PHILOSOPHY OF MINISTRY
We are radically focused on our mission at Providence. We evaluate everything we do on the basis of whether or not it helps or hinders us from making disciples. As a result, we have a very focused and simple philosophy of ministry. In line with our mission and our core values, we are focused on doing just a few things really well: Sunday worship, Intentional Relationships, Prayer, and living as missionaries to San Diego County all week long.

There is so much ministry and activity happening in and through our church, but it all flows from these Big Four. At Providence Church you will find friends meeting for coffee, people serving the disenfranchised, one-on-one discipleship meetings, people playing basketball together or praying together, parties and events, and so much more. But all of this is natural ministry and community—ministry that is not officially planned by church leadership, ministry that happens as an outflow of our four main things. From time to time we do special retreats, classes, seminars, and events as the elders see fit to supplement our disciple-making mission, but our focus remains on the four main things above. While our philosophy of ministry is important, what is most important (and will remain unchanged) is our vision, mission, values, and doctrine. We plan to remain focused on these four things for a very long time because we think itʼs the best way we can make disciples and uphold our core values in our context, yet we will also remain open to anything new God wants to show us about how we can best make disciples for the glory of God.

SUNDAYS
Every Sunday Providence Church gathers as a church family to worship God, experience community, grow in discipleship, love and build up one another, and be a gospel witness to San Diego. We expect everyone who calls Providence their church to make Sundays a priority—to plan and schedule life so as to be present on Sundays and to contribute to what takes place on Sundays. We think there are 3 acceptable reasons to miss a Sunday at Providence: 1) Vacation; 2) Sickness; or 3) A rare event that comes up that you feel God has called you to that requires you to miss a Sunday. Gathering on Sundays is what fuels you for a new week of ministry in our city. 

INTENTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS
In Acts 2:42-47, we see that church life extends far beyond formal gatherings.  So when you ask the question “how do I get involved at Providence?” We’ll likely answer it in a different way than some other churches would. We’re not going to pull out our organizational design hats and manufacture relationships for everyone—like requiring every member to be in a small group or by dividing up the church into parishes, for example. And we’re not going to pull out our “get involved formula” where we assign you to different church programs.  Instead, we’re going to tell you to invest in relationships.  How do you get involved?  Invest in relationships. We’re a relationship-based church—not a program-driven church. From what we’ve seen, the best way to cultivate long-term spiritual health is for you to invest in intentional, spiritual relationships. We want to cultivate a culture where it is normal for members to take initiative to build relationships with other members with the deliberate aim of doing them spiritual good.

PRAYER
As disciples of Jesus in a family together, we recognize that Jesus builds His church, and has called His people to be a people of prayer. We need to regularly remind ourselves that He is in control and we need regular fellowship with Him through corporate prayer. We will gather regularly for prayer, in commitment to a full reliance upon God’s grace. We join together for prayer on Thursday evenings, and at all of our small groups and we would love to have members come and participate.

MISSIONARY LIVING
We want everyone at Providence Church to see themselves as a missionary to San Diego. Most of our ministry happens during the week as construction workers, teachers, stay-at-home moms, carpenters, business leaders, college students, baristas, and entrepreneurs live out their vocations in their workplaces and neighborhoods with gospel intentionality, with a view towards making disciples for God’s glory.