SpringHill’s Answers to the 6 Key Questions

 

What we believe to be true?  Our Statement of Faith

 

God’s gospel originates in and expresses the wondrous perfections of the eternal, triune God.

We believe in one God, Creator of all things, holy, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in a loving unity of three equally divine Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Having limitless knowledge and sovereign power, God has graciously purposed from eternity to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new for His own glory.

 

God’s gospel is authoritatively revealed in the Scriptures.

We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors. As the verbally inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged. Therefore, it is to be believed in all that it teaches, obeyed in all that it requires, and trusted in all that it promises.

 

 

God’s gospel alone addresses our deepest need.

We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image, but they sinned when tempted by Satan. In union with Adam, human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God, and under His wrath. Only through God’s saving work in Jesus Christ can we be rescued, reconciled and renewed.

 

 

God’s gospel is made known supremely in the Person of Jesus Christ.

We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, one Person in two natures. Jesus—Israel’s promised Messiah—was conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father as our High Priest and Advocate.

 

 

God’s gospel is accomplished through the work of Christ.

We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation.

 

 

God’s gospel is applied by the power of the Holy Spirit.

We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of its guilt. He regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.

 

 

God’s gospel is now embodied in the new community called the church.

We believe that the true church comprises all who have been justified by God’s grace through faith alone in Christ alone. They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head.

 

 

God’s gospel compels us to Christ-like living and witness to the world.

We believe that God’s justifying grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose. God commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially, and to live out our faith with care for one another, compassion toward the poor and justice for the oppressed. With God’s Word, the Spirit’s power, and fervent prayer in Christ’s name, we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil. In obedience to Christ’s commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always bearing witness to the gospel in word and deed.

 

God’s gospel will be brought to fulfillment by the Lord Himself at the end of this age.

We believe in the personal, bodily and glorious return of our Lord Jesus Christ with His holy angels when He will bring His kingdom to fulfillment and exercise His role as Judge of all. This coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and, as our blessed hope, motivates the believer to godly living, sacrificial service and energetic mission.

 

 

God’s gospel requires a response that has eternal consequences.

We believe that God commands everyone everywhere to believe the gospel by turning to Him in repentance and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world, assigning the unbeliever to condemnation and eternal conscious punishment and the believer to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord in the new heaven and the new earth, to the praise of His glorious grace. Amen

 

 

 

What’s important to us? Our Core Values

 

1. We are about Jesus Christ and His message of grace, hope and love.  As a result, we acknowledge Christ as the center of what we do and who we are, thus God’s Word and prayer are cornerstones of our work.
2. We are about children, teens and young adults.  We are committed to their ongoing spiritual and personal development as well as the general well being of all young people from all backgrounds and life circumstances.
3. We think “lost” and “how can we reach them?”  As a result, we will always strive to effectively create SpringHill experiences where more kids can experience Jesus Christ and be changed.  Ephesians 2:17-18
4. We possess a passionate commitment to be relevant.  The result of this is the integration between faith, diversity in programming, and a resolve to engage and connect with each and every young person at their level of maturity and ability.
5. We are committed to do our work of presenting Jesus Christ within the context of a personal loving and caring relationships.
6. We possess a passionate commitment to exceeding expectations and providing an outstanding experience, service and value.
7. We are learning and mission-driven organization.  We are always looking for ways we can be more effective accomplishing our Mission.  Because of this, change and risk are a part of our fabric.
8. We accomplish our work through the partnership of staff, donors, volunteers, like minded ministries and organizations who are committed to our vision, mission, and core values.  This means we expend a great deal of energy finding, developing, retaining, and challenging our staff, donors, volunteers and ministry partners on to greater works of service, leadership and impact in Christ’s Kingdom.

 

 

 

Why do we exist? Our Mission

 

To glorify God by creating life-impacting experiences that enable young people to know and to grow in their relationships with Jesus Christ.

 

 

What makes us distinct? Our Hedgehog – SpringHill Experience (SHX)

 

God Immersed

 

Recognizing that it is God through Christ who works to change the lives of young people, not our programming and planning.

 

Embracing

 

Being a welcoming place for all kinds of young people regardless of where they are spiritually, physically, emotionally, or socio-economically.

 

Innovation

 

Specifically designing our programs, facilities, and activities to be creative, relevant, fun and challenging experiences that kids typically do not have available at home.

 

Integrating

 

Making no distinction between faith and fun to help kids discover spiritual truth inside everyday experiences.

 

People

 

Inspired, trained and professional staff and volunteers who fulfill our mission and vision in alignment with our core values.

 

Community-Focused

 

Everything at SpringHill happens within small communities that facilitate and enhance relationships.

 

 

What do we want to become? Our Vision

 

To be a pioneering ministry and influential ally who will not rest until every young person has heard, seen, and experienced Jesus Christ in a life- transforming way.

 

• A pioneer explores new territories and blazes new trails by opening up, for SpringHill and others, new ways of thinking, activities, methods and approaches to ministry that have not been tried or tested before.
• Our ministry is to create life transforming SpringHill Experiences for young people.
• To be truly and deeply influential means to cause or effect change.  It requires integrity, relationships, and excellence in what we do and how we do it.
• An ally joins together and unites with others for the purpose of accomplishing something far greater than could be accomplished alone. Our primary allies are local churches and like minded ministries, parents and other caregivers of young people, donors, volunteers, ambassadors, and SpringHill alumni.
• “Will not rest” speaks, not to our work culture, but to the Church’s unending work of advancing Christ’s Kingdom.
• Our focus is on “every young person” today and in future generations.  This will only be accomplished through working together with ministry allies within the context of Christ’s Church.
• Life-transformation  means when a young person’s perspective, behavior and the direction of their life changes  by the Holy Spirit through a new or growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
• Because the Gospel is both proclamational and incarnational, life transformation occurs when a young person:
  • Hears the Good News of Jesus in language they can grasp and understand.
  • Sees Jesus Christ modeled in the lives of transformed people.
  • Experiences Jesus in the context of personal, loving relationships and through the creative integration of faith and fun.

 

 

What do we want to achieve? Our Big Hairy Audacious God Goal (BHAGG)

 

By 2025, 260,000 people (includes our campers and summer staff) annually will have a SpringHill Experience

 

Revised on February 8 & 22, 2012