Riverwood’s Vision for ministry

These past several months we have been working on the vision planning for Riverwood.  We are prayerfully trying to discern God’s best plan for our next steps.  It has been very rewarding. We have been using the image of a tree – it’s roots, trunk, branches and leaves, and this has guided our discussion.  The discussion has been about how to focus our energies so that we can be in the best position possible to be used by God in his work in our area.

This verse is a good description: 

He (Riverwood) is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he (Riverwood) does prospers.
Psalms 1:3 (NIV)

So, what is it that causes this tree to prosper?  Like any tree, several things need to be in place.  The apple tree doesn’t just decide one day to have apples, it takes many things happening, all in connection with one another to have a nice apple.  The same sequence is involved with our church.  If we want our church to bear fruit, we need to have a healthy tree.

1. “Water” - Water is the first piece is the word and activity of God.  Nothing happens without God’s involvement. We as a church exist for God and His glory. We get to participate in what He is doing.

2. “The Soil” - Rockford/Greenfield and surrounding areas. God has strategically placed Riverwood in this area for a purpose. Our church is unique in this area.

3. “The Seed” - Riverwood’s beginnings. Riverwood was planted by Plymouth Covenant Church with services being held beginning in 2000. (see “our story” tab under “about us” section of website)

4. The ”Tap Root”-  Riverwood’s Key Verse: 
The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. Galatians 5:6 (NIV)

5. The “Roots” Riverwood’s  Core Values
• Christ centered – We exist to bring glory to God, and seek a reconciled relationship with him.
• Biblically rooted – The Bible is the source of our teaching and preaching.
• Spirit led – We trust in the power and direction of the Holy Spirit to lead our church.
• Locally based – We desire to impact lives for the cause of Christ, beginning in our local Rockford/Greenfield area, but not ending there.
• Grace filled – Riverwood welcomes and extends God’s love to all, regardless of spiritual condition.
• Depth oriented – God desires to draw each of us into a deeper relationship with himself, and we want to do all we can to assist the spiritual journey.

6. The “Trunk” - Riverwood’s Mission:  Connect – Grow – Reach
The mission is what we believe God wants us to be about as a church.
• Connect with God – by beginning a relationship with him, and through worshiping him.
• Connect with others – Relationships are important to our spiritual life, offering encouragement and accountability.
• Grow in Christ – Begin and develop a deepening relationship with Christ
• Reach the Lost – People are lost without Christ, and it is our mission to bring God’s love and message of forgiveness.
• Reach the hurting – Hurting people matter to God, and so to Riverwood also. We work with Riverworks Community Development Organization and other efforts to help people in need.

7. The “Big Branches” - Key  Ministry Areas
These areas form the framework of how we do ministry at Riverwood. They are “how and where” the mission of connect – grow – reach takes place.
• Sunday Experience – The worship, welcome, fellowship and teaching aspects of our service on Sunday.
• Next generation – our ministries to children (up through elementary school age) and youth (jr. and sr. high school age)
• Small Groups – Home groups and Bible study groups. Over 90% of our members and regular attenders are involved in small groups.
• Outreach  - Faith in Christ is expressed to others. God wants lost people found, and hurting people helped. We get to take part. Our specific emphasis these days is Riverworks Community Development organization, an outreach outgrowth of Riverwood in 2009.

8. The “Small Branches” - Specific programs/ministries
• We seek to have a direct correlation between the ministries and the “big branches”. This creates a focus of ministry.

9. The “Leaves”
•The way we resource and support the programs:
• Financially
• People and time
• Location
• Office and staff support

10. The “Fruit” The desired results
• Hurting people helped
• Lost people found
• “… your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
• God gets the glory, we get to be part of what God is doing!