our objectives: our goals: objective #1
OUR OBJECTIVES: To be a Praying Church: To instill in our congregation the "absolute" need to rely upon the promises of God and to trust in God's wisdom by developing an attitude, atmosphere and venue for corporate prayer and by encouraging each of our members to strengthen their relationship with God through constant and fervent private prayer. To be an Evangelistic Church: To encourage and enable constant growth (numerical and spiritual) among our membership which is consistent with the demographics of our community. To be a church with Inspiring Worship: To lead our congregation in corporate worship which inspires (horizontal) and glorifies (vertical); to develop individual worship in our members which becomes a "lifestyle,” and not an "event." To be a Church with Expanding Outreach: To plant churches in the Rio Grande Valley and northern Mexico with a sense of urgency as God empowers and enables us to do so. To be a church that is effective in Training: To develop and maintain an effective curriculum and training program. To be a church that loves Fellowship: To create and maintain an atmosphere of brotherly love, concern and active participation which encourages our members (1) to "know" one another better, (2) to spend more time in worship, service and recreation together, and (3) to lead outsiders to Christ through friendliness, generosity and the opportunity to "belong. " To be a Sharing church. To teach and encourage a habit of giving and sharing in one another which is motivated by the example of God in Christ.
OUR GOALS: OBJECTIVE #1: To be a Praying Church: To instill in our congregation the "absolute" need to rely upon the promises of God and to trust in God's wisdom by developing an attitude, atmosphere and venue for corporate prayer and by encouraging each of our members to strengthen their relationship with God through constant and fervent private prayer.
Specific Goals: • To initiate a six weeks period of prayer. • To form prayer teams.
• To pinpoint specific prayer themes • To develop and encourage special times and occasions for prayer, both corporate and private.
OBJECTIVE #2: To be an Evangelistic Church: To encourage and enable constant growth (numerical and spiritual) among our membership which is consistent with the demographics of our community.
This Objective will: • Emphasize the growth of the Pharr congregation—excluding mission outreach (included in another objective) • Include both numerical (conversion) and spiritual growth (maturity) • Motivate and encourage Leadership to formulate goals to meet this objective
Specific Goals: • To grow numerically and demographically 1. To complete an attendance/membership study of our congregation 2. To increase attendance at least 20% yearly for the next 5 years 3. To convert at least 15% of our average attendance yearly for the next 5 years 4. To promote growth so that (1) age groups are represented equally and (2) our membership reflects the ethnic makeup of our community • To increase our congregation's image through advertising 1. More effective use of newspaper and yellow pages 2. Distribute literature about congregation in businesses, schools and civic organizations 3. Explore and follow-up on plan for radio and/or television program • To develop, maintain and "cultivate" an ongoing list of prospects for membership 1. Newcomers to the community 2. Member referrals 3. New converts friends and family 4. Visitors to services 5. Offer free literature and correspondence courses through advertising To sponsor events to promote outreach into our community 1. Semi-annual seminars at church designed to meet needs of members and community 2. Develop program to set up home bible studies through booth at fairs/ civic events/conventions
3. Expanded use of our facility for youth events, community groups and benevolent programs • To design a class to help acquaint newcomers with our church and mature them in Christ • To formulate a plan to solve future space requirements when growth occurs 1. Short term plans for multiple services 2. Medium and long range plans for remodeling and/or acquisition and construction of new church facility • Create opportunities for all members to influence someone for Christ
OBJECTIVE #3: To be a church with Inspiring Worship: To lead our congregation in corporate worship which inspires (horizontal) and glorifies (vertical); to develop individual worship in our members which becomes a "lifestyle," and not an "event."
This Objective will:
Enrich our time of worship together (corporate worship) Instill in our members the principle that private worship should be a matter of daily “lifestyle" and not a series of "events" attended to occasionally. Romans 12:1—"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."
Specific Goals: • To develop and maintain corporate worship which Pleases God by: 1. Placing more emphasis on the Lord's Supper in meaningful ways which both offer thanksgiving to God for His Grace and remind and encourage each member to live lives worthy of God's calling 2. Developing/planning Praise time (singing/devotion) which is a. Balanced in song selection b. Coordinated through proper planning c. Thematic—relevant to specific themes of worship d. Contemporary—utilizing appropriate visual aids e. Reverent—emphasizing praise to God through Christ f. Biblical—lyrics which are consistent with God's word g. Edifying—an experience which encourages and teaches h. Inspiring—offers an occasion to touch the hearts of worshippers. i. Faithful and spiritual placing proper emphasis on both "truth" and "spirit"
j. Triune—emphasizes the three-fold nature of the Godhead. 3. Developing/planning occasions for prayers which are timely, orderly, relevant, specific, planned, spontaneous (event-oriented), intimate, heart felt, empathetic, and humble 4. Preparing and presenting public preaching and teaching which is: a. Relevant—meets the spiritual needs of the audience b. Biblical—informed through and supplemented by the reading of Scripture c. Contemporary—utilizing appropriate visual aids to enhance the audience's understanding and retention d. Well-planned-adequate preparation, theme-development and illustrations e. Coordinated with other elements of worship f. Evangelistic—centered in the gospel of Christ g. Confessional—utilizing one's personal experiences with God's faithfulness to encourage faith in others. 5. Offering occasions for sharing (monetary) which are: a. Timely—meeting contemporary needs of the church b. Purposeful preceded by prayer and inspired from the heart c. Motivated by thankfulness- through the example of God's gift in Christ to us d. Characterized by generosity e. Prompted by brotherly love • To encourage, motivate and empower our members to incorporate worship as an integral part of their daily lives
OBJECTIVE #4: To be a church with an expanding outreach: To plant churches in the Rio Grande Valley and northern Mexico with a sense of urgency as God empowers and enables us to do so.
This Objective will: • Emphasize the need to aggressively plant new churches • Facilitate the training and hiring of new missionaries • Assist in the maturing of church leaders, teachers and members • Develop and support programs to help our new churches to grow
Specific Goals: • Identify receptive target areas for new churches 1. Colonias 2. Spanish-speaking communities in area cities 3. Receptive communities in northern Mexico
• Plant a new church every two to three years 1. Raise support for new missionary family 2. Raise money to purchase property for church facility 3. Locate the "right" missionary family • Develop and maintain a curriculum and faculty at our School of Preaching and Biblical Studies 1. Support and encourage our Director and spouse 2. Locate and support adequate staff 3.. Support the School's correspondence ministry • Train missionaries, teachers and leaders to serve in our churches. 1. Pray for more students who want to preach the gospel 2. Raise funds to help with student expenses 3. Pray for more Christians who want to learn to lead and teach • Plan for future "turnover" in missionaries and ministry leaders 1. Adequate planning to replace retiring missionaries or hire new missionaries 2. Adequate planning and training to replace retiring ministry leaders (director of school, school faculty, missions coordinator, etc.) as needed • Develop and maintain benevolence programs and resources to assist our new churches in outreach to their communities 1. Raise funds to support our projects ministry 2. Develop and support food pantries 3. Develop and maintain other benevolence programs 4. Pray for more Christians to volunteer to serve in these ministries • Seek to form partnerships with sister churches and fellow Christians 1. Give us open doors for new relationships with churches and Christians throughout the brotherhood
OBJECTIVE #5: To be a church that is effective in Training: To develop and maintain an effective curriculum and training program.
This Objective will: • Emphasize the need for an effective educational ministry • Establish adequate oversight and coordination of this ministry • Develop classes and curriculum which provides Biblical training for all age and special-interest groups in our congregation • Recruit, train and equip teachers to meet the needs of this ministry • Utilize the talents and gifts of ALL of our members to reach this objective
Specific Goals: • Establish an educational committee to develop and coordinate an effective training program for the church 1. Appoint ministry leader(s) 2. Identify group coordinators 3. Identify classes needed to meet needs of congregation • Develop an effective curriculum for all age groups and groups with special needs or interests (singles, women, Seniors, young marrieds, new converts, etc.) 1. Enable educational committee to research and identify appropriate curriculum 2. Develop a "coordinated" comprehensive curriculum 3. Define the objectives and scope of the curriculum for each age and special interest group 4. Identify adequate resource materials for teachers and students 5. Coordinate usage of our limited classroom space • Develop an effective plan to locate, train and equip teachers for all phases of our training program 1. Encourage the participation of all members in the training process: as both teachers and students 2. Provide training opportunities for teachers: a. Older members working with younger members—passing on benefits of experience and knowledge b. Teaching seminars, workshops and lectureships c. Other training resources 3. Encourage promptness and proper preparation from all teachers 4. Pray for an "overabundance" of teachers/aids/substitutes Establish and maintain an adequate resource room 1. Appoint ministry leader(s) 2. Reorganize existing resources 3. Purchase new materials and maintain an adequate supply of resources for all of our classes Enlist the talents and gifts of ALL of our members to properly train our congregation for service 1. Pray that God will provide Christians who are willing to serve wherever they are needed 2. Help leadership to motivate and enable members to serve in this vital ministry
OBJECTIVE #6 To be a church that loves Fellowship: To create and maintain an atmosphere of brotherly love, concern and active participation which encourages our members (1) to "know" one another better, (2) to spend more time in worship, service and
recreation together, and (3) to lead outsiders to Christ through friendliness, generosity and the opportunity to "belong"
This Objective will: • Encourage Fellowship which is based in Scripture • Provide opportunities/venues for sharing our common life in Christ • Encourage activities which build relationships and transcend boundaries (of age, gender, ethnicity, social status, etc.) • Place priority on fellowship which inspires stewardship ("doing good works') and outreach ('sharing the good news') • Produce a family whose fellowship together attracts outsiders to Christ and provides a place for them to belong
Specific Goals:
Teach our members what biblical fellowship means: 1. Definition: "a sharing in common.” Kotvmwa: `koinonia" 2. Fellowship is not "standing around talking with a cup of coffee in your hand"---never simply a social event! 3. Fellowship is rooted in our common faith/doctrine and can only exist between Christians: Gal 2:9; 2 Cor 6:14 4. Fellowship is worshipping and eating together: Acts 2:42ff 5. Fellowship is stirring one another to "love and good works ": Heb 10.24ff 6. Fellowship is suffering together with Christ: Phil 3:10; 2 Cor 1:7 7. Our fellowship with God, Christ and the Holy Spirit is a prerequisite to our fellowship with one another: 2 Cor 13:13; I John 1:3-7; 8. Fellowship is partaking of the Lord's Supper together: I Cor 10:16 9. Fellowship is sharing our material wealth with needy Christians and ministers: 2 Cor 2:9; 2 Cor 8:4; Rom 15;26; Heb 13:16.• Gal 6:6 10. Fellowship is accepting one another without boundaries as brothers in Christ: Acts 4:32; Gal2:11ff; Gal3:25-28 11. Fellowship is our mutual efforts in sharing the gospel: Phil 1:5; Plm 1:6 12. Fellowship should "reflect" the example and attitude of Christ: Phil 2:1-11 Establish fellowship groups/leaders and empower them to create opportunities for all members to interact together 1. Utilize small groups as a catalyst to creating opportunities for fellowship 2. Locate and train small group leaders in the purpose of fellowship Insure that ALL members are treated equally in Christ 1. Don't allow "cliques" to form 2. Don't allow discrimination in any form
3. Encourage opportunities and venues for fellowship which insure that all members get to know each other Instill the principle that all fellowship should have both a Social and Spiritual purpose. 1. Was fellowship for Christ simply a social event—or did he always have a Spiritual purpose in mind? 2. Fellowship leaders must insure that our times together have a "higher" purpose and they must "lead" us to accomplish that purpose Create a `fellowship" which so reflects "our love for one another" that the world cannot help but be drawn to the "One Who is Love." 1. Fellowship activities are an excellent opportunity to share Christ with others provided we act like Christ! 2. Take advantage of every opportunity to share Christ—don't let our times of fellowship look exactly like social events of the world 3. Our demeanor before/during/after worship assemblies must be friendly and engaging toward outsiders
Objective #7 To be a Sharing church. To teach and encourage a habit of giving and sharing in one another which is motivated by the example of God in Christ"
This objective will: • Insure that the church understands the biblical concept of giving and sharing • Remind us of the giving nature of God and Christ • Reinforce the relationship between fellowship and giving • Establish priorities in our stewardship • Help us to show more compassion for those who are in need • Seek to involve all of our members in the ministry of sharing • Insure that the necessary resources are available to spread the gospel and help the poor
Specific Goals: • Insure that the biblical concept of giving/sharing is taught to all of our members 1. God blesses us so that we can share 2. We give out of love, not compulsion 3. We give liberally, cheerfully, in accordance with what we have 4. We share so that there might be equality between giver and receiver 5. We share in times of abundance and in times of want 6. We give to those who are brothers, friends, unworthy, sinners and/or enemies.
7. We give to those who are needy, not expecting to be repaid (free gift) Emphasize the grace of God (in giving Christ) as "the" example and motivation for our sharing 1. We share because God first gave to us: a. Forgiveness, salvation/reconciliation/mercy/expiation and peace b. Holy Spirit/spiritual gifts/every good gift/ministry and spiritual blessings c. Righteousness/holiness/glory/strength/growth d. Eternal Life/resurrection/crown of life/imperishable prize/rest e. Adoption/inheritance/kingdom/election f. Word of God/knowledge/wisdom/truth/gospel 2. We share because Jesus gave his life for us a. When we were enemies/estranged b. When we were sinners/unworthy 3. We are motivated by the examples of God and Christ to: a. Share one another's troubles and sufferings b. Share the gospel with others who are estranged from God c. Share our material blessings with brothers in Christ, others in need, and even our enemies d. Share in ministry by supporting preachers, teachers and elders 4. We glorify God when we follow his example by sharing with others a. Through sharing, we produce thanksgiving to God from those who receive b. Through sharing, we validate our God before the world, thus bringing Him glory Provide classes/other training opportunities for families to learn how to manage their resources 1. Establish curriculum which teaches "sharing" at all age levels. 2. Offer special classes/seminars which give practical training in budgeting and prioritizing the use of resources Emphasize "sharing" as a primary expression of our fellowship/outreach ministries 1. Encourage fellowship groups to adopt "sharing" projects 2. Promote sharing among children's classes Emphasize the need for "All" of our members to participate in sharing 1. Teach "responsibility": all Christians must give as they have received 2. Demonstrate to all members the necessity of their participation in providing resources to fund the necessary ministries of the church 3. Emphasize that the long-term viability of the church is dependent upon each generation doing "their part" financially
Communicate on a timely basis when opportunities/situations of need arise in the church 1. Utilize corporate worship services to inform the congregation of special needs 2. Utilize prayer/fellowship groups to inform members of situations where assistance is needed and to facilitate solutions to meet these needs.
OUR GOALS: OBJECTIVE #1: To be a Praying Church: To instill in our congregation the "absolute" need to rely upon the promises of God and to trust in God's wisdom by developing an attitude, atmosphere and venue for corporate prayer and by encouraging each of our members to strengthen their relationship with God through constant and fervent private prayer.
Specific Goals: • To initiate a six weeks period of prayer. • To form prayer teams.
• To pinpoint specific prayer themes • To develop and encourage special times and occasions for prayer, both corporate and private.
OBJECTIVE #2: To be an Evangelistic Church: To encourage and enable constant growth (numerical and spiritual) among our membership which is consistent with the demographics of our community.
This Objective will: • Emphasize the growth of the Pharr congregation—excluding mission outreach (included in another objective) • Include both numerical (conversion) and spiritual growth (maturity) • Motivate and encourage Leadership to formulate goals to meet this objective
Specific Goals: • To grow numerically and demographically 1. To complete an attendance/membership study of our congregation 2. To increase attendance at least 20% yearly for the next 5 years 3. To convert at least 15% of our average attendance yearly for the next 5 years 4. To promote growth so that (1) age groups are represented equally and (2) our membership reflects the ethnic makeup of our community • To increase our congregation's image through advertising 1. More effective use of newspaper and yellow pages 2. Distribute literature about congregation in businesses, schools and civic organizations 3. Explore and follow-up on plan for radio and/or television program • To develop, maintain and "cultivate" an ongoing list of prospects for membership 1. Newcomers to the community 2. Member referrals 3. New converts friends and family 4. Visitors to services 5. Offer free literature and correspondence courses through advertising To sponsor events to promote outreach into our community 1. Semi-annual seminars at church designed to meet needs of members and community 2. Develop program to set up home bible studies through booth at fairs/ civic events/conventions
3. Expanded use of our facility for youth events, community groups and benevolent programs • To design a class to help acquaint newcomers with our church and mature them in Christ • To formulate a plan to solve future space requirements when growth occurs 1. Short term plans for multiple services 2. Medium and long range plans for remodeling and/or acquisition and construction of new church facility • Create opportunities for all members to influence someone for Christ
OBJECTIVE #3: To be a church with Inspiring Worship: To lead our congregation in corporate worship which inspires (horizontal) and glorifies (vertical); to develop individual worship in our members which becomes a "lifestyle," and not an "event."
This Objective will:
Enrich our time of worship together (corporate worship) Instill in our members the principle that private worship should be a matter of daily “lifestyle" and not a series of "events" attended to occasionally. Romans 12:1—"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."
Specific Goals: • To develop and maintain corporate worship which Pleases God by: 1. Placing more emphasis on the Lord's Supper in meaningful ways which both offer thanksgiving to God for His Grace and remind and encourage each member to live lives worthy of God's calling 2. Developing/planning Praise time (singing/devotion) which is a. Balanced in song selection b. Coordinated through proper planning c. Thematic—relevant to specific themes of worship d. Contemporary—utilizing appropriate visual aids e. Reverent—emphasizing praise to God through Christ f. Biblical—lyrics which are consistent with God's word g. Edifying—an experience which encourages and teaches h. Inspiring—offers an occasion to touch the hearts of worshippers. i. Faithful and spiritual placing proper emphasis on both "truth" and "spirit"
j. Triune—emphasizes the three-fold nature of the Godhead. 3. Developing/planning occasions for prayers which are timely, orderly, relevant, specific, planned, spontaneous (event-oriented), intimate, heart felt, empathetic, and humble 4. Preparing and presenting public preaching and teaching which is: a. Relevant—meets the spiritual needs of the audience b. Biblical—informed through and supplemented by the reading of Scripture c. Contemporary—utilizing appropriate visual aids to enhance the audience's understanding and retention d. Well-planned-adequate preparation, theme-development and illustrations e. Coordinated with other elements of worship f. Evangelistic—centered in the gospel of Christ g. Confessional—utilizing one's personal experiences with God's faithfulness to encourage faith in others. 5. Offering occasions for sharing (monetary) which are: a. Timely—meeting contemporary needs of the church b. Purposeful preceded by prayer and inspired from the heart c. Motivated by thankfulness- through the example of God's gift in Christ to us d. Characterized by generosity e. Prompted by brotherly love • To encourage, motivate and empower our members to incorporate worship as an integral part of their daily lives
OBJECTIVE #4: To be a church with an expanding outreach: To plant churches in the Rio Grande Valley and northern Mexico with a sense of urgency as God empowers and enables us to do so.
This Objective will: • Emphasize the need to aggressively plant new churches • Facilitate the training and hiring of new missionaries • Assist in the maturing of church leaders, teachers and members • Develop and support programs to help our new churches to grow
Specific Goals: • Identify receptive target areas for new churches 1. Colonias 2. Spanish-speaking communities in area cities 3. Receptive communities in northern Mexico
• Plant a new church every two to three years 1. Raise support for new missionary family 2. Raise money to purchase property for church facility 3. Locate the "right" missionary family • Develop and maintain a curriculum and faculty at our School of Preaching and Biblical Studies 1. Support and encourage our Director and spouse 2. Locate and support adequate staff 3.. Support the School's correspondence ministry • Train missionaries, teachers and leaders to serve in our churches. 1. Pray for more students who want to preach the gospel 2. Raise funds to help with student expenses 3. Pray for more Christians who want to learn to lead and teach • Plan for future "turnover" in missionaries and ministry leaders 1. Adequate planning to replace retiring missionaries or hire new missionaries 2. Adequate planning and training to replace retiring ministry leaders (director of school, school faculty, missions coordinator, etc.) as needed • Develop and maintain benevolence programs and resources to assist our new churches in outreach to their communities 1. Raise funds to support our projects ministry 2. Develop and support food pantries 3. Develop and maintain other benevolence programs 4. Pray for more Christians to volunteer to serve in these ministries • Seek to form partnerships with sister churches and fellow Christians 1. Give us open doors for new relationships with churches and Christians throughout the brotherhood
OBJECTIVE #5: To be a church that is effective in Training: To develop and maintain an effective curriculum and training program.
This Objective will: • Emphasize the need for an effective educational ministry • Establish adequate oversight and coordination of this ministry • Develop classes and curriculum which provides Biblical training for all age and special-interest groups in our congregation • Recruit, train and equip teachers to meet the needs of this ministry • Utilize the talents and gifts of ALL of our members to reach this objective
Specific Goals: • Establish an educational committee to develop and coordinate an effective training program for the church 1. Appoint ministry leader(s) 2. Identify group coordinators 3. Identify classes needed to meet needs of congregation • Develop an effective curriculum for all age groups and groups with special needs or interests (singles, women, Seniors, young marrieds, new converts, etc.) 1. Enable educational committee to research and identify appropriate curriculum 2. Develop a "coordinated" comprehensive curriculum 3. Define the objectives and scope of the curriculum for each age and special interest group 4. Identify adequate resource materials for teachers and students 5. Coordinate usage of our limited classroom space • Develop an effective plan to locate, train and equip teachers for all phases of our training program 1. Encourage the participation of all members in the training process: as both teachers and students 2. Provide training opportunities for teachers: a. Older members working with younger members—passing on benefits of experience and knowledge b. Teaching seminars, workshops and lectureships c. Other training resources 3. Encourage promptness and proper preparation from all teachers 4. Pray for an "overabundance" of teachers/aids/substitutes Establish and maintain an adequate resource room 1. Appoint ministry leader(s) 2. Reorganize existing resources 3. Purchase new materials and maintain an adequate supply of resources for all of our classes Enlist the talents and gifts of ALL of our members to properly train our congregation for service 1. Pray that God will provide Christians who are willing to serve wherever they are needed 2. Help leadership to motivate and enable members to serve in this vital ministry
OBJECTIVE #6 To be a church that loves Fellowship: To create and maintain an atmosphere of brotherly love, concern and active participation which encourages our members (1) to "know" one another better, (2) to spend more time in worship, service and
recreation together, and (3) to lead outsiders to Christ through friendliness, generosity and the opportunity to "belong"
This Objective will: • Encourage Fellowship which is based in Scripture • Provide opportunities/venues for sharing our common life in Christ • Encourage activities which build relationships and transcend boundaries (of age, gender, ethnicity, social status, etc.) • Place priority on fellowship which inspires stewardship ("doing good works') and outreach ('sharing the good news') • Produce a family whose fellowship together attracts outsiders to Christ and provides a place for them to belong
Specific Goals:
Teach our members what biblical fellowship means: 1. Definition: "a sharing in common.” Kotvmwa: `koinonia" 2. Fellowship is not "standing around talking with a cup of coffee in your hand"---never simply a social event! 3. Fellowship is rooted in our common faith/doctrine and can only exist between Christians: Gal 2:9; 2 Cor 6:14 4. Fellowship is worshipping and eating together: Acts 2:42ff 5. Fellowship is stirring one another to "love and good works ": Heb 10.24ff 6. Fellowship is suffering together with Christ: Phil 3:10; 2 Cor 1:7 7. Our fellowship with God, Christ and the Holy Spirit is a prerequisite to our fellowship with one another: 2 Cor 13:13; I John 1:3-7; 8. Fellowship is partaking of the Lord's Supper together: I Cor 10:16 9. Fellowship is sharing our material wealth with needy Christians and ministers: 2 Cor 2:9; 2 Cor 8:4; Rom 15;26; Heb 13:16.• Gal 6:6 10. Fellowship is accepting one another without boundaries as brothers in Christ: Acts 4:32; Gal2:11ff; Gal3:25-28 11. Fellowship is our mutual efforts in sharing the gospel: Phil 1:5; Plm 1:6 12. Fellowship should "reflect" the example and attitude of Christ: Phil 2:1-11 Establish fellowship groups/leaders and empower them to create opportunities for all members to interact together 1. Utilize small groups as a catalyst to creating opportunities for fellowship 2. Locate and train small group leaders in the purpose of fellowship Insure that ALL members are treated equally in Christ 1. Don't allow "cliques" to form 2. Don't allow discrimination in any form
3. Encourage opportunities and venues for fellowship which insure that all members get to know each other Instill the principle that all fellowship should have both a Social and Spiritual purpose. 1. Was fellowship for Christ simply a social event—or did he always have a Spiritual purpose in mind? 2. Fellowship leaders must insure that our times together have a "higher" purpose and they must "lead" us to accomplish that purpose Create a `fellowship" which so reflects "our love for one another" that the world cannot help but be drawn to the "One Who is Love." 1. Fellowship activities are an excellent opportunity to share Christ with others provided we act like Christ! 2. Take advantage of every opportunity to share Christ—don't let our times of fellowship look exactly like social events of the world 3. Our demeanor before/during/after worship assemblies must be friendly and engaging toward outsiders
Objective #7 To be a Sharing church. To teach and encourage a habit of giving and sharing in one another which is motivated by the example of God in Christ"
This objective will: • Insure that the church understands the biblical concept of giving and sharing • Remind us of the giving nature of God and Christ • Reinforce the relationship between fellowship and giving • Establish priorities in our stewardship • Help us to show more compassion for those who are in need • Seek to involve all of our members in the ministry of sharing • Insure that the necessary resources are available to spread the gospel and help the poor
Specific Goals: • Insure that the biblical concept of giving/sharing is taught to all of our members 1. God blesses us so that we can share 2. We give out of love, not compulsion 3. We give liberally, cheerfully, in accordance with what we have 4. We share so that there might be equality between giver and receiver 5. We share in times of abundance and in times of want 6. We give to those who are brothers, friends, unworthy, sinners and/or enemies.
7. We give to those who are needy, not expecting to be repaid (free gift) Emphasize the grace of God (in giving Christ) as "the" example and motivation for our sharing 1. We share because God first gave to us: a. Forgiveness, salvation/reconciliation/mercy/expiation and peace b. Holy Spirit/spiritual gifts/every good gift/ministry and spiritual blessings c. Righteousness/holiness/glory/strength/growth d. Eternal Life/resurrection/crown of life/imperishable prize/rest e. Adoption/inheritance/kingdom/election f. Word of God/knowledge/wisdom/truth/gospel 2. We share because Jesus gave his life for us a. When we were enemies/estranged b. When we were sinners/unworthy 3. We are motivated by the examples of God and Christ to: a. Share one another's troubles and sufferings b. Share the gospel with others who are estranged from God c. Share our material blessings with brothers in Christ, others in need, and even our enemies d. Share in ministry by supporting preachers, teachers and elders 4. We glorify God when we follow his example by sharing with others a. Through sharing, we produce thanksgiving to God from those who receive b. Through sharing, we validate our God before the world, thus bringing Him glory Provide classes/other training opportunities for families to learn how to manage their resources 1. Establish curriculum which teaches "sharing" at all age levels. 2. Offer special classes/seminars which give practical training in budgeting and prioritizing the use of resources Emphasize "sharing" as a primary expression of our fellowship/outreach ministries 1. Encourage fellowship groups to adopt "sharing" projects 2. Promote sharing among children's classes Emphasize the need for "All" of our members to participate in sharing 1. Teach "responsibility": all Christians must give as they have received 2. Demonstrate to all members the necessity of their participation in providing resources to fund the necessary ministries of the church 3. Emphasize that the long-term viability of the church is dependent upon each generation doing "their part" financially
Communicate on a timely basis when opportunities/situations of need arise in the church 1. Utilize corporate worship services to inform the congregation of special needs 2. Utilize prayer/fellowship groups to inform members of situations where assistance is needed and to facilitate solutions to meet these needs.
