We believe a core part of following Jesus is learning from Jesus. Jesus started his ministry by calling followers to a particular way of life. Jesus ended his ministry by commissioning these followers to make more followers. So, our "why" is following Jesus or discipleship. And we believe this "why" drives everything we do. Each ministry and every component of the Highland Oaks Church flows through this question: "Is this helping us to love, grow, and send disciples?" Want to know more about our "why?" Come and hear the "why: each time we gather and learn for yourself "why" the Highland Oaks family is passionate about loving, growing, and sending disciples.

The earliest disciples of Jesus didn't just "know" about discipleship, they "practiced" discipleship by taking up particular rhythms. Disciples of Jesus don't just have a "why" for discipleship but they have a "how" for practicing discipleship. At Highland Oaks our "how" is best understood by an acronym coming from a core symbol of discipleship. The symbol is a table because we believe Jesus did some of his best and most radical discipleship training around meals and the relationships forged through "table discipleship." So, the "how" or practices of table discipleship are:
T: Training or the practice of weekly and seasonal rhythms that teach us the way of Jesus
A: Assisting or the invitation to love our neighbors by meeting their real needs
B: Blessing or the pronouncement of belovedness on anyone bearing the image of God
L: Listening or the awareness of the Holy Spirit at work when disciples intentionally notice how God is at work in the world
E: Eating or the time disciples take to connect relationally with others through a shared safe space

Much like our vision, the "who" is the type of people we are becoming. Highland Oaks does not exist to entertain an audience or produce events to consume. We exist to become a "Refuge" church. Throughout the story of scripture, in the ministry of Jesus, and in the life of the earliest disciples, there is a vision for anyone to feel safe, included, and incorporated into the life of the people of God. At Highland Oak we feel the Holy Spirit has uniquely equipped us to be a place of refuge immersed in love. This is why when you visit Highland Oaks we believe you will find growing racial diversity, a safe space for the "un-churched" and "over-churched," a place that welcomes questions, doubts, and curiosities, and worship that honors sound teaching, a variety of generational voices, and communion open to all who claim the lordship of Jesus. We want to be a refuge for any and all disciples who are seeking an authentic expression of the Jesus way of life.