Ministries

Being involved at The Parks Church should not be the goal of our lives. But if we submit to King Jesus, we will seek after his Kingdom, which begins with God’s redeemed people in the Church. We need one another to grow in our faith. Alongside the relationships that organically form and our private spiritual disciplines, these ministries foster a community that practices whole-life discipleship.

Whole-life discipleship requires both hearing the Word of God and doing it, so ministries at TPC span this range. Some focus more on instruction and learning (hearing the Word) while others focus more on spiritual disciplines, fellowship, and practicing (doing the Word).

The most intimate context for Christian discipleship belongs to the family. The daily rhythms of the family profoundly shape the beliefs and desires of both parents and children. Ideally, parents are establishing households which seek God and his Kingdom not only in words but also in deeds and habits. However, this is not always an easy task; sincere Christian parents can still struggle!

Through our family ministries, we seek to strengthen parents for this unique task of discipleship and supplement their efforts. These ministries cannot replace family discipleship for parents who wish to see their children become independently dependent on God, but we believe that a family which fully integrates into the life of The Parks will be well supported to see this goal come to fruition.

Littles (ages 0-5)

TPC Littles exists to partner with parents in making disciples of our littlest ones. It’s never too early to introduce a little heart to the life-altering love of Jesus. Each Sunday in both services, babies and toddlers ages 0-5 will be looked after, prayed for, and led through a time of age-appropriate worship and biblical teaching.

Nursing mothers may access the family room on the balcony level (room 317) during either service without missing worship.

Bigs (grades K-6)

TPC Bigs exists to partner with parents in making disciples of our children. Each Sunday in both services, kids grades K-6th worship together by singing, playing games, and being taught from the same biblical text the adults learn in their service. Your kids will love this time!

We encourage parents to bring their elementary age children into the main service to worship as a family once a month. Our children are learning how to love Jesus by watching us love Jesus.

Students (grades 7-12)

TPC Students exists to see the Gospel transform students into world-changing followers of Jesus Christ. We gather weekly to worship God, dive into the Scriptures, and develop community. This is a time to celebrate what God has done, is doing, and what He will continue to do in our students’ lives.

Our student weekly gathering meets at TPC Commons on Wednesdays at 6:30pm.

Our Adult ministries exist to foster community and build whole-life disciples of Jesus Christ through gatherings and Bible studies throughout the year. Check the calendar to see any upcoming events or studies.

Ladies’ Ministry

The ladies ministry exists to build a community of disciple-making women who are satisfied in Jesus. Our yearly rhythm includes spring and fall Bible studies where we work line-by-line through a book of the Bible together. In the summer months we usually gather for a casual time of community and prayer. Each Fall brings around our Gather event where we get away for one evening to share dinner, worship, and listen to teaching in the Word. Interspersed throughout our calendar are smaller events.

Men’s Ministry

The men’s ministry strives to equip men to follow Jesus faithfully in all areas of their lives. We accomplish this through study of the Word, prayer, and accountability in the context of real, deep relationships with other men who have been transformed by the gospel. We have several weekly study groups as well as annual events, such as our men’s kick-off in the fall and yearly ski trip in January.

Marriage Ministry

The Marriage ministry regularly hosts retreats and outings and offers marital and pre-marital counseling. For more information, contact Mark Heinrich.

“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Colossians 1:9). Classes exist to live out this prayer: to broaden and deepen our understanding of God and his Word and for that reason fill an important (but not the only) role in our discipleship.

ROOTS Program

The ROOTS Program seeks to enrich TPC’s vision for discipleship by providing a biblically-rooted, Spirit-led environment for disciples of Christ to pursue the renewal of their mind through instruction, study, and discussion about God, his Word, and his world.

The ROOTS classes — Biblical Story, Christian Doctrine, and Living in the Kingdom — will meet on a rotating basis for 10-12 weeks each semester and are open to all women and men who desire to deepen their roots in their understanding of Christian faith and practice. The classes are designed to help move us past a simple familiarity with the Bible to a deep understanding of the things of God so that we can be his faithful witness in all areas of our lives.

Each class will incorporate outside readings and in-class discussions along with a focus on spiritual formation so that we would cultivate our minds, affections, and actions.

Baptism Class

Jesus calls all those whom he has saved and who call him Lord to be baptized. This is an essential step in being united to Christ and his Church.

Whether you're a Christian desiring to be baptized or you just want to learn more about the meaning of baptism, this class offers some basic instruction in the Christian faith. Because baptism is a profession of our faith, we want to ensure that we understand who God is, what his story for the world is, and how we fit into that story before entering the water.

The Baptism Class occurs twice a year, in the spring and fall.

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22). We desire to be doers of the word, so Praxis Groups comprise another critical aspect of discipleship by encouraging us to practice the way of Jesus with others.

Praxis Groups

Praxis Groups are our primary means of small group discipleship, but they aren’t your typical community groups.

Gathered in homes and around tables all over the city, Praxis Groups direct us to commune with God, seek his Kingdom, and practice the way of Jesus by encouraging spiritual growth, a sense of family, mutual care, service, and mission.

Besides committing to pursue the Lord together, group members commit to meet at least three times a month, twice all together and once with the men or women. (They are always encouraged to meet more frequently!) To join a group, first attend the Intro to Praxis class. See the calendar for the next class.

No matter what you do, where you are, or what stage of life you’re in, God’s people are called to embody the values of God’s Kingdom by serving the common good. It’s our mission to give glory to God in our everyday lives by demonstrating his goodness and grace in all that we do. While we do that as individuals, sometimes we have to work together as a community, filled with the Spirit of God to be a redemptive force against the brokenness of our culture. These Common Good Initiatives, led or supported by TPC, help to serve that end.

Visit the Initiatives page to learn more.