Purposeful
We desire to be a purposeful community of Christ followers who boldly express the gospel in both word and deed.
City Church seeks to be a community of people who boldly proclaim the gospel to those who do not know Christ. We are not merely present and respected in our local communities. We are also called to faithfully preach the Good News of Jesus Christ to those who do not follow Jesus. Not all Christians have the gift of evangelism (this is a specific gift mentioned in Eph. 4:11), but all Christians should desire to tell others about Christ and act on this desire. This means that we should be equipped to share the gospel accurately and clearly and present a personal testimony that explains our journey to faith in Christ.
City Church seeks to be a community of people who love others sacrificially in deed, primarily family members and those in the church body, but also those outside the church. We nurture our families spiritually, emotionally, and physically. For parents, the most loving thing they can do for their children is to raise them up in the Lord (Prov. 22:6). This means teaching children God’s Word, praying with children, and encouraging faithful participation in the life of the church. We also care for Christians who are not family members. This kind of care involves (among other things) generous giving to the church, the sharing of possessions, caring for physical needs, and steadfast prayer (cf. Mark 12:41-44; Acts 2:42-47; Jas. 5:14-15). Finally, we care for the needs of those who are not a part of the church, as we would have others do for us (Matt. 22:29; Gal. 6:10). We desire to see the city of Gainesville flourish, and we pursue this by caring for the poor, reaching out to the marginalized, and loving the broken.