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Plan For Growth Blog
Posted 1 year 5 weeks ago on 9 April 2011 - 4:07pm
By Shannon Caughey
Last June I was taking a prayer walk and pouring out my heart to God about the “plan for growth.” I was confessing my feelings of inadequacy as a leader and asking whether the idea of a second TCBC site was possible for us as a church. As I was doing this, Exodus 3 suddenly came to mind. This is the passage in which God speaks to Moses out of the burning bush and calls him to lead his people out of oppression in Egypt.
Do you remember Moses’ response when God lays out his plan for using him to deliver his people? Moses says, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” I realized I was asking God the same type of questions: “Who am I and who are we as TCBC to be considering such a huge step? Can we really do this? Surely you know, God, all the reasons why this is going to be very challenging.”
God’s response to Moses: “But I will be with you.” When Moses continues with his questions, God says, “I am who I am. Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you.” God redirects Moses’ focus. He says, “It’s not about who you are or what you have or don’t have. It’s about who I am and my presence with you. It’s about what I can do.” God directs Moses to stop living a story defined by his human limitations. God invites Moses to live a far bigger story—God’s story.
The message of Exodus 3 hit home with me: God is inviting us as a church to live his bigger story. In fact, as I was praying I wondered if God may be saying to us, “The problem is not that you’re asking me for too much but that you’re believing me for too little. My story for my church is way bigger!”
Whether or not God directs us to pursue a Scott Park site, my prayer is that this “plan for growth” process will stir in us an unquenchable desire to see God’s story unfold through TCBC. Let’s not settle for lesser stories. Whatever the ministry details, God’s story for us will be huge and stretching—and completely possible because he is with us.
Posted 1 year 6 weeks ago on 6 April 2011 - 4:48pm
By Shannon Caughey
In conversations about a potential second site in the Scott Park area, questions about finances often arise. Finances are definitely part of the equation for a second site. Ministry takes money.
Some of the questions are coming out of concerns about TCBC’s present financial status. Should we be thinking about a second site if we are behind budget at our current site? Are we putting ourselves in financial jeopardy?
In light of these questions, it’s important to understand what the second site vote is not about: This is not a decision about whether TCBC can financially afford a second site. Instead, the issue we’re voting on is this: If God wants us as a church to take intentional steps to reach more people, is moving toward a Scott Park site a strategy worth pursuing in order to accomplish this?
It’s also important to understand another financial aspect of this decision: If the vote is positive, we will not make financial commitments for the second site until our current site and our Plan for Growth fund are financially healthy. We won’t sign a lease for Sunday worship space or take on other significant expenses until God provides the resources needed. We’ll carry out the initial phases of ministry to the Scott Park area while incurring very little expense. As we do so, we’ll wait upon God for additional resources.
As I’ve been reflecting on financial questions, I find myself leaning toward this conclusion: we may be at just the right place financially to have the second site vote. If we were heading into this decision with abundant finances, we might be tempted to move forward based only on whether this looks humanly possible from a “resources and plan” perspective. But this isn’t what we need. Instead, we need to ask if pursuing the establishment of a Scott Park site fits with God’s desires for this church—whether or not it currently seems financially possible. If the answer is “yes,” let’s move forward in faith.
Posted 1 year 7 weeks ago on 30 March 2011 - 2:45pm
By Shannon Caughey
The vote about whether to pursue establishing a second site in the Scott Park area is coming quickly—maybe a little too quickly for some! In fact, this question has been asked a few times: “Why are we moving so fast on this?” Others have expressed support for the second site concept but are unsure if this is the right time. They’d really like a “not yet” option added to the ballot.
A few thoughts on timing… No matter when we decided to vote on a potential second site (now, six months from now, a year from now), some of us will always feel like we’re moving too fast. Because our lives are full, we don’t tend to devote time to thinking and praying seriously about an issue until something compels us to do so—like a vote that’s just a few weeks away. Even though we’ve been discussing the idea of a second site for a year, scheduling a vote creates a heightened sense of urgency to consider this possibility if you hadn’t done much thinking and praying about it to this point. For some, this heightened sense of urgency can suddenly feel like we’re moving pretty fast.
Also, people process information and decisions at differing speeds. What seems like plenty of time for one person may feel like not enough time for another person. Again, this is inevitable no matter when the vote was scheduled to take place.
What’s most important in all of this is God’s timing. As we as leaders prayerfully considered God’s direction, we sensed it is the right time for a congregational decision about whether to pursue a potential second site. If the vote is “yes,” we would be enabled to move forward with intentionality, letting God determine the “how fast” aspect of establishing a second site. We may even find that he says “not yet” as we seek to take concrete steps. We’ll be trusting him to open or close doors.
We realize not every detail of a possible second site has been clarified. We know that unanswered questions remain. This will always be the case until we’re in the midst of the actual process, seeing where Jesus is working and listening for his guidance. We believe it’s the right time to determine whether God is calling us to pursue this Scott Park site process in faith.
Posted 1 year 8 weeks ago on 24 March 2011 - 2:13pm
By Shannon Caughey
I want to reiterate something I talked about in last Sunday’s “live in harmony with one another” sermon: our unity is secure in Jesus Christ.
Some have expressed concern about whether the upcoming decision about a potential Scott Park site could be divisive for us as a church. What if the vote is really close? Could this create a rift between those who vote “yes” and those who vote “no”?
Here’s why we will not be divided by this decision: our unity is not based on our perspective on a second site. Our unity is in Jesus Christ. We are his; we are saved by his grace and loved by him. Together we love Christ, we desire to love one another, and we want to grow in loving those who are currently far from him. This forms the unshakeable foundation of our unity—even if we hold varying perspectives on the specific strategies TCBC should employ to grow in living out these loves.
No matter how close the vote, our unity remains in the fact that this is Jesus’ church. He is sovereign over all. As we rest in this, the second site decision becomes a wonderful opportunity to trust Jesus and live in harmony with one another.
Here’s a practical application: Whatever the results of the vote, let’s each commit ourselves to supporting the decision—even if the outcome differs from the direction in which you or I voted. This means we’ll pray for and get involved in pursuing the success of that decision. We honor Christ as we move forward together.
Posted 1 year 8 weeks ago on 18 March 2011 - 4:46pm
By Shannon Caughey
“To reach people that no one is reaching, you have to do things that no one else is doing.” (Craig Groeschel)
From our research, it appears that the Scott Park area is largely not being reached by churches and ministries. I’m sure there are many reasons for this. Yet the fact remains: God loves these people and desires that they hear and see the gospel of Jesus Christ. Are we willing to do some things that no one else is currently doing in an effort to reach these people?
This also means we would need to do some things that we aren’t currently doing. TCBC is a healthy church in many ways, but let’s be honest: one of our weaknesses is evangelism. We believe God wants to change this. It probably won’t happen by merely tweaking a few things. It will likely require some significant steps—doing some things we aren’t currently doing.
Paul said, “I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings” (1 Cor. 9:22-23). To reach people that no one else was reaching, he was willing to do things that no one else was doing.
What steps might God be calling us as TCBC to take in order to reach more people?