2020 Vision

On this 5th day of January begins a new journey into the unknown. For the past 5 years we have been embarking on a 2014 vision with the church not knowing for sure how it would come to pass. As I shared with my congregation on yesterday God revealed himself and came through at the last hour of the last day of the last month of 2014 to make that vision come to pass. We have a accomplished some really great things within our church over the past 5 years. We've seen many new believers come to Christ along with new baptisms. We have seen our church grow from a core team of 30 adults and kids to a congregation of over 100 adults and kids in five years. We have young people who have received full ride scholarships into prestigious universities across the nation as well as new ministries and new churches praying for new launches in 2015. God has been really good to us!

In this next season of ministry I pray that God will continue to show us favor in ministry. 2020 vision is what he has given me for the next 5 years. According to some of the definitions in the medical field "normal" vision is 2020. It simply means that you can see what a "normal" person can see at 20 feet. By looking at lots of people, eyedoctors have decided what a "normal" human being should be able to see when standing 20 feet away from an eye chart. If you have 20/20 vision, it means that when you stand 20 feet away from the chart you can see what the "normal" human being can see.  In other words, your vision is "normal" -- most people can see what you see at 20 feet. 

At first I wanted to change what God had given me about the theme 2020 vision becuase I definitely didn't want to be numbered among the "normal" people. What God impressed in my spriit was that he loves to take "normal" people and do extraordinary things with them. It is ok to be considered normal and to not think of yourself more than we ought. If we allow God to take the normal and do the extraordinary then we can only give credit to where credit is due. So, yes I'm normal and I see with 2020 vision BUT God takes my vision and does the extraodinary with it. 
God uses ordinary people like Nehemiah, Paul, The disciples, and others who know that if it had not been for the grace of God there is nothing that any of them would have been able to accomplish in their own "normal" strength. Be encouraged this year of 2015 know that God can do much with normal. 

Here is our 2020 Vision:

We exist to be a church that reflects its community with the sole purpose of creating a kingdom movement to bring Shalom of the city.

Mission Statement

We are an urban multiethnic church that embraces the whosoevers and Impact our communities.

Core Values

·       Missional and Holistic

·       Devotional

·       Beloved Community

·       Incarnational

·       Whosoevers

·       Forgiveness

·       Reproducing

By 2020 our goal is to be a sending church to EXPAND the kingdom of by planting other churches and be engaged in demonstrations of compassion and justice through Christian community development.

We will EQUIP leaders by providing training and workshops to support ministry activities and city movements. Our church will be a place where church planters and their APEST teams will incubate as interns for the purpose of learning and putting theory into practice.

We will operate in the five fold gifts of the ministry by raising up leaders to be a part of the APEST team that will help to give vision to the future of our church.

Our church body will be those who know how to          ENGAGE the city through marketplace mission in grassroots organizations, education, business, politics, and the social sectors of our city.

We EMPOWER the urban poor through education and training teaching them not only to learn how to fish but empower them to leverage their resources (financial or people) to eventually own the lake.

We will EVANGELIZE the lost through our continued outreach events such as Bugaboo, Miracle of Christmas and Performing Arts street ministries as well as strengthen disciples through our weekly small groups and classes such as Belong, TUMI, and GROW. We will also continue to develop our Affinity groups (Men, Women, Singles, Couples, Teens, and Young Adults) for the purpose of multiplying disciples within the church.