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Direction & Beliefs

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What Guides South?

South is a part of the family of God fulfilling His mission in the south Polk County Florida area.

Our passion is to help people become wholly devoted followers of Jesus.


When we refer to Wholly Devoted Followers of Jesus, we mean that we are mutually on a journey to love God and others with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. As we read the Bible, we see ordinary men and women, just like us, learning to trust and follow.

We take our direction from the words of Jesus.

“And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭22:37-39‬ ‭ESV‬‬

We love God by growing in our knowledge of Him and living in worshipful obedience to His Word.

We love people by imitating Christ and inviting the broken and suffering to receive hope and care.

“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28:18-20‬ ‭ESV‬‬

We make disciples by proclaiming the powerful gospel message that Jesus Christ lived in perfect obedience to the Father, was crucified for our sin, was resurrected by the power of the Holy Spirit, ascended into heaven, and will one day return to make all things new.

We invite you to come see what we are all about and to join us in this mission.


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What We Believe

GOD

God, all-loving Creator of the heavens and the earth, eternally exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:1, 26; John 1:1-2, 4:24; Romans 1:19-20; Ephesians 4:5-6.

JESUS CHRIST

Jesus Christ is the eternal and second person of the Trinity. Though fully divine, He became fully human. He was born of the virgin Mary and lived a sinless life. He was crucified for sins he didn't commit, and through his Resurrection, freed all people from the power of sin and death. He will return again, ushering in the eternal Kingdom of God. All who respond to his call to obedience through acceptance of Jesus as our Lord and Savior will live forever with him. (Matthew 1;18-25; John 1:1, 12:44-45; Romans 9:5; Hebrews 4:15; Ephesians 5:2; I Thessalonians 4:16-17)

THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit is the eternal and third person of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit continually draws us closer to God. When we live a life filled with the Holy Spirit as children of God, as believers we are encouraged, transformed to be like Christ, convicted of sin and empowered to serve others. (John 14:16-17, 16:5-15; Romans 8:9-11; I Corinthians 12:1-31; Galatians 5:22-23)

SALVATION

Salvation, the free gift from God, is God's desire for all humanity to be in right relationship with Him. When we turn away from a self-centered life to a God-centered one, and accept the free gift of life that Christ accomplished in His death and resurrection, we receive new and eternal life. (John 3:16-17, 14:6; Ephesians 2:8-10; I Timothy 2:4; I John 2:2)

THE BIBLE

The Bible is the expressed Word of God and is our final authority in all matters of faith and practice. (II Timothy 3:16; Psalm 119:89-91; II Peter 1:20-21.

UNITY

Unity is essential to the body of believers, the Church. Though there are many expressions of the Church in our world, there is only one universal Church, which is made up of all who have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The Church exists to be the body of Christ in the world today. (Romans 12:4-5; Ephesians 2:19-22, 4:11-16)