This is how we carry out the work of being the hands and feet of Jesus within the local communities of our campuses located in Jerseyville, IL and Columbia, IL.
First, we ask God to open our eyes to the needs of people around us and to cause our hearts to hurt for them the way His does. We continue by partnering with local community officials to best understand the greatest needs and to ensure we’re not overlapping other established efforts. Then, we deploy eXtreme Service teams throughout the year to effectively serve and love those people. We believe the pains in our community should be our pains, and, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit we will be led to answers and solutions for them.
Additionally, we form strategic partnerships with local organizations to help advance the work God is doing through them. We come alongside them and strive to be a strength to them through financial and volunteer support. This allows us to eXtend our reach further into the community as well as provide great inroads for the passions and gifts of many in our church to find eXpression through a variety of volunteer opportunities.,
World missions are how we bring aid to the hurting around the globe and help to fight against the injustices they are oppressed by. We partner with missionaries and mission organizations by giving financial support, sending missionary teams, and bringing awareness. Additionally, we endeavor to recognize those within our local church whom have a call to become missionaries so we may serve them by training and equipping them to be sent into the mission field.
In addition to serving the practical needs of the hurting in our community, we also seek to eXtend and meet the spiritual needs by sharing the Gospel. We want to ensure we are offering both bread for practical living as well as the bread of life for their souls. The ultimate objective is always to win people to Christ and grow His Kingdom. In both Local and Global eXtensions, we maintain a Gospel centered focus.
We believe God has called us to eXtend by seeking to serve other churches. We strive to be a catalyst and ongoing advocate for church unity within the communities of every campus. We look for ways to serve and support other churches. Our leadership intentionally creates space for building relationships with other pastors and church leaders so we may cultivate strong bonds organically that lead to greater Kingdom impact in our areas.