Connecting People to God, Growth, and Ministry Church Vision and Strategic Plan 3 Year Outlook Sunday, November 18, 2012
Values God s Word - We believe the Bible is God s Word; we cherish it, study it, and build our lives and eternal future on its truth. Gospel We believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only true answer for the individual and the world; and that salvation is the free gift of God to all who believe and receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Worship We believe worship is our active response (spiritually, emotionally, physically, and mentally) to the Person of God, recognizing His character and His absolute worth. We worship corporately on Sunday morning and through everything we do in our individual lives. Through worship, we create an atmosphere for believers to connect to God, and for non-believers to observe and be drawn through both curiosity and the Spirit. Worship is not an elective, but is a priority in the life of a serious follower of Jesus Christ. Discipleship We believe that beyond the sanctuary, discipleship best occurs in an authentic community of small groups where teaching, prayer, caring community, service, missional outreach and accountability are fostered. Ministry We serve God and our fellow human beings by being missional both inside and outside the church, spreading the Gospel both locally and globally in word and in deed. Outreach - We believe it is the duty of every church of Jesus Christ to endeavor to make disciples of all nations. It is the duty of every child of God to constantly seek to win the lost, disciple the saved by a verbal witness undergirded by a Christian lifestyle, and by other methods in harmony with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 1
Relevance We seek to be inviting, welcoming, culturally engaging, innovative in method, and full of grace and truth in order to best win the lost and disciple the saved - all while being true to God s Word. Excellence We strive to give God our best by doing everything we do as unto the Lord, with the highest degree of integrity and excellence. Unity We value unity in diversity, run hard after love and understanding, work as a team, and follow leadership as outlined in God s Word. Mission We transform lives by connecting people to God, Growth, and Ministry. Connect to God Salvation Baptism Worship Connect to Growth Membership Connect Group Accountability Connect to Ministry Service Missions Outreach 2
Vision I. The WHAT of Our Vision Our vision is to Fill God s House with People and Connect Them to God, Growth, and Ministry. IV. The HOW of Our Vision 1. Reaching 1 through a... a. Reach Group b. or Personal Outreach per Year 2. Attending 1 Worship Service per Week III. The WHO of Our Vision every Member accountable For... 3. Attending 1 Connect Group per Week 4. Serving for 1 Hour per Week Inside the Church 5. Supporting 1 Church Sponsored mission Effort Per Year II. The WHY of Our Vision 1. For God s Glory 2. Because We Love God 3. Because We Love People 4. Because Jesus Commanded Us to Do So And the master said to the slave, Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled. -Luke 14:23 3
Goals, Strategies and Objectives Summary Goal 1 Continue Corporate Prayer as a Foundational Element in Our Vision Strategy Champion 1. Pastor Led Seasons of Prayer for God s Pastor Jay Dennis Anointing on our Plans, Personnel, People and Place Objective 1. Three to four corporate prayer times per year to support our vision Goal 2 Create a Corporate Worship Atmosphere and Experience Designed to Most Effectively Connect People to God Strategy Champion 1. Go Identical Service Gateway/Hillsong Pastor Danny Daniels Hybrid at 9:30 and 11:00 2. Go Big Choir and Orchestra Pastor Danny Daniels Traditional Hybrid at 8:00 3. Lead the Church on an Ongoing Pastor Jay Dennis Basis to Remove Barriers to Generous Giving and Move Forward on the Generosity Scale 4. Make our First Impressions Ministry Pastor Mark Bedwell the Absolute Best in the Area Objective 1. Steady rise in Sunday worship attendance from 3,000 to 6,000 2. Steady rise in the number of giving households and in total general church offerings 3. Steady rise in the number of total church baptisms 4
Goal 3 Focus around Connect Groups as the Essential and Central Ministry in Connecting People to God, Growth and Ministry Strategy Champion 1. Build a Small Church within Big Pastor Darrin Brown Church, New Testament Church Practice based Connect Group Ministry 2. Make Connect Groups the Church Pastor Mark Bedwell Inreach and Outreach Growth Driver - Each Connect Group Member REACHING ONE person per year 3. Go Church, Community and Pastor David Trivette Worldwide Missional Through Connect Groups - Each Connect Group Member SERVING inside the church for ONE HOUR per week and SUPPORTING ONE Church Sponsored MISSION outside the Church 4. Raise the Connect Group Pastor Terryl Delaney Accountability Bar - Measure Around and Hold Connect Groups Accountable to the New Testament Church Practices 5. Raise the Individual Member Pastor Terryl Delaney Accountability Bar - Measure Around and Hold One Another Accountable to the 9 Connection Points 6. Build a Thriving Connect Group Pastor Darrin Brown based College and Career, and Singles Ministry 5
Objective 1. Steady rise in adult Connect Group attendance from 1,250 to 2,500 2. Commission 100+ Reach Groups annually through adult Connect Groups 3. 90% of adult Connect Group members SERVING ONE HOUR inside the church 4. 90% of adult Connect Group members SUPPORTING ONE local or global MISSIONS effort 5. Rising scores on Individual Member and Connect Group Accountability Assessments Goal 4 Simplify, Align and Focus Ministries and Programs to Support our Goals and Strategies - and Thus Achieve our Vision Strategy Champion 1. Advance the Excellence of our Pastor Terryl Delaney Preschool, Children s and Student Ministries 2. Build a Community Needs-Driven Trena Mewborn Support Group and Counseling Ministry that Effectively Connects People to God, Growth and Ministry 3. Centralize the Men s Ministry under the Pastor and the Women s Ministry under the First Lady 4. Transform Adult Wednesday Nights into the Equipping and Ministering Time to Support our Mission, Vision and Strategies 5. Evaluate the Need, and If Indicated, Walk Prayerfully and Methodically Toward the Planning and Construction of a Christian Life Center 6 Pastor Jay and Angie Dennis Pastor Terryl Delaney Pastor Steven Davis
6. Leverage Internet and Social Media Ryan Choate Technology, and Consider Mass Media Advertising to Support our Mission and Vision 7. Stop Doing and Say No to that Pastor Steve Davis which Diverts Energy, Time, and Resources Away from our Mission, Vision, and Strategies Objective 1. Rising Connect Group attendance and baptisms in the Preschool, Children s and Student Ministries 2. 12+ commissioned Support Groups with effective counseling that Connects People to God, Growth, and Ministry. 3. Complete an in-depth Needs Assessment for a potential Family Life Center by the end of 2013 7
Connecting People to God, Growth, and Ministry Connect Group Organizational Chart Associate Pastor Discipleship Terryl Delaney Adult Connect Group Minister Darrin Brown Staff Connect Group NT Practice Support Teaching Terryl Delaney Prayer Beth Miller Care Group Jerry Goodell Outreach Mark Bedwell Service & Missions David Trivette Connect Group Director Secretary Lead Teacher Prayer Coordinator Care Group Coordinator Social Coordinator Outreach Coordinator Service & Missions Coordinator Team Teachers Prayer Team Care Group Leaders Assistants Reach Group Leaders Assistants 8
Connecting People to God, Growth, and Ministry Connect Group Accountability Name: Date: Connect Group: In regards to your Connect Group, rate each item below from 1 to 5. 1=never, 2=seldom, 3=sometimes, 4=regularly, 5=always Teach We transformationally teach God s Word using an approved curriculum. Pray We share and fervently pray individually and collectively for church, group and individual requests. Care We have a genuine caring community of members and practice the warm inclusion of visitors. Outreach We steadily grow our group in number through Reach Groups or Personal based outreach. Missions We support as a group one church sponsored local or global missions effort through Praying, Giving or Going. Socialize We have and enjoy regular social events that encourage fellowship and community. Reproduce We are committed, as our group size approaches 60, to plant a new Connect Group. 9
Name: Connecting People to God, Growth, and Ministry Member Accountability Connection Points CONNECT TO GOD 1. Salvation I have made a personal decision to receive Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord. Approximate Date and Place: 2. Baptism I have been baptized by immersion after receiving Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord. Approximate Date: 3. Worship I attend one worship service in the sanctuary per week and respond as God leads during the invitation. Circle One: 8:00am 9:30am 11:00am I give financially as part of my worship of God and am best described as a... Circle One: Non-Giver First Time Giver Regular Giver Proportional Giver (Tither) Generous Giver (Beyond the Tithe) Date: CONNECT TO GROWTH 4. Membership I have completed the New Member s Connection Class and am a member of the church. Approximate Date Joined: 5. Connect Group I have joined and attend one Connect Group per week. Connect Group Name: 6. Accountability I am committed to being accountable to these Connection Points AND to a same-gender accountability partner. CONNECT TO MINISTRY 7. Service I SERVE Christ for ONE HOUR per week inside the church. Area of Service: 8. Missions I SUPPORT ONE church sponsored local or global MISSIONS effort this year by Praying, Giving or Going. Circle One: I Pray I Give I Go Missions Effort: 9. Outreach I have REACHED ONE PERSON this year and connected them to God, Growth and Ministry. Person s Name: 10
Connecting People to God, Growth, and Ministry churchatthemall.com (863) 682-0163 1010 E Memorial Blvd Lakeland, Fl 33801 Like us on Facebook @churchatthemall