When we consider how to become a restorative force across Niagara and around the world, the big question for us is, “What exactly is God wanting to restore in and through us?” So our mission is defined by the original intent of God when He created humans in the first place.

 

God designed humans to relate closely to Him. Genesis 2:7 says He breathed His Spirit’s life into us and intended us to be consistently enjoying His presence and power through His living Spirit within us. So one aspect we’re seeking to restore in people is a quality of life that is ‘in-spirited’ - consistently enjoying God’s presence and power in our lives.

 

As well, God created humans for close relationship with one another. In the very first relationship designed by God, in Genesis 2:18 He calls Eve the ‘helpmate’ of Adam - intending two people to enhance the quality of each others’ lives and relationships with God. So we’re also seeking to restore peoples’ capacity to experience relationships with one another in order to be helpmates to each other.

 

Finally, God gave humanity a job description (Genesis 1:28-29) to oversee the rest of the earth - not to abuse the world but to take responsibility for the condition of it. So we’re seeking to restore peoples’ capacity to take that responsibility and make an ongoing and practical in the pain and brokenness of our world. We want to restore people’s capacity for social action.

 

So here at Southridge, our mission is to foster a three-dimensional lifestyle that we call Inspiration, Connection and Action - a lifestyle of enjoying God’s presence and power, a lifestyle of relating to one another as helpmates, and a lifestyle of social responsibility for the brokenness of our world.

 

In becoming a restorative force across Niagara and around the world, our mission is to foster this three-dimensional lifestyle in more people more fully!