Topic Faith Story of the Year Missed by the Pros!

RNA.org has named the top religion stories of 2009. Of their top 23 (all they named), they managed to miss number one! The number one story? The Manhattan Declaration! Please have a look at their website, and sign the declaration--I did some weeks ago. If you're on Facebook, so is the Manhattan Declaration.

From their website, www.manhattandeclaration.org:

Washington, D.C., Press Conference Unveils 4,700-Word Statement Signed by Some 150 Orthodox, Catholic & Evangelical Leaders

WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 20, 2009—Today a group of prominent Christian clergy, ministry leaders and scholars released the Manhattan Declaration, which addresses the sanctity of life, traditional marriage and religious liberty. The 4,700-word declaration issues a clarion call to Christians to adhere to their convictions and informs civil authorities that the signers will not—under any circumstance—abandon their Christian consciences. Drafted by Dr. Robert George, Dr. Timothy George and Chuck Colson and signed by more than 150 Orthodox, Catholic and evangelical Christian leaders, the Manhattan Declaration was made public at a noon ET press conference held in the Lisagor Room at the National Press Club.

Among the signers of the Manhattan Declaration at the press conference:

• Joel Belz, Founder, World Magazine
• Chuck Colson, Founder, The Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview
• Jim Daly, President and CEO, Focus on the Family
• Marjorie Dannenfelser, President, Susan B. Anthony List
• Fr. Chad Hatfield, Chancellor, CEO and Archpriest, St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary
• Robert George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence, Princeton University
• Timothy George, Professor, Beeson Divinity School at Samford University
• Harry Jackson Jr., Bishop, Hope Christian Church
• Fr. Francis Martin, Professor of Sacred Scripture, Sacred Heart Major Seminary
• Fr. Martyn Minns, Missionary Bishop, Convocation of Anglicans of North America
• Rev. Neftali "Charles" Olmeda, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference
• Tony Perkins, President, Family Research Council
• Fred Potter, Executive Director and CEO, Christian Legal Society
• Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia, Diocese of Philadelphia
• Alan Sears, President, CEO, and General Counsel, Alliance Defense Fund
• Ron Sider, Professor, Palmer Theological Seminary and Director of the seminary’s Sider Center on Ministry & Public Policy
• Fr. Robert Sirico, Founder, Acton Institute
• George Weigel, Distinguished Senior Fellow, Ethics and Public Policy Center and Founding President of the James Madison Foundation
• Donald William Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, Diocese of Washington, D.C.

Excerpts from the declaration include:

“We are Christians who have joined together across historic lines of ecclesial differences to affirm our right—and, more importantly, to embrace our obligation—to speak and act in defense of these truths. We pledge to each other, and to our fellow believers, that no power on earth, be it cultural or political, will intimidate us into silence or acquiescence.”

“We recognize the duty to comply with laws whether we happen to like them or not, unless the laws are gravely unjust or require those subject to them to do something unjust or otherwise immoral.”

“…We will not comply with any edict that purports to compel our institutions to participate in abortions, embryo-destructive research, assisted suicide and euthanasia, or any other anti-life act; nor will we bend to any rule purporting to force us to bless immoral sexual partnerships, treat them as marriage or the equivalent, or refrain from proclaiming the truth, as we know it, about morality and immorality and marriage and the family.”

This Christmas (and next) do something!

While I figure out how the MP3 player I got for Christmas works, I checked my email and was led to this video. Miles McPherson is a great guy, very real and very approachable (I saw him the day after Prop 8 was passed and gave him my congratulations--Miles was a real help in that arena.)

Enjoy.

Our 2010 Strategic Plan

OK, I know it's been a while since my last post. Below is one reason for that--the 2010 strategic plan for FBC Temple City. It's like goals on steroids. Later, I will post a report on the Big Day Strategy mentioned in the plan.

2010 Strategic Plan—First Baptist Church, Temple City

December 9, 2009

Vision

We want to be a Christian church in which the greatness of Jesus Christ can be experienced and entered into by people from all nations (through faith in the bodily resurrected Jesus Christ) and which will continue to impact and transform the San Gabriel Valley by deeds of love done in His name and for His glory.

Purpose

· To spread the Good News that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and to make faithful disciples from people of all nations, according to the Word of God (Matthew 1:21; 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 2:11)

· To demonstrate the reality of God's love for our neighbors through service to the community (Mark 12:30-31, Luke 10:29-37; Mark 10:42-45; I John 3:16-18)

· To glorify God by preparing believers for personal growth and purposeful action (Mark 1:16-18, John 15:8; Eph 4:11-16)

Values

Worshipping God: We were made to love God with all our hearts. We believe that worship is both the celebration of the love of God as well as surrender to the will of God.

The Family of God: We were made to experience being the family of God. We believe that fellowship means time together, study together and service together. We believe that this best happens in the context of a small group. We believe that we are called to be an English-speaking church that warmly welcomes and enfolds people from all nations and languages.

Growth in Jesus Christ: We were made to continue to grow as followers of Jesus Christ. We believe that spiritual growth is a lifelong process. This means obedience to Jesus Christ's commands, regular study of God's Word, living a life of prayer and serving one another in love.

Impact on the Community: We were made to change the world by making disciples from all nations. We believe that there is no one thing more important than sharing the greatness of Jesus Christ to all persons, locally and globally.

THE WORSHIP PLANNING SYSTEM: “How we plan, execute and evaluate the worship services.”

2010 OVERALL GOAL: Our goal is to increase the number of worship support workers (those helping with sound and projection) by 100% and to improve the physical set-up for worship.

MAJOR OBJECTIVES:

1. Train a minimum of 6 people to assist with sound and projection

2. Alter the platform for more flexible usage for worship.

3. Improve stage lighting

4. Improve the projection to allow people on the platform to easily see what is being projected.

GOALS:

1. Hold a minimum of three training opportunities for sound and projection

2. Make stage and lighting alterations

a. make an alteration plan, including a budget

b. determine cost and if needed, raise funding

c. make alterations by September 1, 2010

3. Assure stage projection improvement

a. explore available options

b. make an alteration plan, including a budget

c. determine cost and if needed, raise funding

d. make alterations by September 1, 2010

THE EVANGELISM SYSTEM: “How we attract people to our church”

2010 OVERALL GOAL: Our goal is to touch the lives of 16,000 people living the Temple City area with God’s love through the people of FBC.

MAJOR OBJECTIVES:

1. To touch 2,000 people through the Camellia Festival

2. To touch 10,000 people through three newspaper insertions

3. To touch 1,000 people through personal invitation (mostly in conjunction with Big Days)

4. To touch 3,000 people through the website.

GOALS:

1. Train at least 75% of adults in evangelism and world missions involvement.

a. Through Sunday message teaching throughout the year

b. Church wide small group campaign

c. On the job training at outreach events

d. Send a missions team to Taiwan in Summer, 2010

2. Engage 50% of small group participants in evangelism and/or outreach events

a. By Sunday morning teaching

b. By small group teaching

c. By making outreach an expectation in small groups via training of leaders

3. Offer at least three special classes or seminars on personal evangelism

a. Offer 401 at least twice

b. Offer a seminar or small group devoted to personal evangelism

4. Promote our website via Constant Contact emails and through Google Adwords advertising

5. Have three “Big Days” in 2010 for the purpose of breaking growth barriers: Feb. 14, April 4 (Easter) and October 10.

THE CONNECTION SYSTEM: “How we move people from first time guests to members at our church”

2010 OVERALL GOAL: To increase the proportion of first time guests who return and stay long-term.

MAJOR OBJECTIVES:

1. Improve the First Impressions ministry

a. Have regular training for FI workers (three to four times a year)

b. Have a working schedule for FI workers

c. Have a FI worker in the back courtyard between services

2. Establish the First Response ministry

a. Train FR workers (once or twice a year)

b. Have a working schedule for FR workers

3. Improve “neutral spaces” (interactive areas)

a. Strategically place round tables and benches to encourage discussion and interaction after worship services by Easter

b. Modernize appearance and atmosphere in restrooms by Easter

4. Improve the atmosphere in the lobby by Easter

a. Better lighting

b. More colorful pictures

THE SMALL GROUP SYSTEM: “How we fill and reproduce small groups at our church.”

2010 OVERALL GOAL: Increase the number of discipleship groups (both Sunday School classes and Growth Groups) by 50% over 2009’s average. (This includes youth and children’s ministry.)

MAJOR OBJECTIVES:

1. Establish a baseline for 2009 to compare numerical increase in groups

2. Have at least 3 training experiences annually for teachers of classes and groups

3. Evaluate space for classes on campus

4. Recruit new leaders for groups

GOALS:

1. Keep working the “activate” system in growing our groups

a. Follow the focus/form/fill/facilitate formula

b. Publicize classes and groups three times a year (also known as “fill” months)

c. Strategize group numbers based on attendance need

2. Make our groups the primary source of new leaders

a. Use the “big ask” strategy

b. Have leader identify potential new leaders

3. Make our groups the primary agents of outreach

a. Make outreach once per “term” mandatory for groups

b. Work with leaders to make outreach part of group culture

4. Make our groups the primary centers of ministry

a. Use the “big ask” strategy

b. Work with leaders to identify currently under-involved people

THE MINISTRY SYSTEM: “How we mobilize people for significant ministry at our church.”

2010 OVERALL GOAL: We want to see new leaders for classes and growth groups, new participants in First Impressions ministry and other areas of ministry

MAJOR OBJECTIVES:

1. Identify, recruit and train group leaders (see more under small groups)

2. Identify, recruit and train First Impressions participants (see more under connection)

GOALS:

1. Follow the training plan for small groups (see more under small groups)

2. Train FI workers through classes and seminars (see more under connection)

THE STEWARDSHIP SYSTEM: “How we develop extravagant givers at our church.”

2010 OVERALL GOAL: To increase giving by 5% over 2009 levels.

MAJOR OBJECTIVES:

1. Review all elements of stewardship system

2. Get online giving going

3. Increase debit giving to 20 giving units in 2010

4. Teach on giving via the pulpit and classes for a total of no less than 6 sessions

GOALS:

1. Do a monthly short form, and annual long for stewardship review

2. Investigate online giving alternatives by March 1

a. Online research

b. Check with at least three churches using online giving

3. Have a debit/automated giving push in late spring (after Easter)

THE LEADERSHIP SYSTEM: “How we develop leaders at all levels at our church.”

2010 OVERALL GOAL

MAJOR OBJECTIVES:

1. Enlist new leaders for First Impressions ministry

(See details under assimilation)

2. Enlist new leaders for Growth Groups

(See details under small groups)

3 Engage training for Board members

a. Special training at annual retreat

b. At least four in-service training components as part of Board meetings

c. Encourage board members to attend offsite events such as TransMin conferences

2. Have Town Hall conversations with congregation three times a year

a. January: on annual strategy

b. May: summer events and strategy

c. September: fall events and strategy

THE STRATEGY SYSTEM: “How we constantly evaluate and improve our church”

2010 OVERALL GOAL:

MAJOR OBJECTIVES:

1. Review each system as part of annual strategy/goal setting

2. Review each system on an annual rotation of systems for examination

3. Additional training in strategic planning for Lead Pastor

GOALS:

1. Annual strategic planning beginning September 1 to be complete by November 1

2. Set systems review calendar

January	Implementation of yearly strategy and goals
February	Leadership
March	Small Groups
April	Evangelism
May	Worship
June	World Missions (not one of the 8 systems, but reviewed well in advance of WMO)
July	None
August	None
September	Ministry, Strategy
October	Stewardship, Strategy
November	Evangelism, Strategy
December	Strategy

3. Lead pastor to engage in additional training and study on strategic planning each year