Why Are We Doing This?
You might think this is sort of a redundant question. We need to relocate, don’t we? BUT, it is the question our staff has grappled with this week. Our building campaign consultant, InJoy, has us building our case for “why build” as they help us put together a plan. InJoy is asking us questions like, “what types of ministry will you be able to do in this new facility? How will this change who you are? How will this reposition you in relationship to your community?”
It turns out it was a great exercise.
Apparently, for many churches, these questions aren’t asked on a regular basis… So the “why build” question is met with blank stares of pastors in declining churches who somehow believe that “if you build it, they will come!”
For our staff, this is only galvanizing us around our mission.. We are realizing how LOCKED IN we are to the very specific focus that God has called us to right here.
We have very little interest in adding new ministry categories. We are just called to make the gospel relevant to our community, and we do that by loving God, loving others, and making disciples.
All we are really after is a greater capacity to be used by God even more.
This past week alone, 187 individuals OUTSIDE our church were in some way impacted by our simple vision. Backpacks were filled and distributed. Meals were served to teachers and administrators. People were prayed for and loved on. That is ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY SEVEN people that this church reached out and touched in some way.
And it wasn’t that busy of a week.
What if we were an even larger group of torch bearers? What if we had the capacity to grow our group beyond 500 to 600, 800, or even a thousand regular attenders? What could that group of people do? How many lives in Gilmer County and beyond could we begin to impact, and how many might just come to Christ as a result?