SonLife Background
We are a new contemporary work in Jacksonville and the Kingdom of God. We stand upon the broad shoulders of wonderfully gifted and Godly men who have gone before us for over 200 years in the Presbyterian faith. We are a member of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian denomination, www.arpsynod.org.
In 1782 the Associate Presbyterians met with the Reformed Presbyterians (both from Scotland) in Philadelphia Pa, and decided they believed the same things concerning God and worship, and so our denomination and its “interesting” name was beginning to form. The ARP is the oldest Presbyterian denomination in America, celebrating our 200th anniversary in 2003. We are known for our unity and love for one another. We are Biblically conservative, believing in the inerrancy of God’s Holy Word and all that it teaches. Though our denomination was begun in southeastern United States, since its inception we have grown to about 35,000 members in about 270 churches across the country, including a presbytery (a regional group of churches) consisting of 19 South Korean churches in California. We also have a number of churches in Pakistan and Mexico!
SonLife is a member of the Florida Presbytery of the denomination, consisting of nineteen other churches mostly in central Florida. The closest ARP church to Jacksonville is probably in Orlando or Merritt Island! We are guided by no less than three “provisional elders” from other ARP churches, as well as our pastor.
SonLife is here as a result of God’s grace, as well as much prayer and sacrificial giving on the part of our denomination. Almost $300,000 was pledged by our denomination, presbytery, churches and individuals over the first three years to start SonLife Church. We have committed 10% of our congregational giving back to our denomination to support World Missions, Christian Education and New Churches just like us! We’re already helping other new churches start! We are considered a “mission church” until we become an “organized church”, meaning we’re “self-sustaining financially, and in leadership”, which we hope to be in 2011.
We are a “pro-life” church and denomination believing in the “right to life” of all people no matter their age, race, or health. We are involved in helping those with difficult pregnancies before and after birth, through Pregnancy Care ministries.
