Romford Elim has a vision to build a relational church of believers motivated to fulfilling the commands of God both general and specific.

Vision Statement

“To build an army from the individual upwards that will carry out the universal and specific commands of God and usher in the promised blessing”.

The universal Commands

As revealed through the Scriptures

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.” (Matt 22:37-39)

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matt 28:18-20)

From these general commands we see 3 main objectives:

• Worship
• Fellowship
• Mission

The Specific Commands

As revealed to Romford Elim Church

“To build an army from the individual upwards based upon relationship.”

From these general and specific commands we are seeking to move forward in three dynamic directions:

• Relationship to God (worship)
  Relating to, and honoring God with our praise and lifestyle
• Relationship to each other (fellowship)
  Relating to and integrated into the body of Christ
• Relationship to the world (mission)
  Relating to, and winning unbelievers across all culture, class and creed

Motto

“For God, each other and the world”

Words

As a church we believe in the prophetic, and some key words of note have been given in the fellowship. The promise that blessing will come as we lift up Christ, the Bread of Life, He will draw people to Himself. As we unreservedly welcome the Holy Spirit, the river of God will flow in power and we will become fruitful as individuals and as a church releasing many wells of effective ministry.

Our desire as a church is to step into the God-given promise of blessing to the fellowship. An essential tool to help us achieve this is the structure of “Core Groups”. It’s a structure that seeks to draw people in from the fringes of church, into a deeper level of commitment and involvement. Attending on a Sunday morning will never achieve a real sense of belonging, people need to be involved.

There are five levels in the core group structure:

1. Crowd

Unbelievers, people who don’t know Christ as Lord. These are the ones that we are here for to go and make disciples of, to save them from a lost eternity, whether they be family, friends, neighbours, work or student colleagues

2. Congregation

All who attend the fellowship to any regularity. The key gathering of the congregation is 11am on a Sunday morning. As a congregation it is our responsibility to reach the crowd of unbelievers and draw them into relationship with God and into relationship with members of the congregation.

3. Cores

This is the heart of the structure and our goal is to get everyone in the congregation into at least one core group. People need to be in smaller groups where there is greater opportunity for more meaningful relationships to be developed, and a sense of belonging.

What is a core group?

Core groups are smaller groups of people from within the congregation that come together on a regular or semi regular basis. They can be spiritual groups, groups to fulfill a task or social groups. It is impossible to get to know people well in the larger congregation, but through smaller groups this becomes a real possibility. In a very real sense core groups form the cake of the church and the Sunday gatherings are the cherry on that cake. Core groups are where ministries are fostered, tasks carried out, care exercised, personal growth and leadership developed etc.

How are core groups started?

Groups are started where there is a need. For example if there is a need for a football team or a singles group and people gather to meet that need, this has the potential to be a core group. The group needs to know what its main purpose is so it can meet that aim. Once the idea has been ratified by the leadership and a leader appointed the group begins to function.

How can you join a core group?

Core groups are simple to join, just go along or contact a group leader or respond to an invitation. If you don’t feel you fit then try a different group until you find your niche.

How many core groups can you belong to?

As many as you like! For example if you belong to the Sunday school teaching team you can also belong to the over 55’s or the badminton core. Our goal is that every member of the congregation belongs to at least one core group.

Core Values

Each core group has a main purpose for existing whether to complete a task, Bible study, prayer, socialising etc. However, there are certain values as a church that we would like to see operating across each group. These key values are:

• Relating - we all need friendship and fellowship of a more intimate nature to be at home in a church. Church is family.
• Reaching - Cores are always seeking to embrace others, not to be a closed shop. Cores draw in people from the congregation and where applicable draw in those from the crowd of the unsaved.
• Caring - Cores exercise pastoral care for its members, picking up on the needs of its patrons, and seek to meet those needs.
• Sharing - Cores are a place where iron sharpens iron whether in formal teaching or informal conversation. There is also a sharing of lives and encouraging.
• Praying - Cores are a place of prayer, to bring each need before God whether formally or informally.

4. Core leaders

Through the core groups there is a greater opportunity for the development of leadership, the release of gifts and the development of ministries. More people will have the chance to flex their wings and be involved in the life of the church.

5. Eldership

The pastor and elders exercise oversight of the whole church and structure, seeking to envision and equip leaders so that they in turn do the same for those in their care.

In this way the body is built through relationships, elders to core leaders, core leaders to cores, cores to congregation and congregation to the crowd.