2020 Vision
When you hear the term “River Church” we want you to know it is more than a nickname, and it has nothing to do with location or geography. It simultaneously describes a guiding principle and type of community represented by Northside Community Church.
At play are the principles of stewardship and service, of building God’s Kingdom, not simply focusing on growing one church or another. In a River Church, God directs people and resources of all kinds into His church. He then directs His people as to where and how to channel those resources out. In a River Church, resources flow in and out so that there is maximum blessing. The opposite of a River Church is a “Reservoir Church.” In a reservoir church, the resources are used to build up the existing structure in order to store more resources.
Northside is a River Church. As such we strive to listen to God for His direction of where and how we can channel His resources to our community. Beyond serving our community and functioning as a River Churches, there is also a significant connectedness of the church communities. The connectedness goes beyond the actualities of Southside being planted from Northside. There is a connectedness that frees us to celebrate what God is doing in His kingdom through each of these churches! The successes at Southside are the successes of Northside, and the successes at Northside are the successes of Southside. We celebrate with each other because the resources, provisions, people and blessings are all from God and part of God’s Kingdom! Again, it is not about building up one existing structure, it is about stewarding the resources of God’s Kingdom in order to serve Him and to share in the process of making disciples of Christ for His Church, His Kingdom and His glory.
In our management of the Lord’s church, we have clearly discerned direction from God given through what we refer to as the “2020 Vision.” The 2020 Vision is a distinctive dream to act out the Great Commission, and it aligns the principle of being a RiverChurch with the mission we are set out to fulfill.
By the year 2020, we will:
- Plant 3 churches that are committed to being river churches.
- Pray for and train 25 pastors to serve God.
- Pray for and train 25 missionaries to serve God abroad.
Southside Community Church is the first church plant that has emerged as fulfillment of this vision. In the River Church community, between Northside and Southside, we can account for five pastors that have been raised up as part of fulfilling the 2020 Vision: Willy & Angel Burns (Southside Community Church); Scott Edinger (Northside); Scott Box (Northside); Kyle Welstad (Salem First Free Methodist); and Nick & Heidi Forrest (Wenatchee).
This vision will mean many different things to different people, so our ability to prayerfully listen as a community committed to kingdom building is of great value in these days. We are certain that the 2020 Vision is from God for the River Church Community, and look forward to continuing on in obedience as we serve His Kingdom together!
River Church:
“For I am about to do a brand-new thing. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness for my people to come home. I will create rivers for them in the desert! … Yes, I will make springs in the desert, so that my chosen people can be refreshed.” Isaiah 43:19-20
Pastors:
“I will give you leaders after my own heart, who will guide you with knowledge and understanding." Jeremiah 3:15
Missionaries:
“My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else.” Romans 15:20
