Theology
Sojourn Houston is non-denominational, but we by no means value autonomy or novelty. All Sojourn churches share a Confession of Faith comprised of three parts: (1) the Nicene Creed, and (2) The Gospel Coalition Confessional Statement, and (3) the Acts 29 Network’s five theological foundations. As a broadly Reformed family of churches, we recognize both the Westminster Confession of Faith and the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith as faithful summaries of Christian doctrine.
Ecclesiology
Sojourn’s ecclesiology, our understanding of the nature and structure of the church, is patterned after the Trinity. Just as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct persons yet one God, so we are distinct churches yet one. In this way we are truly churches in community, a family of distinct yet united churches. We believe this faithfully represents God to our city, and we believe we can do more for the fame of Jesus together than apart.
Philosophy of Ministry
We hope and pray to see a work of God that saturates our city with the gospel. To that end, Sojourn Houston is built upon the Neighborhood Parish, a smaller community of ordinary people learning to follow Jesus and live on mission together in the context of everyday life. As we multiply parishes throughout the city, we create space for new disciples and lay the groundwork for future churches. From within the Neighborhood Parish, we practice a long-term, low-key, and relational form of ministry. We desire for people to understand the gospel as they witness it demonstrated through the manner in which Christians live together and love one another. We want for them to encounter the church as a network of relationships.
Vision Statement
We long to see God reconcile neighbors and neighborhoods in urban Houston. Accordingly, we strive to plant churches committed to the good of their respective neighborhoods. Member churches are marked by shared theology, shared ecclesiology, a shared philosophy of ministry, and shared values. Our desire is to function as a Family of Churches made up of localized and contextual churches. We want each church to be distinct, meeting the specific needs of its neighborhood. So, each Sojourn, although united in mission, will have a unique expression.
We believe the Church is marked primarily by submission to the Scriptures. The Bible is the pure Word of God, the only absolute authority for Christians, and all things within the church are governed/managed accordingly. As a broadly Reformed family of churches, we affirm three marks of a true church: (1) the faithful preaching and teaching of the Word, (2) the faithful administration of the Sacraments (Baptism and the Lord's Supper), and (3) the faithful exercise of church discipline. These marks, in addition to the Sojourn Houston values, will characterize each and every Sojourn church.
Values
Although we affirm the three Reformed marks of a true church, we do not believe these marks constitute all a faithful church needs. Indeed, a church should be marked by so much more (e.g., prayer, fellowship, and generosity). So in order to foster unity, clarity, and cooperation, Sojourn Houston churches share the following core values:
FAMILY
We continually pursue the fullness of what it means to be united to God as Father, and to Christ and one another as brothers and sisters by the Spirit.
SIMPLICITY
Following the example of Jesus and the early church we strive to lead simple lives and keep simple systems and structures for the sake of missional engagement, radical generosity, and perpetual multiplication.
LOCAL MINISTRY
Our model of ministry is intensely local in that our churches are led by local leaders and made up of local members that are meeting local needs in both word and deed.
COMPASSION
We demonstrate and declare compassion, especially to the poor and needy, as a defining characteristic of God’s kingdom, Jesus’ lordship, and the Spirit’s empowering presence.
SATURATION
We pursue the original command of God for his people to fill the earth with his glory by multiplying his presence in the church into every corner of urban Houston. Learn more about how we intend to multiply through church planting by clicking the buttons below, or visiting the residency page.
