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City North Church

Our Values

Values are just words to some people. At City North, our values are everything. They are the guiding principles that drive every decision we make. They are the behaviors that define who we are. If you want to know what it’s like to be part of City North, our values tell that story.

Faith is our anchor

We trust God and obey Him, even when obedience feels risky, uncomfortable, or costly. Our confidence is not in our own wisdom, resources, or ability to control outcomes, but in the character and faithfulness of God.

Faith is foundational. Scripture consistently frames the central question of discipleship as one of trust—Do we believe God, and will we live as if He is trustworthy? We believe obedience is always the right response, even when results are uncertain.

What this guards against:

  • Fear-driven decision-making
  • Playing it safe instead of following God
  • Substituting strategy, control, or comfort for trust
  • Measuring faithfulness primarily by visible outcomes

When faith is our anchor, we are free to take obedient steps and leave the results with God.

https://citynorthchurch.squarespace.com/messages/2026/03/22/our-anchor

Authenticity is our posture

We choose to live honestly and openly, refusing to hide our struggles, failures, or weaknesses. Authenticity is a posture we choose so that nothing remains hidden in the dark.

We believe isolation is one of the enemy’s primary tactics. Scripture repeatedly shows that sin, shame, and deception thrive in darkness and isolation, while healing and freedom happen in the light and in community. When we choose authenticity, we break isolation, invite others in, and allow truth, prayer, and mutual support to do their work.

Authenticity leads to community, and community leads to healing. We do not fight alone.

What this guards against:

  • Isolation disguised as independence or strength
  • Performative Christianity and image management
  • Therapeutic honesty without real transformation
  • Suffering in silence while appearing spiritually healthy

Authenticity is how we step into the light together so that abundant life can take root.

https://citynorthchurch.squarespace.com/messages/2026/02/22/our-posture

Health is our priority

We prioritize the spiritual, emotional, and relational health of people and the church over speed, size, or visible success. Growth matters—but only healthy growth.

Churches often drift toward measuring success primarily by numbers, momentum, or impact. When that happens, people are quietly sacrificed on the altar of results. We believe this is neither faithful nor sustainable. Healthy people and healthy systems are how God does lasting work.

We are willing to slow down, say no, or change direction if something is unhealthy—even if it appears effective.

What this guards against:

  • Growth-at-all-costs leadership
  • Burnout of staff, leaders, and volunteers
  • Abusive, manipulative, or pressure-driven cultures
  • Confusing momentum with spiritual fruit

Health is not the enemy of mission; it is the soil that allows mission to endure.

https://citynorthchurch.squarespace.com/messages/2026/03/01/our-priority

Responsibility is our calling

To follow Jesus is to belong to one another. Community is not optional—it is the God-designed context for faith. Responsibility is our calling because we belong to the same body. This means we are not spectators or consumers—we are thoughtful, purposeful participants who carry weight together.

Any vision, strategy, or decision that undermines shared life, mutual care, or embodied community is out of bounds for us, no matter how effective it appears.

We do not define belonging by attendance or labels. We believe that serving, giving, and engaging relationally are not optional extras, but natural expressions of shared life. This is how families function: everyone contributes, everyone is needed, and responsibility is shared.

Responsibility is not coercion. It is a calling—an entrusted role we step into because we belong.

What this guards against:

  • Consumer Christianity and passivity
  • Treating church as a service provider
  • Outsourcing ministry to a few professionals
  • Belonging without contribution

When responsibility is our calling, the church functions as a living body, not an institution.

https://citynorthchurch.squarespace.com/messages/2026/03/08/our-calling

Our city is our burden

We carry a moral and spiritual responsibility for the people and places around us. The needs of our city matter to God, and therefore they matter to us.

This does not mean our primary focus shifts away from formation or health. Rather, a healthy, formed church naturally bears the weight of what happens beyond its walls. Love that follows Jesus does not stop at personal benefit or internal comfort.

Some forms of service are costly, difficult, and offer little visible return. We embrace them anyway—not because they are efficient, but because faithfulness often is not.

What this guards against:

  • Inward-facing church culture
  • Making decisions based on convenience or return
  • Cutting costly service because it is hard
  • Reducing discipleship to personal spirituality

The call to make disciples of the world is heavy. We do not avoid that weight—we carry it together.

https://citynorthchurch.squarespace.com/messages/2026/03/15/our-burden

 

Taken together, these values form a system:

  • Faith anchors us.
  • Authenticity keeps us in the light.
  • Health protects what is being formed.
  • Responsibility defines who we are together.
  • Burden sends us outward with weight and love.

This is not a checklist to admire, but a way of life we are committing to live. Over time, these values will continue to shape our decisions, our discipleship, and our culture as a church.

 Our Core Beliefs

What we believe is important, but not all of it is essential. These are the essentials – they are the truths that we cannot and will not waiver on.

 

God

God is the loving Creator of all that exists. He has no beginning and no end. His majesty is indescribable with the limitations of human language! God exists as the Trinity, in three persons, yet one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is not removed from our world. He deeply desires and relentlessly invites us into a relationship of faith, friendship, learning, and service with Him.

Genesis 1:1; John 14:6-9, 15-17 and John 16:7-15; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 John 4:9-10

Jesus

God expressed himself in human form through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, was crucified for the sins of us all, was buried, rose again from the dead, and ascended to heaven.

Colossians 1:13-23 and Colossians 2:8-14; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Matthew 22:36-40 ; John 14:1-3; Hebrews 1:1-3; Acts 10:42-43; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

The Holy Spirit

When Jesus ascended to heaven He sent the Holy Spirit to join us, fill us, and teach us to live Christ-centered lives. When you see a believer full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control, you know that the Holy Spirit is alive in them.

Acts 1:8; 2:4; Romans 5:5 and Romans 8; 1 Corinthians 12-14; Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 3:16, Ephesians 4:3-4, and Ephesians 5:18; John 14:26 and John 16:7-14

The Bible

The Bible is the living and active Word of God, it is truth personified. It is timeless, and it’s timely. It’s so old, and yet so fresh. There’s nothing else like it. If you think the Bible is boring then we challenge you to take a closer look at it with us. We believe that God speaks through the Bible, and it’s our constant endeavor to seek to understand His message and apply it to our lives. We hold the scripture in high esteem, and give our absolute best to presenting it passionately, clearly, and relevantly.

Matthew 5:17-19; 2 Timothy 2:15 and 2 Timothy 3:14-17; Hebrew 4:12; 2 Peter 1:16-21 and 2 Peter 3:14-18; Psalm 19:7-11 and Psalm 119:9-16; Joshua 1:7-8; Acts 17:11

Salvation

When Jesus walked the earth He made a very simple invitation, “Come follow me.” Today he makes the same invitation. The bad news is that because of our sin we are all in need of a savior. The great news is the work of Salvation was done when Jesus was crucified, buried, and rose from the dead. For those who accept it, His finished work on the cross saves us from eternal separation from Him. Our works don’t save us…the work is already done!

I Peter 2:24, 3:18; Romans 3:9-28, Romans 6:23, and Romans 10:9-10; John 3:16 and John 5:24; Ephesians 2:1-10; Titus 3:3-8; James 2:14-26

 Who We Are

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Our Pastor

 

Andrew Scholz is the founding and Lead Pastor of City North Church. He and his wife Vanessa, daughter Brooklyn, and son Mason, moved home to Sunbury in 2016 to pursue a God-sized dream to plant a new, life-giving church in Sunbury. After graduating from Big Walnut in 2004 he left, with no intention of ever coming back, and now he has no intention of ever leaving. He plans to give his life to this city, and to spend every day working to make Jesus famous here.

Andrew has a passion for seeing people who have been hurt and broken by the church find healing, because that’s his story. He knows how it feels to be angry with God, angry at the church, and angry with people. But he also knows how much God loves to take broken things and make them whole again.

You can usually find him spending time with his family, which now includes another son, Gavin, wallowing in misery as a die-hard Cincinnati Reds fan, woodworking, reading, playing basketball or golf, or eating at Eagles Pizza.

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 Our Leaders

City North Church is led by three leadership teams that share the responsibility of guiding all areas of City North. All these individuals have shown faith, maturity, and a genuine love for God’s people, and the kind of qualities Scripture points to in leaders being led by the Holy Spirit. And they have committed to being led by the Holy Spirit and working together to use the gifts God has given them to build up His church.

Board of Elders
Along with Pastor Andrew, these men and women oversee and care for the spiritual health of City North.

Directional Team
Along with Pastor Andrew, this team leads the day-to-day ministry of City North.

Board of Trustees
Along with Pastor Andrew, the Trustees oversee the business and financial life of City North.

Contact the Elders
Contact the Dt or trustees

Common Questions

  • We view Sunday morning as the time to bring your friends and family to hear about the life-giving love of Jesus. That means our Sundays are unapologetically focused on people who are not a part of our church yet. From the time you pull in our parking lot to when you leave you’ll know there are people who love you exactly the way you are.

    Each weekend at City North you’ll find a relaxed and friendly atmosphere with inspiring, fresh worship music and a practical, relevant messages. You’ll also find a printed outline for notes in your worship guide that will help you make the most of each week’s teaching. Children are well-cared for in a loving, quality nursery, preschool and fun-filled <a href="/city-north-kids" style="font-weight:bold;color:#2e819f;">City North Kids</a> experience. Most of all you’ll find a community of imperfect people pursuing a perfect God. You won’t have to put on a fake face, pretend you’re something you’re not, or feel judged, because we're all on the same journey together.</p>

  • Most of us wear jeans and t-shirts, but feel free to wear whatever you would like. We care far more about who you are than what you wear.

  • We have weekend services at 250 Rainbow Ave., Sunbury, OH 43074.

  • Your children are one of our top priorities. Every week we offer environments for all children from six weeks through fifth grade called City North Kids. Our promise to you is that your child will be safe, secure, and have a whole lot of fun! Every City North Kids team member is trained and background checked to ensure the safety and guarantee the security of your child. Take the morning off and breathe!

    For your students grades 6-12 we offer the opportunity to be the church right now, rather than the "church of tomorrow". We give students opportunities to serve in meaningful ways to fulfill their God-given purpose. Whether as a kids small group leader, a part of the band, a greeter, or any number of other teams, at City North your students won't have to wait to make a difference! We also have a student small group where students can build relationships with other students and adult group leaders .

  • It all starts with coming to a weekend service. We know that can be intimidating, but you can't meet people without, well, meeting people! At City North you'll find real people living a real life with real issues just like yours. Maybe that sounds crazy, but there are no perfect people allowed here.

    From there you can choose from a few next steps to get connected further. You can join a group. You can give Starting Point a try to learn more about who City North and what matters here. Or you can join a team and help reach more people with the life-giving message of Jesus.

  • Every Sunday you will experience a Biblical, challenging, applicable message that will help you grow, but the reality is life change happens best in the context of relationships. The best way for you to experience life-changing growth in your faith is in a small group.

  • We are a non-denominational church. We don't think there is anything wrong with a part of a denomination; it's just not who we are.