Shoreline launched in September 2015 to proclaim the gospel, build disciples, and serve southeastern Connecticut. Here’s a snapshot of our ministry:

What We Focus On

Expository & Christ-Centered Preaching - We believe that God has spoken powerfully, clearly, and lovingly to his people through his Word. So we devote our attention to it. Week by week we preach through books of the Bible, and aim to preach the message of the text, not our own thoughts and wisdom. In every sermon we seek to draw out the specifics of that day’s passage and to place it within the context of the Bible’s main storyline - the redemption of the world in the reconciling ministry of Jesus Christ. By preaching Christ regularly, we remind ourselves that we rely on him in all things.

Community Groups - God has ordained so much of the life of the Christian be done in community: He calls us a body and a family, the Church is called to build one another up in love, and the care that a loving fellowship of Christians provides is extremely valuable. For these reasons and more, our community groups are a major focus of our ministry. We meet weekly in groups of around a dozen adults for prayer, Bible study, and fellowship. (And kids are welcome!)

Evangelism - The gospel is good news and good news is meant to be shared! At Shoreline you’ll be equipped and encouraged to offer the best news the world has ever heard with those around you. To get started, check out some easy ways to get started in evangelism.

Developmental Service - As a young church, our ministry of service to our broader community is not yet fully mature. We are growing our plans to serve in ways that give people a “hand up, rather than a handout,” allow us to build relationships, and can naturally share the gospel. If you’d like to get involved, talk to a pastor today!

Some Hallmarks of Our Ministry

We believe that God uses the gospel to change lives. When it comes to life change, we believe that "God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance." (Rom 2:4) That means that when we call each other to forsake sin and to grow in holiness, we don't hand you a list of rules and then guilt, shame, and berate you to get you to comply. Instead, we dive deep into the grace of God that transforms us from the inside out so we learn to hate sin in the inner man and have wellsprings of life to comfort us in every storm. The Holy Spirit, love for Christ, and a delight in his word are what change our hearts. We call our congregation to a high moral standard, and we do it with joy.

We believe in meaningful membership. The Scriptures teach that the gathered congregation is finally responsible for the church’s gospel witness and ministry. Becoming a member of Shoreline isn’t like joining a club; it’s like belonging to a family with corresponding responsibility and blessings. Shoreline’s leaders aim to equip the whole congregation to build each other up, share the gospel, and steward the ministry of the whole church.

Elder-Led Congregational Governance - We understand the Scriptures to teach that elders are responsible to teach, care, and lead the congregation and that the congregation is the final authority, under Christ, for the major decisions of the church. The elders lead by stewarding the teaching ministries of the church. The elders also lead in “pointing the way” by normally setting the agenda for congregational meetings. The congregation takes responsibility for the direction of the church by voting to approve the path forward.