Soma Life
If you're new or just checking out Jesus and Soma, you probably have lots of questions. We'd love to help answer them and explain how the gospel shapes our lives as a community.
We're all about family and mission, so the best way to dig deeper is to join a Missional Community--that's where you not just hear about these ideas but work them out in real life by God's grace. Our Missional Community leaders can walk you through all the Soma basics. Another great place to start is the one-hour Soma Life class we're doing about once a month after our gatherings. Check the calendar for the next Soma Life class.
This page is a supplement to conversations with a leader or the Soma Life class (but you can start here too). You'll find links to more info and media to help you see how the gospel of Jesus shapes Soma life.
What is the Gospel?
Our story, who we are, how we live... it's all about Jesus. By God's grace, we are learning as a family to allow who Jesus is and what he has accomplished on our behalf to saturate everything about us.
Even if you've heard it before, begin here with the gospel. You might be surprised. We hope Jesus (not us) takes your breath away.
- Download the What is the Gospel pdf...
- The Power of the Gospel (audio)
- The Purpose of the Gospel (audio)
Our Story
Learn how God's been building Soma and some of what he's taught us along the way.
- Check out Our Story... (Our Story also available as a pdf...)
- For more stories, check out each of the Rhythms from the homepage...
Identity & Rhythms
Who we are is because of Jesus and how we live in the everyday is because of Jesus. The letters in the New Testament show this pattern over and over: the gospel, our new identity because of the gospel and then how we should live in light of that.
- Learn more about Identity & Rhythms... (Identity & Rhythms info also available as a pdf...)
- Identity: Family & Learner (audio)
- Identity: Missionary & Servant (audio)
- Everday Gospel Rhythms Pt 1: Storyformed, Listen, Celebrate (audio)
- Everday Gospel Rhythms Pt 2: Bless, Eat, ReCreate (audio)
Missional Communities
The primary kind of group in Soma is the Missional Community. They live life together as a family on God's mission, seeing each other often and gathering together in homes at least weekly. For many, it's a radical shift to go from thinking church is something people merely attend to being the Church all the time.
- Learn more about Missional Communities... (Missional Communities info also available as a pdf...)
- Find a Missional Community near you on the MC Map...
- Check out a Sample Missional Community Covenant... (pdf)
- Hear many MCs describe their mission as we commission them... (audio)
- What is a Missional Community? (audio)
How Soma Grows
Soma, like any family, has many parts and is constantly changing and growing up, out and all over. We've been shaped by the ancient biblical ways of being the family of God on mission and by considering how we bring that to our modern contexts Terms like Missional Community and Expression and the forms of our family life require a little explaining...
- Download the How Soma Grows pdf...
- To learn more about Missional Communities, see above
- Check out our current Expressions...
- Learn about our Gatherings...
DNA Groups
A DNA Group usually consist of three people—men with men, women with women—who meet together weekly to be known and to bring the gospel to bear on each others lives so that they grow in and live out our Identity and Rhythms. DNA stands for Discipleship, Nurture and Accountability.
- Learn more about DNA Groups... (DNA Groups info also available as a pdf...)
- What is a DNA Group? (audio)
The City
The City is an amazing online tool that supports our communities. It's about real, not virtual, community and so is invite-only. Every group can share discussion, prayer requests, events, needs, and much more all for Jesus' fame in our neighborhoods. To join The City, ask your Missional Community leader to send you an email invitation or sign up at one of our gatherings.
Already on The City?
- Login at http://soma.onthecity.org
- Find tons quick videos and instructions in The City's Help Center.
Soma School
If you want to go much deeper than this overview, check out Soma School. It's a week-long immersion in our community for church planters from around the world. We teach the theological foundations of Soma and how we are bringing the gospel to bear on our context.
Other Resources
Some miscellaneous but useful info related to living in gospel-cetered communities on mission.
- Learn about preparing for marriage: Pre-Engagement
- Download the Soma Kids Volunteer Application and learn more about serving our kids...