receive power” from the Holy Ghost (Acts 1:8). Through the power of the Spirit, we can reach the world near and far with the gospel.

    • THROUGH EVANGELISM: Our influence is felt at home through various local evangelism efforts. Whether through in-home Bible studies, gospel presentations, or literature distribution via our Tract Teams, there’s a way for you to make a difference.
    • THROUGH MISSIONS: South Side directly supports more than seventy missionaries and church planters worldwide. From Russia to South Africa, New Orleans to Thailand, we’re investing to see the whole world learn the good news of Jesus Christ. Special mission trips overseas allow members to participate first-hand in this life-changing work.