Our story. Our beliefs.

About Us

OUR MISSION & VISION

Our vision is to invite people into the greater story of God, where their lives are transformed by Jesus, shaped in community, and empowered for mission. We believe every story is ultimately connected to God’s story, but it is only through being formed by Jesus, alongside others, that we fully realize our place in His redemptive mission.

We are committed to living out this vision in St. Petersburg and the Tampa Bay Area by planting a church of house churches—one church with multiple expressions across the region. These communities will gather separately throughout the week to grow spiritually, share life, and go on mission together, and then come together on Sundays for a weekly Sunday gathering to celebrate Jesus and all that He is doing. House churches are the heart of our church, providing a space for intentional discipleship, authentic relationships, and missional living. Our hope is to see house churches planted in every neighborhood of Tampa Bay, where people can truly be a part of Jesus’ story and experience being formed by Him, in community, and for mission.

WE GATHER…

We are planting a “Church of House Churches” that gathers together to be formed by Jesus, in community, and for mission.

Church Together

We gather corporately to worship as one church and stay connected under one mission and vision. Launching regular Sunday Gatherings FEB. 9TH!

Church in Homes

We gather in smaller expressions of the church throughout the week known as house churches.    Launching regular Sunday services at the beginning of

Church on Mission

We gather to serve alongside of and support local and global ministry partners. We are currently developing partnerships to help us carry out our mission.

OUR VALUES

Biblically Pursuant

The Word of God serves as the driving force behind all our endeavors. It holds ultimate authority over the decisions we make as His church and guides us in their execution. As we strive to mirror the biblical expressions of church found in Scripture, we aim for this value to bind us together in our collective pursuit of Jesus.

Authentically Dependent

Our lives and ministry are grounded in a humble, genuine dependence on God, acknowledging our need for His strength, guidance, and provision in every area. Jesus reminds us, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). In embracing this dependence, we turn away from self-reliance and lean wholly on His wisdom, trusting in His ways over our own (Proverbs 3:5-6).

This value calls us to live in active surrender, fostering a community that looks first to God for strength, wisdom, and direction. By remaining authentically dependent, we create a culture of humility, where God’s presence is the source of our unity, effectiveness, and joy. Through this shared reliance, we build a church and a community that continually seeks Him, growing in faith and purpose together.

Hopefully Resilient

The unshakable hope in Christ’s promises serves as the anchor for our endurance. This hope sustains us through every trial, empowering us to face challenges with a joy that is grounded not in circumstances, but in the certainty of God’s steadfast faithfulness. As we walk in the strength and patience provided by the Holy Spirit, we seek to embody this resilience in every area of life, allowing it to knit us together as a community. In hopeful resilience, we find a shared strength that deepens our faith, bringing courage and peace as we pursue Jesus together.

 

other live on mission in everyday life.

Missionally Relational

Our mission is to live out and share the Gospel through intentional, accessible relationships that meet people where they are. Jesus reached people in relatable, engaging ways, connecting with others in their everyday contexts, and we follow His example. Whether we’re at work, cheering on our kids at a game, savoring coffee at a local café, or gathering with friends and family, we aim to embody the Gospel in every setting.

This value embodies purposeful, relational living on mission, making the Gospel accessible through our availability. We’re dedicated to being approachable and intentional, building meaningful connections that center on Christ. By living out the message of Jesus in every interaction, we strengthen our community and invite others into an authentic relationship with Him. Together, we strive to be a family that encourages and supports each other to live missionally in all areas of life.

Radical Generosity

Jesus taught that our love for one another is a defining mark of our discipleship (John 13:35). In our contemporary context, one powerful expression of love is through generosity. By freely giving our time, resources, and finances, we demonstrate a radical, unconditional love for others. Living generously becomes a lifestyle, driving us to seek out opportunities to serve and partner with our local community and beyond.

Furthermore, we approach our endeavors with strategic simplicity, constantly refining our systems to enhance our capacity for generosity. This intentional “reduce and refine” approach enables us, as a church, to extend our generosity even further.

Intentionally Story-Formed

At our core, we embrace the value of being Intentionally Story-Formed, recognizing the transformative power of narratives to shape lives and communities. We believe in purposefully weaving stories of faith, transformation, and redemption into the fabric of our church culture. By sharing testimonies of God’s grace and love, we not only connect and inspire individuals on their journey with Jesus but also foster a deeper sense of belonging and purpose within our community. Each story shared becomes a testament to God’s work among us, reminding us that we are part of a greater story and encouraging us to live out His mission with intentionality and hope.

A church is not a place, it’s a people

We have a home for you and your story.

  • A church where you can begin your spiritual journey.
  • A Freedom to learn how your story fits into God’s story, no matter what’s been written so far. 
  • A community where your family can grow together with other families.

When you get involved with House Churches, Corporate Worship, and Ministry Partnerships, you will learn how to trust God and gain the spiritual tools to put your faith into action. As you cultivate a healthy relationship with Jesus, your story will come alive within God’s greater story! 

OUR BELIEFS

The One True God

There is one, and only one, true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He is the Creator and Lord of all, existing eternally in three persons, never less and never more – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The Lord Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is fully God, existing eternally. Everything was created by Him and for Him. His incarnation took place in the womb of a virgin. He became man, but never sinned. He died a substitutionary death to atone for sin, resurrected bodily, and ascended into heaven where He remains fully God and fully man, and is presently ministering until He comes again.

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is fully God, existing eternally. He is a person, and was involved in Creation and the inspiration of Scripture. His works of convicting and regenerating are essential to the believer’s salvation. Believers are entitled to the benefit and joy of being filled and walking in the Spirit for empowerment in Christian life, service, and mission.

The Bible

The sixty-six books, and only these, known as the Old and New Testaments, are the written Word of God. God’s inspiration and superintendence of the writing of every word of the Bible guarantees that what was written is His Word and therefore authoritative, true, and without error in the original manuscripts. God preserves His Word, which is powerful and effective to accomplish His purpose of salvation among all nations. God’s Spirit illumines the minds of believers in every culture to understand and apply the unchanging truth of Scripture in fresh and relevant ways for the benefit of the whole Body of Christ.

Humanity

God created man and woman in His image. As a result, all people are bearers of that image. However, Adam’s subsequent sin resulted in a condition of spiritual death which all people since Adam have experienced, marring the beauty of God’s image in them in every facet of life. This condition of spiritual death has rendered all people unable to save themselves, and leads to physical death. Therefore, new birth is necessary for salvation.

Salvation

salvation brought by God is a complete and eternal salvation by His grace alone, received as the free gift of God through personal faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work, as He declares believers righteous in Him.

Church

There exists one true Church, which is called the Household of God, the Body of Christ, and the Temple of the Holy Spirit. It is comprised of all true disciples of Jesus Christ and is created by the action of the Holy Spirit. Tangible expressions of this true Church are found in local churches.

Christian Life

The believer is saved by faith alone. The faith that saves is expected to produce obedience and good works, which are the products of the indwelling Holy Spirit. The dimensions of biblical ethics are both individual and social, and extend to every facet of life. God faithfully continues to finish the work of sanctification, which He initiated in the life of each believer with the goal of Christlikeness.

Angels, Satan, Demons

God created a multitude of spiritual beings called “angels”. Righteous angels continue to serve God and work both in the heavenly sphere and on earth. By his disobedience, Satan, a fallen angel, became the adversary of God and God’s people, carrying with him a procession of demons. Jesus Christ has overcome Satan so that the final judgment and doom of Satan and his demons are certain.

Future Life

The dead will have a conscious existence in eternity and their bodies will be resurrected. Unbelievers, already under condemnation, will be sentenced to suffer eternal separation from God. Believers, already having been granted eternal life, will be judged and rewarded according to their works, and will experience a glorified, eternal existence in the presence of the Lord.

LEADERSHIP

Formation Church is working towards a leadership structure that consists of a group of Elders, a small central staff team, and house church pastors.

Church Planter

Wade Rininger
Lead Formation Pastor

Wade has been involved in pastoral minisrty and church planting for over 18 years in Pennsylvania, Canada, and Florida. He and his wife Anna have been married for 17 years and have 4 beautiful kids (Emery, Elliot, Elias, and Evaleen). Together, they have a passion to see new people come to know Jesus by helping to create communities that live out the call to be a family of missionaries. 

Provisional Elders

We have a few Elders providing accountability until we are able to establish our own local Elder Board.

Jordan Brown (Provisional)

Andrew Saunders (Provisional)

Wade Rininger

House Church Pastors

(In development) 

AFFILIATIONS

Formation Church is a part of the Charis Fellowship of Churches.

The church planting process is being guided by Assist Church Expansion, a National Organization of the Charis Fellowship.

We would love to connect with you!

Let us know if you are interested in attenidng a “pop up” worship gathering, checking out a house church, or learning how you can join the team.