On March 25, 2007, 150 spiritually hungry people gathered at Wea Ridge Elementary School on the southside of Lafayette, Indiana. The months since have been filled with two relocations, four baptisms, and some amazing spiritual growth. Currently about sixty people gather weekly at the Holiday Inn downtown to encounter God, learn from the Bible, and get inspired to put God first in their lives for another seven days.

Today, Southside Church is a vibrant fellowship meeting in people’s homes throughout the week and in The Long Center on Sunday mornings. Join us this week for your spiritual refueling.

who we are

we are a community committed to providing spiritual, practical, and emotional support to each other so that we can all identify and successfully take our next steps in life.

we want to do the same for you too.

see, that’s what JESUS said his family should be like, and we follow JESUS without shame.

as christians, we believe that JESUS is the perfect model for life, so our simple mission is to meet people at any point on their spiritual journey and lead them one step closer to JESUS.

as a result of this, we have four simple core values as a church.

our number one core value is GOD himself. we put GOD at the top of every list, and we let him speak for himself. if he says something in the bible, then we believe it and work to follow it. if he doesn’t say something in the bible then we tread with great caution and do not put words in his mouth that he hasn’t spoken.

more than all other things, we want to get in touch with our creator and experience the real presence of GOD in our lives every day, and we recognize his son JESUS, who died for us, as the only way to know him.

Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.” – Matthew 22:37-38

our second core value is community because we believe GOD has created us for healthy relationships.

as many coals keep a fire going and solitary coals go cold, we are committed to supporting one another as we all seek to get closer to GOD.

[Jesus:] “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” – John 13:34-35

thirdly, we value growth because we all have a next step to take.

since JESUS is our model for life, we strive every day to become more like him. we want to demonstrate his love for people, his patience with the weak, his opposition to the arrogant, and his power to change people’s lives for the better. we have a long way to go, so we value the process of growth.

And we … are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. – 2 Corinthians 3:18

our final core value is ministry which is communicated in the movie “pay it forward.”

we know that GOD has given each of us gifts, talents, and abilities, and that it is our responsibility to use them for the benefit of others. we put a lot of emphasis in helping people find fulfillment in life by serving others.

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. – 2 Corinthians 5:20a

not alone

by ourselves, none of us is able to perfectly see who we are and where we need to grow. by ourselves, we simply don’t have a clear picture of what our next steps might be. by ourselves, we also have no lasting impact on other people.

you can’t do it alone either. you must already know this or you wouldn’t be reading a church website. you already realize that you need people to help you take your next steps and reach your next level in life. that’s why JESUS made his promise that you will never have to be alone.

come and spend some time with us to see the incredible power of supportive, spiritual friendships.

pastor jeff

hi, i’m jeff mikels. i’m the pastor of southside church, but you don’t have to call me that. jeff will do just fine. i’m not stuck on traditionalistic ideas about church. i’m not interested in church politics and whatnot. i’m interested in you.

GOD has given me a passion to see people just like you find spiritual success. i’m not a magician, and i can’t conjure you a better life, but i know the one who created you and loves you more than anyone else ever could. i know JESUS wants to take you to new heights of life, love, and spiritual awareness.

i know that JESUS wants to infuse you with power unlike you have ever known, and i am undeniably sold out to seeing that come true in your life. if you are interested in taking your spiritual journey to the next level or even just seeing your everyday life get better, i will bend over backwards for you.

JESUS died for you. giving you my time is the least that i can do. call me whenever you need to talk 765-404-0807.

history

Southside Church is a story that is still being written, but it really began as a seed in the heart of Jeff way back in the summer of 1994 when his dad started a new church in Apple Valley, California.

Seeing those 40 hopeful people in his family’s living room made him think about the power of starting new churches.

fast forward about six years

During seminary days, Jeff had the opportunity to take a class in church planting and then to take on the role of worship leader in a newly forming church south of Denver, Colorado.

fast forward another six years

In January 2005, God made it pretty clear to Jeff and Jen that it was time for them to begin the adventure of church planting themselves. One year of preparation, prayer, fundraising, (and even some professional counseling!) later, and they moved to Lafayette.

Much more has been written and is currently being written on this site, on Jeff’s Blog and in the hearts of the people who already call Southside their church.

Of course, there is still much more to be written.