Prayer

It is easy to find ourselves following the lead of our culture’s mantra with taglines from advertisers that say: “Have it your way”, "We put you in the middle of fun", "We're gonna make you smile", "It's your thing", "You're the one who's number one". But Jesus had a radically different approach to living life when He prayed sincerely to God “Your Will Be Done.”

It is hard to resist these popular, self-centered pressures. So at Shiloh we intentionally follow the teaching of Christ. When he was asked “how do we pray?” he responded that we are to pray like this: “Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” When we focus on God’s will being done rather than our own, God enables our concerns and love for others to be greater so that we may actually do what Christ said, “consider others better than ourselves.”

Worship “At the heart of everything we do is the heart of God.” Worship is yet another language we use to direct our hearts to the heart of God. Acknowledging God requires more than listening to sermons or reading books. But getting near to the heart of God includes using the arts. At Shiloh we do this through the use of creative arts, whether it be music or drama. They are also used to build authentic relationships with God and with one another. The prophet Hosea expressed this idea with these words from God, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice, acknowledgement of God, not burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6:6)

We acknowledge that our society idolizes those who exhibit talent in the arts. Being mindful of this, we humble ourselves and strive for excellence to honor God.

“There is nothing in the Bible about people standing in front of others and entertaining them. Anytime you use the name of the Lord, you either minister or you don’t do it at all. So we are either trying to encourage you by singing . . . Or we’re trying to draw you into praising God with us because He’s the center of our attention.”—Pastor Jim Cymbala, The Brooklyn Tabernacle

Children We believe that children are a gift from God. We strive to love, care for, teach and encourage them to become followers of Jesus Christ. We desire that they discover, develop and use all that they are for a life that is pleasing to God. Our primary venues for engaging with children are on Sunday mornings during our Ignite! Classes, during our family- orientated worship services, and during the week through parent/child play-groups.

Our midweek meetings are designed to be fun, loving communities where friends are encouraged to attend and where practical life skills from the Bible are taught. Our Sunday morning Ignite! Groups are open to all, but they are more intimate. Ignite! focuses on supporting one another, and learning and applying the teaching of the Bible.

We also work with other local churches to connect Christian youth with one another and to reach out to those who have not yet been introduced to Christianity through special events, tutoring, mentoring and community service projects.

Bible Studies

The Psalmist prayed, “Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and light to my path.” Although the Bible is an ancient text, we believe that it also continues to provide practical daily guidance for us today. This is why we gather together in small groups of 3-10 people throughout the week to study and discuss the Scriptures so that we can live “life to the full” as God created us to live.

Hospitality Warm smiles of friendly greeters convey our desire that everyone who attends Shiloh feels welcomed. Once inside the smell of fresh brewed coffee, baked goods and the allure of fresh fruit beckon all to enjoy delicious snacks and feast on friendships that are a hallmark of our faith community. Every aspect of the Shiloh experience is supported by people who have a commitment to serving others by helping to make Sunday mornings memorable. Whether they are a greeter, involved in preparing and serving snacks, or setting up each room for comfortable use, each is dedicated to modeling a quality that is at the heart of Shiloh- Hospitality!

Media Technologies

During our times of worship we use a variety of audio and visual technologies to assist people in making a personal connection with God. We are satisfied when people remember their encounter with their Creator rather than the “bells and whistles” of technology. In other words, if we serve people well with our media then they likely will not be consciously aware of what we are doing behind the scenes.