Journey: An Act of Traveling From One Place to Another.
We want to create clear pathways for your spiritual journey. We want you to discover your redemptive purpose and live the life God created for you.
Alpha Groups
Journey Church Alpha groups partner with the worldwide initiatives of alphausa.org and are a specific type of small group creating a space for honest conversation around some of life’s biggest questions. Our trained leaders seek to provide an opportunity for group members to connect with one another in an inviting atmosphere where respectful sharing of thoughts, ideas, and even opinions about faith is embraced in a safe and caring environment. Becoming a member of one of these groups offers you a chance to come alongside other like-minded people in the safety of community.
Examples of some of the topics discussed during these 11-week groups are:
- Is there more to life than this?
- How can I make the most of the rest of my life?
- How can I resist evil?
- Does God Heal?
Visit our online Small Group Directory today to find out more about when Alpha is meeting next and all other small groups currently being offered through your campus .
For more questions, feel free to reach out to us through our online connect card to be put in contact with the overseeing staff member of all groups.
Growth Track
Our Growth Track small group is designed for anyone and everyone - newcomers, seasoned believers, and long-time attendees alike. Over the four weeks of Growth Track, you will learn about growing in your relationship with God, healthy habits for a life with Jesus, and how to be a disciple who makes disciples. All of this is important to a life of Knowing God, Finding Freedom, and Making a Difference.
*Note: Most of our ministry team here at church ask those seeking to join their teams to first attend the four weeks of Growth Track before serving. The teaching involved in these sessions helps us all and applies to many of the ministry opportunities here at church.
Our Growth Track cycles each month during our Wednesday evening activities (school year) or on Sunday mornings (summer months).
Find out when the next Growth Track group is taking place at your campus by clicking here.
Water Baptism
We believe God's immediate and transformative power begins when you invite Jesus to be the Lord of your life, which is commonly referred to as salvation. Water baptism follows sometime after this moment of salvation and serves as a character-building moment of one's faith in Jesus.
Throughout scripture, we can identify this moment as being a public display or declaration of an inward decision one has previously made to follow Christ (Matt. 3:16-17, Acts 18:8, Rom. 6:4-7). Therefore, water baptism does not make you a believer but serves as a demonstration to others, by showing them you previously decided to follow God.
For this reason, our church would choose not to baptize infants and would wait until the child has demonstrated a clear understanding of salvation and what it means to follow Jesus. Conversations like these with kids are supported by the relationships they have with parents/guardians and other influential mentors, leaders, and pastors in their lives.
Click here to register for the next Water Baptism service on our events page, or fill out our online connect card to share with us your interest in learning more.
Child Dedications
We believe Psalm 127:3 when it says, “Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.” Because we do not baptize infants, choosing instead to wait until after a child demonstrates an understanding and commitment to Jesus, our child dedications serve as a time to celebrate and thank God for the gift of your child or children.
These services are a time for you, as a parent/guardian, to commit to modeling what following Jesus looks like and to publicly show others this choice. To the best of your ability, you are choosing to raise your child/children with an understanding of the saving grace of faith through Jesus by believing the Bible is absolute Truth, continually following the commands Jesus set for all believers, and exemplifying the importance and value of committing to a faith community. As those a part of your faith community, these moments serve not only as our affirmation of you and your commitments but also as a recognition of our partnership with you through the shared example of one body of Christ taking one step closer to God each and every day.
Learn More About Child Dedications
You do not need to be a member of Journey Church to dedicate your child but we do ask families to call Journey Church their home because in dedicating your child to God, you are stating your willingness to partner with God and the Church to raise your child in cooperation with God’s intentions. As your church family, we are here to partner with you as the body of Christ and support you as a family unit.
Yes! Child dedication signifies the commitment of parents, including single parents, to do their best to raise their child to be a follower of Jesus Christ. We encourage single parents to include any important figures in their child’s life to be a part of the dedication. Journey Church is committed to supporting single parents in providing a Christian foundation for their child’s upbringing.
Dedication is not a sacrament; nor does it impart grace or salvation to a child. Salvation comes only through faith in Jesus Christ as each person recognizes their sinfulness and receives forgiveness and eternal life through him and his work on the cross. Therefore, rather than baptizing infants or children, we utilize a dedication ceremony, where parents formally call upon God’s blessing for their child and publicly commit to raising him or her in accordance with Scripture. Our practice of child dedication is biblically taken from the life of Jesus himself who was dedicated in the temple as a small child (Luke 2:21-24) and baptized in water at an older age (Matthew 3:13-17)
As your child's parent/guardian, you are gifted with a front-row seat to their life experiences. This vital role allows you to initiate teachable moments and will help you recognize when your child may be ready to declare their faith in Jesus by being water baptized. Experiences to grow their interest may include allowing them to sit in on a water baptism service, prompting conversations with them about water baptism at home, or answering the questions they may ask. In these moments, take notice of the way your child is articulating or expressing their experiences. What they share with you will be the strongest indicator of their readiness to be water baptized.
A common follow-up question we receive from parents is the question of how young is too young. However, we would choose to focus on a child's readiness, which can be different for every child, rather than a specific age. Jesus invited children to sit at His feet and we firmly believe there is no limit of age when it comes to God's ability to move in someone's life. The Holy Spirit can move just as powerfully in a child's life as He can in someone older. We will always encourage children who show a level of maturity and an ability to articulate this understanding at a level proportionate to their development to take one step closer to Jesus. We also recognize and trust you as their parent/guardian to have the best ability and capability to know when your child is ready.
Ministry Teams
Remember the phrase "Teamwork makes the dream work"? There are so many opportunities here at Journey Church to be a part of a team serving the church. Our Sunday morning experiences at each campus as well as our midweek Wednesday night activities (during the school year), or a small group of your choosing and design, offer many great opportunities for serving in a variety of different ways. Whether it is through greeting a new person who walks through our doors, dancing to worship music with a child, or praying with someone as they encounter Jesus in an impactful way. Our teams are inclusive - always open for another member - and would love to have you join!
A prerequisite for many of our ministry teams is the completion of all four weekly sessions of Growth Track. Therefore, if you have not completed Growth Track, we recommend starting there first. Your Growth Track leader will discuss the opportunities available and the steps to take to join a team during week four of Growth Track. If you have already finished Growth Track and want more information about the different ways to serve, feel free to fill out an online connect card. Once we receive your information, our volunteer coordinator will reach out to learn more about you and your interests and share any needed steps before becoming involved on your desired team (i.e., background checks, training details, instrumental/vocal auditions, etc.)
Membership
For some, the next step in their journey is to partner with the church through membership. Membership is so much more than gaining the privilege of being involved in major decisions of the church. The greatest benefits of church membership are formed in the partnership it establishes between you and the church. Partnering this way attaches yourself to the vision and direction of the church. According to scripture, a body of people walking in unity and accountability to one another results in more people experiencing the Gospel, which is the very heartbeat of the God we serve. Lastly, membership also creates a greater sense of belonging for you and your family.
Requirements for membership include:
Still have questions? Fill out a connect card to set up an opportunity to speak with one of our staff members. Make sure to indicate membership as an area of interest to help us direct you in the best way we can.