Joining soma Australia

Becoming part of Soma Australia means you won’t be isolated, you’ll be connected with pastors in your city and across Australia, as a kingdom learning community. We work with City to City Australia, to provide coaching and resources, run retreats, establish pastor cohorts.

You can join us in either of 2 ways – family or friend. 

  • Join the Soma Australia family of churches,
  • Or just be a friend – use our materials for free – join in where you can but without the deeper commitment of being family.

We’d love for you to join us. Please get in contact if you have any questions or would like to start the process. How do you join? What’s involved? What’s expected? Being in Soma Australia means you agree to three things:

Theology – City to City’s theological vision AND SOMA’S DISTINCTIVES

We agree with the City To City Theological Vision, and also, we have our own Soma Distinctives.

find out more

Ecclesiology – MISSIONAl communities

Our churches are organised around Missional Communities. Missional Communities are a small group of people (approx. 6-20) who worship and follow Jesus together – who give themselves to Jesus as the leader of their lives, and have deep relational community with each other, and are committed to the mission of God together in one form or another. We believe in forming these, inspiring these, and then serving these Missional Communities. Each Soma church is essentially a family of Missional Communities.

relational knit – intentional family

Joining Soma means you commit to being family with other Soma churches, especially in your area. This is essential. It’s what makes us Soma. Being Soma is not just a piece of paper, it’s your intentional ongoing relationship with other Soma churches. Soma is only what it is when we’re all choosing to be actively part of it. The strength of Soma is what you give to others, and what they give to you. When we work together to support each other to be better disciples and leaders, and to see the kingdom grow.

Expectations

  • Bring your team to the Soma Australia National Retreat each year.
  • Meet regularly with Soma churches in your city to pray.
  • Give financially to other Soma churches.
  • Work together to provide training as needed.
  • Overlap your church with other Soma churches by co-hosting events.
  • Promote/support City to City events.

Defining family further

  • We don’t want a relationship of authority. There is no bishop. This is not a denomination. There are no rights of appointment. We can’t toss you out of your job.
  • Leaders of Soma are only consultants – you invite them in if you want them to come and train or help or whatever.It won’t be forced on you.
  • But we can toss you out of the family (that’s the nature of any network – otherwise it’s meaningless).

tWo categories – 

Bearing in mind we want to create an open-hearted generosity.

Friends

  • Use our resources
  • Participate in conferences
  • Receive coaching
  • Participate in co-horts
  • Give to and support others

Family

  • As church plant or church
  • Committed to each other
  • Some expectations
  • Give money to our family
  • Voluntary financial commitment to other Soma churches
  • Be at meetings
  • Co-host things

Parts of Soma

  • Admin/Office – 9 Springwood Ave, Springwood NSW – Dave Miles and Annie Dedden
  • Annual Retreat
  • Resources that we have produced here in Australia
  • City or regional get-togethers – for support, training, etc.
  • Website, Facebook, newsletters
  • City to City incubator with Soma unit
  • City to City events

If you’re thinking of joining the Soma Australia family, we’ve got a process for that. We want to journey with you for a period first, to get to know you. Then out of that relationship we’ll move to a formal status. But it starts with relationship.

Let us know if you would like to officially join us, and we will send you information on the process and start building a relationship with you.

contact us