BELIEFS
ConnectingPoint is a multi-ethnic church that is deeply committed to Jesus. When you visit you'll meet people speaking in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Chinese. Our passion is to engage every aspect of our lives with God within the neighborhoods in which we live. We believe that God has mercifully reconciled us to Him, and that we are called to be agents of that reconciliation and mercy to the world.
At the center of our faith is the redemptive work Jesus did for us by dying on the cross for the sins of all human beings and rising from the dead in victory over sin, death and Satan. This is called the Gospel (good news). We believe that Jesus came to save all people (John 3:16). And God freely offers his grace and forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ.
ConnectingPoint is a community where people are loved and feel accepted, even if you have questions and doubts. It is a place where someone will always greet you and make you feel welcomed. It is a place where you can experience community and learn more about God in your own time, at your own pace without pressure.
The earliest Spirit-filled Christians shared a common faith that cut across languages, ethnicity and continents. The words of the Apostles' Creed summarize our beliefs.
I believe in God, the Father Almighty
maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
and born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,the holy Christian church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
In our community we are shaped by the Bible's story of redemption. We believe the Bible to be the reliable, authoritative and sufficient word of God, and are therefore committed to good Bible learning with practical application to life.
We don't believe in walking it alone, or being theological lone rangers. We accept the Biblical truths that inspired the reformation of the Christian Church in the 16th century and led to a renewed focus on the Gospel (Ephesians 2:8-9). We walk together with over 6,000 other Christian congregations across the country in a church body known as the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. For an overview of our beliefs please click here.
We like start new churches too. We are also facilitating a movement of church plants and existing churches through FiveTwo.
JESUS IS THE HEAD
Jesus is the head of the church with everything falling under His authority (Colossians 1:18). Jesus calls qualified men and women to serve Him and love our neighbors so that everyone can experience the good news of God's grace.
PASTOR
Our pastor is Eric Sahlberg. He is married to Amy (shown below). They have three school-aged children. Eric and Amy grew up in New England, but have also lived around the United States (Chicago, Tempe and Saint Louis).
He has a Masters of Divinity degree from Concordia Seminary in Saint Louis, Missouri. In Saint Louis, Eric was on a church planting team to start a new multi-site church in Illinois. He coauthored a national featured article on restoring broken relationships and other articles such as Gospel Seeds Culture and the Gospel.
Prior to attending the seminary, Eric was self employed as a business consultant. He traveled around North America and Europe working on projects for companies such as Cisco Systems, Bobcat and Schneider Logistics. He has a Masters degree from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University.
LEADERSHIP
ConnectingPoint is led by a team of leaders who faithfully serve the church. This leadership team champions the theological faithfulness and pastoral concerns of ConnectingPoint. This team consists of qualified men and women who guide the right stewardship of financial, material and human resources toward the mission of the church. The steering team meets on the third Mondays of the month.
COMMUNITY CHURCHES
We want to start more Christian churches scattered across the suburbs and cities of Middlesex and Worcester county where people live and work. These community churches are places where people can grow in faith in Jesus, make friends and serve their local community.
How do we do that?
Disciples. We're focused on making disciples of Jesus who can make disciples who can make disciples.
Missional Leaders. Someone who mobilizes God's people to join His redemptive work in the world.
Missional Communities. We are a church that starts missional communities so other people can hear the Gospel and come to faith in Jesus. Each congregation will be made up of multiple Missional Communities. These MC's are mid-sized groups of 20-40 people and serve as the primary place where Christian community is experienced. Meeting weekly or every other week participants gather in their borough to share a meal, meet their neighbors, grow in their faith, share the Gospel and make disciples. Each MC has a leader who helps organize the gatherings and ensure that things like pastoral care takes place when needed and that the community is truly being served.
New Churches. As disciples are made and new Missional Communities grow and multiply within a geographic region then new congregations will be birthed. These new congregations will worship weekly on its own as well as have it's own staff and unique community ministries.
In order to do this we will have to gather and scatter.
Gathering: An attractional approach (draw people into the church to hear the gospel, find fellowship and build them up as disciples) (diamonds = worship gatherings)
Scattering: Missional/incarnational approach (sending our people out into the lives of others directly to witness and grow as disciples) (circles = missional communities are a group of people who are called to serve a particular network of people or neighborhood with the Gospel. There are Bible studies, fellowship and bless others in neighborhoods (i.e. French Hill, Fort Meadow, Fayville) or networks of people (i.e. runners, Haitian immigrants, really smart people who like to make robots, women who like to quilt, youth football, etc.)
Intentionality: If we’re going to have a successful launch of lots and lots of missional communities, every leader has to have a vision for personal ministry.
Leaders: We will also need more leaders to create more circles. If Jesus is calling you to lead in someway let us know so we can help you.
Our pastor is Eric Sahlberg. He is married to Amy (shown below). They have three school-aged children. Eric and Amy grew up in New England, but have also lived around the United States (Chicago, Tempe and Saint Louis).
Prior to attending the seminary, Eric was self employed as a business consultant. He traveled around North America and Europe working on projects for companies such as Cisco Systems, Bobcat and Schneider Logistics. He has a Masters degree from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University.
LEADERSHIP
ConnectingPoint is led by a team of leaders who faithfully serve the church. This leadership team champions the theological faithfulness and pastoral concerns of ConnectingPoint. This team consists of qualified men and women who guide the right stewardship of financial, material and human resources toward the mission of the church. The steering team meets on the third Mondays of the month.
The group is open to others joining in as new leaders emerge. Feel free to join us.In the Fall 2009 we started with a handful of people. Today about 80 people call ConnectingPoint their church home.
COMMUNITY CHURCHES
We want to start more Christian churches scattered across the suburbs and cities of Middlesex and Worcester county where people live and work. These community churches are places where people can grow in faith in Jesus, make friends and serve their local community.
How do we do that?
Prayer > Disciples > Missional Leaders > Missional Communities > New ChurchesPrayer. Amazing things happen when's God's people pray. Every leader in the Bible prayed — Moses, Joshua, David and numerous others. The Apostle Paul reminded the Christians of Philippi to, “not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6 ESV). We continue to rely upon the Holy Spirit to prayerfully intercede on our behalf for Gospel proclamation in New England.
Disciples. We're focused on making disciples of Jesus who can make disciples who can make disciples.
Missional Leaders. Someone who mobilizes God's people to join His redemptive work in the world.
Missional Communities. We are a church that starts missional communities so other people can hear the Gospel and come to faith in Jesus. Each congregation will be made up of multiple Missional Communities. These MC's are mid-sized groups of 20-40 people and serve as the primary place where Christian community is experienced. Meeting weekly or every other week participants gather in their borough to share a meal, meet their neighbors, grow in their faith, share the Gospel and make disciples. Each MC has a leader who helps organize the gatherings and ensure that things like pastoral care takes place when needed and that the community is truly being served.
New Churches. As disciples are made and new Missional Communities grow and multiply within a geographic region then new congregations will be birthed. These new congregations will worship weekly on its own as well as have it's own staff and unique community ministries.
In order to do this we will have to gather and scatter.
Gathering: An attractional approach (draw people into the church to hear the gospel, find fellowship and build them up as disciples) (diamonds = worship gatherings)
Scattering: Missional/incarnational approach (sending our people out into the lives of others directly to witness and grow as disciples) (circles = missional communities are a group of people who are called to serve a particular network of people or neighborhood with the Gospel. There are Bible studies, fellowship and bless others in neighborhoods (i.e. French Hill, Fort Meadow, Fayville) or networks of people (i.e. runners, Haitian immigrants, really smart people who like to make robots, women who like to quilt, youth football, etc.)
Intentionality: If we’re going to have a successful launch of lots and lots of missional communities, every leader has to have a vision for personal ministry.
- What is Jesus saying to you?
- What are you going to do about it?
- Who can come on board to help you?
Leaders: We will also need more leaders to create more circles. If Jesus is calling you to lead in someway let us know so we can help you.
