Our Purpose

Where Are We Going As A Ministry?
Shoreline’s purpose is to change ordinary people into extraordinary Christians; who love God, love people, and make disciples!

Determining where you are going is the first step in taking any journey. Without this step in place, nothing else can happen. The leadership in each church is responsible to set direction by defining how they are going to pursue the Great Commission and the Great Commandment.

Why Are We Going This Direction?
What is the theological motivation behind this purpose?

Build Disciples: The Great Commission –
^“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

Who Love God And Love People: The Great Commandment --
^“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:36-38)

What will people look like when we get there?
(Description of a Discipled Person)

If one does not take the time to determine where they are going, how can they know when they get there? Here at Shoreline our destination-target is a discipled believer. While spiritual growth is difficult to measure, how will we now if we are doing what Jesus commanded if we don’t measure ourselves? How can we sharpen our process if we never measure the product? The idea of describing our end product is new at Shoreline and is still being developed. Here are the qualities we are currently using to describe a disciple person:

Be a lover of God: To see those who call Shoreline their home over time become more and more obedient to God and experiencing His will in their lives.
Be a lover of people: To see those who attend Shoreline church be known for actively loving others.
Be A Disciple: To see Shoreliners becoming students in the process of growing and stretching their lives to the end that they walk like Jesus walked. (Philippians 1:6 & 1 John 2:6)
Make Disciples: To see Shoreliners become disciples who invest their lives into others to help others them to walk as Jesus walked. In short, we want to see Shoreliners make disciples who can make disciples!

What Does A Disciple Making Church Look Like?

Dann Spader summarizes my view on the local church when he said, “The mission of the church is to glorify God by making disciples who can make disciples. Many people confuse the mission of the church with the nature of the church. The church by nature is a family, priesthood, community, body... We best accomplish our mission by functioning according to our nature.”

First, before we look at what a Disciple Making Church would look like, I would like to share my view of the local church. The local church is:

Driven by her passion to glorify God. (1 Corinthians 10:31, Ephesians 1:3-10,Col. 3:17, 1 Peter 4:11)
Directed by her purpose to make disciples who love God and love people. (Matthew 28:19-20, Matthew 22:37-40)
Solidly built upon the basics of the faith this is communicated in ‘The Apostle’s Creed. (1 Peter 2:4-10)
Made up by imperfect people who our God has chosen to transform the world into the likeness of His Son, Jesus! (Romans 8:29, 2Corinthians 3:18, Galatians 4:19, Ephesians 4:13)
Organic in that she is a growing family that cannot be contained in a program or a building. The church is not about a building, a pastor or programs; the church is all about the people! (1 Corinthians 12:12-27, Ephesians 2:19)

Second, a Disciple Making model is not a ministry that has arrived but it is in the process of becoming a church that:

Is “demonstrating” priorities consistent with the Word of God!
Has a well-defined strategy of ministry!
Has a balance of programs designed to impact people at whatever level of spiritual interest they may be at!
Is thinking outside of their own interests and seeking to impact ‘The Kingdom’ outside of the four walls of the church.

Third, a Disciple Making model is one that can minister to people at all levels of spiritual interest. This model would create a ladder for development that has 5 different types of programs that could serve as rungs to help people step up to their God-given potential.

Level 1 (Outreach): An effective outreach strategy, regularly exposing non-believers to the claims of Jesus and seeing those pre-Christians respond.

Level 2 (Growth): A dynamic growing body of believers ministering to each other, developing their spiritual gifts, and becoming more like Jesus every day.

Level 3 (Ministry): Consistent efforts to equip people to do the work of the ministry in church and in their community.

Level 4 (Leadership Development): An ongoing strategy to develop leaders who can assist others in being successful in doing the work of the ministry.

Level 5 (Leadership Multiplication): An ongoing effort to equip leaders outside of our four walls. For example: interns, other pastors, other churches, and church plants.

Changing ordinary people into extraordinary Christians; who love God, love people, and make disciples!