At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wis
e and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.
"All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Matthew 11:25-30
At Riverside, weekly services are a time of praise to God and of spiritual renewal. During worship, our focus is to praise and glorify God, remember Christ's sacrifice for us, study God's word, and encourage one another.
Our doors are always open to you. Whether you are wondering what Christianity is all about, searching for a deeper relationship with God, seeking relief for a weary and burdened life, or looking for a church home, you are always welcome in our family.
Sunday
Bible Classes - 9:00 a.m.
Worship - 10:15 a.m.
Evening - Impact Groups meet at various times in homes and at the church building.
Tuesday
Ladies' Bible Class - Class meets in the morning during the school year. Childcare is provided.
Wednesday
Fellowship Meal - 6:00 to 6:45 p.m. during the school year in the Family Life Center.
Bible Classes - 7 to 8 p.m.
Our Mission
To love God with all our hearts, souls, and minds
To love our neighbor as ourselves
To make disciples of all nations
To baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
To teach all to obey Christ's commandments
Our Purpose
Loving God and Leading Others to Him
Our Vision
We envision a community of faith known for its love, where all our members are growing in their love and commitment to Christ and to one another, where the Holy Spirit lives in our hearts, and where we live to love and serve God and all God's children.
We envision a community devoted to following Christ, where parents take an active part in the spiritual teaching and training of their children, and where all members know the Bible and are excited to share the Good News of Christ.
As we reach out and teach people, we envision many making faith commitments to become Christians each month with more than 100 being baptized per year. We envision a church that clearly communicates the never-changing Good News of Jesus Christ to the ever-changing culture in which we live.
In brief, we envision Riverside as a church that truly practices Celebrating God, Communicating Christ, Conforming to His Image, and Caring for Others.
Our Goals
To CELEBRATE God. At Riverside, we celebrate God and honor His holy name. He is our Creator, and through His love, while we were still sinners, He sent His Son to purchase our freedom from sin.
To CARE for Others. A hallmark of the early church was its fierce devotion to looking after one another's needs. This also means that the church practices the biblical 'one anothers' as it makes every effort to meet the spiritual and emotional needs of its members. The old saying is still true: "People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care."
To COMMUNICATE Christ. To evangelize is to share the good news of Christ to people who will otherwise face a Christless eternity. Christians cannot rest until this is done. At Riverside, we believe there must be an urgency on the part of Christians to convey the message of Christ by every means possible. This begins with the conviction that people are lost and people matter infinitely to God. As Christians, we have been given the ministry of reconciling others to God, and we must take charge seriously.
To CONFORM to His Image. GOD is the process of bringing us to maturity in Christ. He is working to transform us into the image of His Son. This means that we must grow in the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and that we must exercise the gifts of the Holy Spirit so that we as individuals and as a church can grow. Our goal is spiritual formation, not just spiritual information.
Our Core Values
At Riverside, we want people to know the values we hold in high esteem. The following is not an exhaustive list, but includes some of the values we consider important in Christ's Church. This is not a creed, but these are some of the dimensions of God's family which we cherish. These values are endorsed and supported by the Riverside Elders.
Christ Centered - Paul wrote to the Christians in Philippi: Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own goodness or my ability to obey God's law, but I trust Christ to save me. For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith. As a result, I can really know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I can learn what it means to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that, somehow, I can experience the resurrection from the dead! - Philippians 3:8-11 (NLT)
Bible Anchored - Paul wrote to Timothy: But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God's way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do. - II Timothy 3:14-17 (NLT)
Spirit Led - Jesus told his disciples, "If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. - John 14:15-17 (NLT)
Worship Focused - Speaking to the woman of Samaria, Jesus replied, "Believe me, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father here or in Jerusalem. You Samaritans know so little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. But the time is coming and is already here when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for anyone who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth." - John 4:21-24 (NLT)
Prayer Based - Paul told the Christians as Philippi, Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)
Grace Affirming - Paul wrote to the Christians in Ephesus, God saved you by his special favor [grace] when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. - Ephesians 2:8-10 (NLT)
Unity Valuing - Jesus prayed, I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me because of their testimony. My prayer for all of them is that they will be one, just as you and I are one, Father--that just as you are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me. - John 17:20-21 (NLT)
Outreach Oriented - Paul wrote to the Christians at Corinth, So we have stopped evaluating others by what the world thinks about them. Once I mistakenly thought of Christ that way, as though he were merely a human being. How differently I think about him now! What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun! All this newness of life is from God, who brought us back to himself through what Christ did. And God has given us the task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others. We are Christ's ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to you. We urge you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with you, "Be reconciled to God!" For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. - II Corinthians 5:16-21 (NLT)
World Conscious - After Jesus' resurrection, before he ascended to heaven, Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." - Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT)
People Empowering - Paul wrote to Timothy, Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives' tales. Spend your time and energy in training yourself for spiritual fitness. Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next. This is true, and everyone should accept it. We work hard and suffer much in order that people will believe the truth, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and particularly of those who believe. - I Timothy 4:7-10 (NLT)
Our Worship Services Include...
Singing - Our singing is designed to be a heartfelt expression of praise to the God who created us and has recreated us in Christ. Songs that honor God and celebrate His goodness remind us that He is the source of our salvation and joy. We hope you will join with us as we speak to God in song.
Prayer - Our prayers often consist of adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and petition. We adore God and His majesty, we confess our wrong to Him, we thank Him for caring for us, and we ask or petition Him to help us and others who are in need.
Lord's Supper - Communion is a time for remembering the death of Jesus and for celebrating His resurrection from the dead. The bread represents His body, and the juice symbolizes His blood. Participating in the Lord's Supper allows us time to meditate on the cross and Jesus' sacrifice for us.
Giving - Giving at Riverside is a voluntary, free-will offering from our members to support our ministries. You are welcome to participate, but please do not feel obligated to do so.
Bible Study - Our messages and Bible classes are designed to build a bridge between contemporary life concerns and the Word of God, the Bible. We are committed to the Bible as God's communication to man concerning salvation, family life, relationships, business, and every dimension of human experience.
All are welcome at Riverside!
Whatever your age, marital status, race, or background, we would be honored to have you worship with us. Please let us know how we may help you by calling 972.462.8759, or send us an e-mail at Info@Riverside-church.org.