We are glad that you have visited our website to see what The Journey Hartsville is all about. We hope that after checking us out that you will check us out in person on Sunday morning. We are currently in the process of preparing our new church home, until it is ready we are meeting at the Pig Pen Barbecue which is located 116 McMurry Blvd.
Click here for a Google Map to our location
WHAT TO EXPECT
We know that before you visit a church, you are going to have some questions. Here are some frequently asked questions and answers to better help you understand what you can expect when you come to the Journey Church.
What do you preach?
At the Journey, we believe that the Bible is the perfect, inerrant Word of God, and the Gospel is the foundation for how we should do church. Therefore, we do expository preaching. This means that we preach through entire books of the bible. Occasionally, we will do a topical series now and again. But whether we are continuing in a book of the Bible, or breaking away for a short series, you can always count on the Word of God being preached faithfully and in depth. (2 Timothy 3:16)
What is the worship like?
Music that you hear at the Journey is much like what you would hear on Christian radio. However, we believe that our music should teach something: the Gospel. So whether it’s a contemporary song or a traditional hymn, you can always count on the Gospel being center stage in our worship music. (Isaiah 43:21, John 4:23-24, Psalm 150:6, Hebrews 13:15)
What should I wear?
The Journey is come as you are. You will see everything from Jeans and T-shirts, shorts to the occasional shirt and tie. Whatever you are comfortable wearing, that’s how you should come. God is not concerned with what we wear, only with the condition of our hearts. (James 2:2-4, 1Peter 3:3-4)
What is available for my kids?
The Journey takes our kids programs seriously. Our kids’ ministries cover everything from preschool to high school. On Sundays, we offer our Journey Kids program. This is our Sunday kids ministry. Our kids have their own worship experience, first thing in the morning, before going to their age appropriate class for their lesson. We have youth activities taking place Tuesdays and Wednesdays. For more information, please email journeyhartsville.pastor@gmail.com. (Proverbs 22:6, Isaiah 54:13, Deut. 4:9)
CENTRAL LEADERSHIP
The Journey Church is an Elder-led church. We have both vocational as well as Lay Elders. We believe this to be the most Biblical example of how Christ established the church (1Tim 3:1-13; Acts 20:17,28; Titus 1: 5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-2). The Elders shepherd and oversee the governance of the Journey. The Elders of the Journey Church serve collectively as one Elder board, shepherding the church and its needs.
The Elders at The Journey Hartsville are:
Matt Brown, Pastor
journeyhartsville.pastor@gmail.com
Tom DeKorne, Elder
WHAT WE BELIEVE
WE BELIEVE: in God the Father of all creation, who chose at the right time in history to bring forth Jesus the Christ, his only Son. Our Lord was born of the Holy Spirit and his chosen handmaiden, a virgin called Mary, who was betrothed to Joseph from the city of Nazareth.
WE BELIEVE: that Jesus taught the love of the Father and brought the gospel of salvation to all who would hear His voice. The world rejected him and he was put to death by crucifixion by the Roman Empire under the reigning governor Pontius Pilate. He was buried in a tomb, yet in three days was resurrected from the power of death by the Holy Spirit to witness to all that Jesus indeed was the Son of the Living God.
WE BELIEVE: that Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection from the dead provides the only way to salvation; a restored relationship with God the Father; and freedom from the curse of sin that is upon all mankind as a result of the disobedience of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden.
WE BELIEVE: in the Holy Spirit, the eternal Spirit of God, who dwelt in Jesus Christ; who empowers the church; who is the source of our life in Christ; and who is poured out on those who believe, as the guarantee of our redemption. By the power of the Holy Spirit, the church preaches, teaches, testifies, heals, loves, and suffers, following the example of Jesus, its Lord. The Spirit teaches us; reminds us of Jesus’ word; guides us in all truth; and empowers us to speak the word of God with boldness. The Holy Spirit enables our life in Christian community.
WE BELIEVE: in the Holy Scriptures known as the Christian Bible, being inspired by the Holy Spirit to be written by men of God. It is our guide in all practices of faith and moral living. It is without error in these things.
WE BELIEVE: in the return of Christ as promised in the Scriptures, that at the appointed time of God, Christ will return to fully redeem all things in accordance to His promises; that at the appointed time there will be, according to the Word of God, a time of judgment, for both those who have received Christ, and those who have rejected Him as Savior. Through His grace and mercy, those who have received God’s salvation through Christ will live eternally in the Kingdom of God.
At the Journey, we also understand that hot button cultural issues are something that many people are concerned about. The Elders have spent many hours in prayer and reflection on many of these issues. If you would like to see the Journey’s Position on these issues, you can visit the “Resources” tab and visit our File Cabinet where you can download these documents. Our Confessions of Faith and Constitution may also be found there.
For more information on what we believe, check out http://www.sbc.net/bfm/bfm2000.asp.
VISION AND MISSION
Journey Vision & Mission
Simply put, we seek to create environments in which people far from God can encounter Him, and those who walk with Him can journey deeper. We want to reach those who have never heard the Gospel and tell them about the saving grace of Christ. And those who have already heard and accepted this wonderful gift, we want to help them grow and walk along side them in their own journey of faith.
What this means is, we are going to preach the Gospel and then disciple those whom God saves.
Shortly after the Journey began, our Elders took time away to seek how God would lead us to make disciples, as He has instructed us to do in his Holy Word. After much prayer and reflections, our Elders believed they had found the answer contained in the book of Isaiah, chapter 55.
We believe that disciples of Jesus Christ should seek, and be seeking, three things: the perspective of God, the presence of God, and the purposes of God. In short, we call it our “3 P’s”. So what does this mean for you?
Our Presence Environment:
Our presence environment is our weekly gatherings, both on Sundays and Wednesdays (when in session; our midweek service is seasonal). A disciple should be someone who seeks to be in the presence of God. Though we should always seek to be in the presence of God, as a church, we do this through our weekly gatherings. The scriptures tell us that we are to gather in assembly and that the Holy Spirit presides over the church. This is where we gather to worship God and hear His word preached.
Our Perspective Environment:
Throughout the week, we offer small groups. These are exactly what they sound like: small groups of people who gather in each other’s homes and go deeper into God’s word. This includes everything from one-on-one discipleship studies, to groups of families and individuals gathering together. We believe that a disciple should be someone who seeks to see the world through God’s perspective. The best way we can do that, is to go deeper into His word. Small groups are located all over our community and meet on different days of the week. For a listing of available groups and times and locations, contact us at journeyhartsville.pastor@gmail.com
Our Purposes Environment:
Once a disciple is actively seeking the presence of God and the perspective of God, this should compel them to want to live out the purposes of God. This is our missions environment. At the Journey, we have several different opportunities for missional work. First and foremost, we have service opportunities within our weekly services. But there are many local, regional, and global opportunities to get involved as well.
The interesting thins about the “3 P’s”, is that there is never a starting or stopping point. Anyone can jump in at any environment. Think of the “3 P’s” as being circular. No matter where you jump in, each environment should move you to the next in a never ending cycle. Someone who seeks God’s presence should be desirous of His perspective. Once you begin to see from God’s perspective you are compelled to live out His commands. And when you live out His commands, it drives you to seek His presence even further. See how that works!
We look forward to you jumping in and starting your own “3 P’s” journey.