Beyond the walls

In early 2019 a group of men whose lives had been deeply affected by the ministry of The Porch came together with a vision to enhance and expand the scope of that ministry. A non-profit corporation called The Porch Ministries was formed, with a board of directors to oversee its affairs. This board formulated a plan for ministry to not only continue in the house, but to expand well beyond the walls of the home in Corryton, Tennessee.


We have come to recognize that the mission of The Porch has two primary streams: within the walls of our houses, we are a young men's discipleship ministry called to raise up mighty sons of God; outside those walls, we are a Kingdom mobilization ministry called to partner with and support multiple churches, ministries and missions across the Body of Christ. The Porch Ministries has a fivefold model to carry out our mission. Our structure flows from the five ministry gifts of Christ outlined in Ephesians 4:11, the five core values of The Porch, and five core tenets of the Christian faith. 

5 ministry gifts

Apostolic 

At The Porch we want to be at the ground level of furthering the mission of the Church by preparing young men to be ambassadors for the Kingdom. We do this primarily through in-depth Bible studies, and by creating a culture of discipleship to help people identify their specific gifts and callings. We carry a passionate desire to see unity in the Church, and as such we are committed to helping mobilize the Kingdom by partnering with other ministries, missions and churches.

 

Prophetic 

We believe fully in the exhortation of the Apostle Paul, who told us in 1 Corinthians 14 to "Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts, and especially that you may prophesy." We seek to do this by providing spaces for and facilitating prayer and worship gatherings that serve as a safe environment for cultivating prophetic ministry.

 

Pastoral

This ministry gift given to us by the Lord Jesus is expressed at The Porch by acquiring and providing facilities for residential discipleship of young men. While we are not a recovery ministry, The Porch has welcomed young men from diverse backgrounds, including some who have struggled with addictive and self-destructive behaviors. Our heartbeat is simply to create authentic and dynamic Christian community.

 

Teaching  

Everything we do at The Porch is built upon the solid foundation of the Word of God. By honoring the authority of Scripture and teaching the whole counsel of God, we purpose to foster a Great Commission culture by training disciples who make disciples.

 

Evangelistic

We recognize our authority and responsibility as carriers of the Good News of Jesus, and as a Great Commission ministry, one of our distinct purposes at The Porch is helping young adults recognize a call to missions, and preparing them to enter training for the mission field. We also provide financial support to missionaries and missions organizations.

5 core values

Kingdom

We believe the Kingdom of Heaven is being made manifest in our midst by the presence of the Holy Spirit in the people of God. We believe wholeheartedly in the values, mindset, and purposes of that Kingdom, and it is our heartbeat to demonstrate them through the men we disciple.


Presence

We recognize that The Porch is an effective ministry only because the Presence of God is stewarded there. We believe the value of our ministry house and campus lies in the fact that those who come here are entering a space where they can and will encounter the Lord.


Sonship

Our first and most important calling is to raise up sons of God. We are committed to keeping this as our central purpose and reason for ministry. We believe teaching young men to know and walk in their identity as sons is the most important component to discipleship.


Family

Recognizing our sonship is due to our adoption into the family of God, we live as a family within our house of ministry. We are committed to making The Porch an inviting space that makes those who come here feel welcome and those who live here feel at home.


Honor

We believe in the Biblical principle that honor creates access, and we foster a culture of honor at The Porch. Just as Elisha honored Elijah and received a double portion of his spirit, we believe that the anointing and mantle you honor is the one God will multiply in your life.

OUR CORE BELIEFS

The Porch is a Christian ministry governed by a Board of Directors and led according to the model of spiritual fatherhood. Based on the Biblical structure of eldership, The Porch is not affiliated with any particular church or denomination. As such, we espouse, believe and are founded upon these core tenets of the Christian faith:

 

1. The Trinity

We believe that there is one God who eternally exists as three Persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All three Persons are equal and eternal.


2. The Person of Jesus

We believe that Jesus is both fully God and fully human. He is God the Son and the man Christ Jesus; pre-existent with the Father and the Spirit, He is the Word made flesh, born of a virgin, baptized by John, crucified under Pontius Pilate, raised from the dead in all power and glory, and ascended to the right hand of the Father. He has always existed as God, and all things were created through him.


3. Salvation by Grace through Faith

We believe that every person is broken by sin and in need of salvation. We are saved by grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ.


4. The Inspiration, Infallibility and Authority of Scripture

We believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, infallible and without error in its original autographs, and is the supreme authority for all matters of life.


5. The Return of Jesus and the Resurrection of the Saints

We believe that Jesus will return bodily to the earth in order to set up his kingdom and judge the world. Those who have trusted Jesus for salvation will be resurrected unto eternal life in heaven, while others will be separated from the presence of God in a state of eternal judgment.