What Kind of a Church Are We?

Recently I had the chance to welcome our 2024-2025 Preschool parents during their start-of-the-year orientation.  And I thought that some of parents might be wondering what kind of a church we are.  After all, there are all kinds of churches—larger-smaller, older-newer, this denomination and that, etc.

So what makes Goshen Goshen?  Maybe you’re asking that question too.  Well, there are a lot of good answers—but I only had a couple minutes, so I made five quick points.  Goshen is…

1. Bible-based.  We recognize the Bible as the divinely inspired, authoritative, truthful Word of God.  Our job is not to bend Scripture to fit in with contemporary trends and tastes, but to receive it as timeless, life-transforming truth:  God has spoken.
2. Christ-centered.  Together with our first parents (see Genesis 3), we have defied God and worshipped ourselves—leaving us lost and condemned.  But amazingly, God came after us:  in his Son, Jesus Christ, the Lord is ready to save us from ourselves.
3. Gospel-focused.  The church is not a self-help project; we’re not here to tell everyone to “shape up!”  Rather, we announce great news that help from Another is available:  forgiveness of sin and the eternal embrace as God’s beloved children.
4. Heavenly-minded.  Although we do seek to love and care for people here and now, Goshen is not a social service agency.  Nothing is more important to us than helping people receive the gift of eternal life by putting their faith in Jesus!  This world is just the prelude; the everlasting song is yet to come.
5. Family-oriented.  We love families and have always emph­asized ministries to children, teens and parents.  And yet, we’re eager to serve people in every life situation, whether married    or single, older or younger, spiritually devout or still searching.  You see, we are a church family … where you can belong!