Threshold Defined

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, this is the definition for Threshold:

1. an entrance or a doorway; 2. the point that must be exceeded to begin producing a given effect or result or to elicit a response: a low threshold of pain; 3. the place or point of beginning; the outset

Our church name, Threshold, was chosen very deliberately. We believe that everything we are and want to be is wrapped up in these three definitions. To make them easier to remember, we have shortened them as follows:

  1. a doorway
  2. a transition point
  3. a new beginning

These three meanings tie really well into the three things we emphasize at Threshold:

  1. worship
  2. cells
  3. service

If you can get your brain around these three things, understanding both Threshold and the Christian life is amazingly simple. While there are a million things a church can do, and a million more that you might do in your own personal Christian life, we major in just three. And while there is some sense of order to them, don’t think of them as things to be checked off on a list, but rather the three dimensions that must be included in a full Christian life.

I. A DOORWAY // WORSHIP

Think of Threshold as a doorway or an entry point into a relationship with God. For a lot of people, this relationship begins and is maintained through worship. Of course, our entire lives are supposed to be an act of worship, but at Threshold, we mean the Sunday morning worship experience. You can worship any and everywhere, but we can’t provide that for you. What we can provide, however, is a stimulating, creative, and authentic worship experience once a week at the Siskey YMCA. For most of us, that’s where our life in Christ - as a part of a church family - will begin. It’s our hope that this is a true doorway into a deeper relationship with the God who created you, who loves you, and who has a plan for your life. If you want to get plugged in at Threshold, start here.

II. A TRANSITION POINT // CELLS

One of our mantras at Threshold is this: God loves and accepts you just as you are, and so do we. But at the same time, God is not content to see you stay that way. Growth is a huge emphasis in the Christian life. Your Father wants you to become just like his Son, Jesus. Check this out: "Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." (Romans 12.2). Transformations - lifechanges - transition points - occur more often in small community with other Christ-followers than they do when we are alone. At Threshold, we call these transition-producing communities Cells.  A Cell is a group of people meeting intentionally and regularly for the purpose of becoming more like Jesus. They meet on any given day in any given place around any common interest. There are really no rules for cells, other than keeping God’s word in the center, and providing prayer and concern for one another. See the Cells section of our site if you're ready to explore the transitional life.

III. A NEW BEGINNING // SERVICE

When Jesus was asked the most important commandment, he said this: "Love the lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength... and love your neighbor as yourself." The desired outcome of a life of worship and growth is a life of service. God wants us to care for and serve other people. As we worship and grow, it should inevitably lead to a new beginning, a re-entry into the world with a new mindset: find people who need to be loved on and do it. The Bible reminds us: "Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning." (Lamentations 3.23). Every single day, because of his love for us, God gives us a new start, a new beginning, another opportunity to share him with the world in the places we live, work and play. As we do this, we open up doorways for others to come into a relationship with God, and Threshold comes full circle. If you are worshiping regularly, and growing to be like Christ in community, service to others rounds out the full Christian life. "So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith." (Galatians 6.9-10, paraphrased). 

Find a place to serve - both within Threshold and in the world where you live, work and play. Serve every chance you get, every day. It should be like your one-a-day vitamin.