WHO WE ARE

Vision

We exist to know God and make Him known.

Our vision comes from the Great Commission, the enduring vision Jesus Christ gave to the church, to make disciples:

Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

Core Values

Building upon the doctrinal foundation of our church, there are some aspects of ministry that we hold dear and values which act as distinguishing features of our congregation. Those core values include:

PRAYER & WORSHIP

We seek to foster a culture of fervent prayer by teaching prayer and incorporating it into every aspect of church and family life so that it becomes our lifeblood. We believe in practicing worship as a lifestyle, not simply music. We encourage “family worship” for part of the service where all ages worship together for the edification of the entire church body before we part for age-targeted teaching times.

TEACHING

We practice expositional preaching of the Holy Bible, proclaiming a high view of God and His Word in all Southshore teaching. We teach a thoroughly biblical worldview so that children and adults can confidently share their faith and effectively engage an increasingly secular culture.

CHURCH LIFE

We practice biblical membership and accountability by entering into and abiding by a Membership Covenant. We adhere to biblical church discipline for the spiritual good of our members and the health of the church. We prioritize discipleship of people versus relying on a program-oriented model of ministry. We have instituted an elder-led, congregationally affirmed decision-making process that balances leadership with accountability.

SHEPHERDING

We practice intentional and direct shepherding through the shared leadership of Pastors and Elders. We nurture an intimate environment of biblical fellowship and hospitality, making compassion a habit by regularly meeting the physical and spiritual needs of those within and outside the church. We recognize the biblical value of families and labour to strengthen them. In response to the rampant ‘spiritual abdication’ seen among men in churches today, we are committed to the discipling of husbands and fathers, equipping them to take the lead in spiritual formation within the family as Scripture exhorts.

MISSIONS & EVANGELISM

We intentionally practise missions and evangelism through the Acts 1:8 principle—starting in Barrie with our immediate spheres of influence and then progressing to the ends of the earth. We desire to focus our resources on a few strategic partnerships and have the congregation take ownership in praying for and following the progress of those whom we support.

LEGACY

We endeavour to diligently teach God’s precepts to our children and remember those believers on whose shoulders we stand, acknowledging the heritage of faith they have left to us. To this end, we covenant together to establish a godly legacy in church and family that will bless a multitude and endure for generations to come.

History

In late 2009, a handful of families discerned that Barrie would benefit from the establishment of an additional evangelical church, with a focus on discipleship and meaningful community, where the Elders could know and effectively shepherd the congregation.

CHAPTER 1

In 2012, Jason Austin and his wife Laura agreed to relocate from Massachusetts, and pastor Southshore. Pastor Jason’s ministry experience as an Associate Pastor, his exemplary personal and family life, and being known to Southshore as a relative of a founding family, made him the perfect choice.

Southshore Bible Church formally launched on August 5, 2012, initially meeting in the Bob Rumball Home for the Deaf, and then relocating to Ecole la Source in October, where the church remained until moving to our current facility on Bryne Drive in 2017.

During this first chapter, the heart of the church was formed. Southshore grew as a community devoted in service and love for one another and committed to biblical instruction and spiritual growth.

CHAPTER 2

In 2016, Pastor Jason returned to the United States to assist his aging parents. Prior to his departure, Pastor Jason contacted Dr. Adam Brown and his wife Angie, who agreed to succeed him as the pastor of Southshore. Though deeply saddened to lose Pastor Jason and his beloved family, Southshore rejoiced greatly in God’s provision of a wonderful successor to lead Southshore in the next season.

During this second chapter, the bones of the church were put in place. Southshore matured in church doctrine, developed a ministry structure, and Adam and Angie led in discipleship of men and women.

CHAPTER 3

In 2019, Pastor Adam was released to prepare for God’s calling to minister at The Gulf Theological Seminary in Dubai, while pursuing a pastoral replacement. Through God’s continued faithfulness, in 2020 Dr. Jody Cross with his wife Alexandra began as Southshore’s third and present pastor.

In this third and ongoing chapter, with the heart and bones in place, the soul of Southshore is growing. The Elders, with Pastor Jody at the helm, safely nurtured the church through the years of the Covid pandemic, and are leading the church in this next season of growth in eager evangelism, earnest prayer, and heartfelt worship, as we turn our focus outward to our community.

AFFILIATION

Southshore Bible Church is affiliated with the Canadian National Baptist Convention (CNBC).

Who We Are