My Vision
A paper presented to Dr. Jay Sulfridge
Liberty University
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction………………………………………………………………………………....3
2. My Own Church……………..…………………………………………………………3
2.1. Vision……………………………………………………………………….3-4
3. Values………………………………………………………………………...4
4. Views…………………………………………………………………………………5
Church,Pastor,Gospel,Evangelism,Disciple,Leadership……………………………5-6
5. Vehicles…………………………………………………………………………………….7
Church, Small Group, Calendar, curriculum, slogans……………………………………7-8
6. Verifiers…………………………………………………………………………………..9
7. Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………..9-10
James Blake Evans
May 3, 2015
DSMN 500-DO7
Dr. Jay Sulfridge
My Vision
One day I hope to have my own church. It will be a great day and a day that I do believe
will happen. When this happens I want to be equipped with the knowledge it will take to manage
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a church and feed the people. Pastor Chris Durso once told me that “pastors don’t need to forget
what your sheep smell like”. Meaning don’t get so caught up in what you’re doing that you
actually forget about the very people who are in your church hurting and wanting Christ.
I have been too many churches and seen things I do like and things I don’t like. I have
met many pastors who I agree with some of the things they say and then there are things I don’t
really agree with. I believe this is how life is, you’re going to be up against things that you like
and then there are going to be things you don’t like.
I want to share a quick moment before I get into the vision plan I have about my past and
how I got to my vision. I was attending C3 church and was madly in love with God. I was
leading a small group; I was the head volunteer in the youth program and the right hand man of
the youth pastor. I did anything and everything I could to be the hands and feet of Christ and
would put everything on hold to make sure I could do everything for anyone else.
The problem I had here was, I had a hard time saying no. This started causing problems at
home because my wife felt that I was putting the church first and that she came way later down
the line. In a was this was very true. I would be at church more then I would be at home and
spend more time talking about Jesus then talking to my wife. Now don’t get me wrong, talking
about Jesus and being in the church wasn’t a bad thing, but when it was at the cost of my wife
and family, I needed to make a change.
It was a Wednesday afternoon and I got a call from the youth pastor that we needed to
have a meeting that night. I was worried and excited as I didn’t know what to expect. To make a
long story short when I got there the meaning of this meeting was to ask me to step down as a
connect group leader and to step away from the youth ministry for a season. I was so sad and
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didn’t understand why. Come to find out, a friend who served alongside me had went to our
youth pastor and showed them a text where I had said it was nice seeing you this morning, glad
you could meet my wife and that she was beautiful as always. She took offense to that and
because I didn’t guard my heart, they asked me to step down and focus on my family.
Now lets flash forward 17 months. I am now in the process of going through a separation
but believing God for a miracle, I am in my masters program and have since been back to C3
after leaving for 16 months because I was offended and let that keep me from sharing the gospel
with all those that needed to hear it. Many people would wonder why I just shared all that and
the first reason is to help with the vision I have and how I would use this to make sure I am doing
what God has called me to do.
In the dictionary vision is defined as the act pr power of anticipating that which will or
may come to be. In Habakkuk 2:3 For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the
end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. What this
says is have vision, wait patiently for the Lord and it will come. His timing, not ours is perfect.
My vision for ministry would be that I accept every type of person and they will know
that when they are in my church they are in a safe place. I have been too many churches where
they will say come as you are and then when they find out the truth about you, it’s like you have
the plague. I want to be like Jesus, He doesn’t call the qualified He qualifies the called. I will let
every man, woman and child in my church that God can and will use them.
I will be focusing on every person; there is not one person that I will not spend time with.
I want to be a pastor that is accessible and not one that just waits in the green room until 15
minutes into worship and then disappears before anyone else can say something to me. When
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God called us to care for all people this literally means all people. Black, white, rich, poor,
homeless and sick. Even those that are strong in their faith can still use someone to talk to, listen
and receive guidance from.
I believe to have a healthy church you need to make sure you are reaching every race, sex
and age. This is what I love about the church I go to. We have children church for those that are
younger, we have youth group for those in the age of middle and high school. We also have
college connect group, and then many other connect groups which branch out into every age
possible.
I would want to create a bus ministry team as this is very important. I would spend the
Saturday going out and inviting people and letting them know where to meet, on Sunday I would
pick them up, give them food to eat (because everyone loves to eat). I would make sure they get
to church, hear Jesus on their level and then they get back home with overflowing hearts that
they cant wait to share with their family.
When it comes to the core value of the ministry I am going to use what I have studied and
lived by for seventeen years. This is my churches values and I couldn’t change them because I
support them and believe them with all my heart. God-We believe there is one God, eternally
existent in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus-We believe in the deity of Jesus
Christ; in His virgin birth; in His sinless life; in His miracles; in His vicarious and atoning death
through His shed blood; in His bodily resurrection; in His ascension to the right hand of the
Father; and in His personal return in power and glory. Spirit-We believe in the present ministry of
the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life; we further
believe His power and gifts are available to believers today.
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Salvation-We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful humanity, regeneration by
the Holy Spirit is essential, and that repentance from sin and acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord
and Savior is the only way to come into a relationship with God. Scripture-We believe the Bible
is God’s infallible and authoritative word that was written by human authors under the
supernatural guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Sacraments-We believe it is important to
uphold the scriptural practices of the early church. Therefore, we hold to the practice of water
baptism and the regular taking of Communion. We do not believe that either of these practices is
essential for salvation, but that they serve as a demonstration of our living faith in Christ.
These are the core values, to briefly describe what each one means is that God is the
father, who sent His son to die a man for our sins and the Holy Spirit is what lives on. The virgin
Mary did indeed birth a child and was the mother of Jesus. I will support that the Holy Spirit is
indeed who lives on and helps us conquer our fears and understand what it is to be a Christian.
When you talk about salvation what does that mean? It means confessing with your
mouth, believing in your heart and living the life He has asked us to. When you read John 3:16 it
sums up the entire Bible into one verse. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, shall not perish but have everlasting life”. This
verse is one I learned when I was seven years old, while at a church camp in Florida.
You can take seven words out if this verse and your church and ministry values can all be
summed up. GOSPEL, Gods Only Son Perish Everlasting Life. When you really stop and think
about what you just read, show the word gospel and anyone can see what God really did. He is
the all knowing, all loving God who can get us anywhere we want to go, which is where He
wants us to go.
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When you talk about ministry perspective what does that really mean? It means what do
you expect and what do you hope for. I believe you have to have an open mind that anything is
possible but at the same time you have to be prepared that anything can happen. The church is a
building ran by imperfect people. I once heard a pastor say that if the church hasn’t offended you
yet just wait. The church will say things you don’t like and do things you don’t like. They will
spend money where you don’t feel they need to spend money.
In Titus 1:7-9 For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be
arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of
good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word
as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those
who contradict it. This is saying that we must be smart basically.
In my vision plan I want to make sure that the people that are on staff as well as the
people who attend the church are understanding that I am there for them and that any concern
they have I will be open arms and ears. That doesn’t mean that im going to be perfect and never
get mad and angry, what it means is that I will offer them the same room for error that Christ
extends to us as well as the same grace that Christ extends to us.
The word grace means Jesus offering us something we don’t deserve. Which is why
people are so quick to not offer grace because we really don’t have too. This is the choice that we
get to make with free will. But, because He extended us grace we as Christians should offer the
same grace to every person who sins against us because we sin against Jesus daily. It’s what were
suppose to do not what we want to do.
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The church is a body of believers coming together to represent one true cause and that is
Jesus Christ. When a group of people lift His name and pray in His name miracles start to
happen, the walls begin to shake and the chains fall off. When you think of a pastor what do you
think of? Most people I have asked say someone who doesn’t make mistakes. Someone who
comes to church a few times a week, prays, gives a sermon and makes a lot of money.
The list of what people think about when you hear the word pastor could go on for miles,
when I think of a pastor I think of someone who leads the people but will also make mistakes.
Someone who will be there for you when you fall but will also guide you where you need to go.
An imperfect person, who gets up everyday, putting on the full armor of Christ and ready to take
battle and defeat Satan and lead people to Jesus.
The Gospel is the books of the Bible that share the life of people in the Bible, the story of
Jesus and all that He has done for me and you. It’s what we as Christians are to share with every
person we come in contact with, the Bible is the way, the truth and the life. You either share the
gospel or you share nothing.
Evangelism is the process of witnessing to other people and again sharing the good news
of Jesus with everyone you can. Its where you are intentional about talking to people, stepping
out of your comfort zone and making sure they know you want a relationship with them and a
relationship with Jesus. Discipleship is when you are literally the right hand man of God. You are
empowering other people to share the good news and equipping them with the tools needed to
help others to Christ.
In my vision I want to train people how to disciple people so that we have an army of
people and there is never any doubt into what we as believers are thinking and feeling. Last but
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not least what is a leader, a leader is someone who gives rooms for error, is there when you fall
and will push you when you need it. Being a leader doesn’t mean you are the boss and you get to
tell everyone what to do, instead you are a flashlight and help guide the path for the lost so they
may find a way in Jesus and then He helps them with a high beam.
You can’t have a church and time of worship without everything mentioned above. I have
always heard the statement “build it and they will come”. I would believe this except I see so
many brick building, falling apart and rotting that once were churches. When you lose focus on
the vision, value and views of what Jesus instructs us to do, your church will fail. You can pick
up the pieces and try again because even when people fail you Jesus wont, or you give up.
The people behind the steering wheel, will be what help the church run and move
forward. The structure of the church will be based on what Jesus said of the church and will be
organized. We will know whats going on at all times but also accept that Jesus could change the
path at any time and lead us another way. We will make sure we are honoring Him and bringing
glory to His name.
Our small groups will meet weekly, we will have one staff who is the main leader, then
small group leaders who report to him/her. They will have a plan that they teach and will also be
responsible for doing things outside the church with their groups. This will be your group with
whom you are doing life with and will help guide you and hold you accountable for all your
actions.
The calendar will be planned in advance but also leave room for change and error. We
will have a planner who oversees that all events don’t overlap and to make sure the people are
where they need to be when they need to be there. The events will be displayed through the
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church and put into the announcements to make sure everyone knows about them and feels
invited.
We will have many people who help oversee our budget. I would also like a yearly
financial analysis to go out to show the people who trust God with their money that we are using
it for His glory and to lift His kingdom. I will make sure that all money is used properly and that
no one gets there hands on the money that doesn’t belong there.
The curriculum will be based in what’s in the Bible and I will make sure its ok for the age
of the people its getting taught to. I will make sure that Jesus is the center and that everyone
involved will know that we teach salvation, redemption, forgiveness and that our God is a God of
many second chances, and that when people make a mistake that we offer grace.
The slogans of the church tie into the communication plan and I will make sure it ties into
the word of God and that we are doing all we can to make sure Jesus is being glorified. I will
make sure there is a team that sees al areas of this are being met and again, if mistakes do
happen, as they will, that we offer the same grace that is offered to us.
At the end of the day I will want to make sure that everyone is on the same page with our
vision and plan. We will need to assign a team of people that will follow the numbers. We need
to make sure that our services that are large have enough seats. There was one Sunday that I was
visiting a church and they would hold about 2800 people. Low and behold the service I attended
was experiencing a much larger crowd this day and they didn’t have enough seats and space to
hold the people. This was ok because the church was full but for first time guest this may make
them bitter and not want to come back.
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Another big part of the church is knowing how many people you are reaching. I will want
to make sure that we have someone keeping track of conversions as this is important to let the
church know that we are reaching souls to Christ. We will also want to get beside them and let
them know that we are there for them and will help them grow and learn in their new faith. I will
make sure we have a team of people that do life alongside these new believers and encourage
them daily.
I will make sure to create a creative team that will help make sure that we are doing all
we can as a church to grow, succeed and lead people to Jesus. When your church s focused on
Jesus and they are doing things that’s glorify God people will want to be there and will be
excited about learning about Jesus.
I believe a great plan starts with great minds and the wisdom that only Jesus can offer us.
I would study the book of Proverbs as this is a book all on wisdom. I will make the decision that
its all about Jesus, it will always be about Jesus and there is nothing no one can do, to not make it
about Jesus. I will have a team of people committed to the church and make sure that we have
people greeting people when they walk in, helping to park cars, showing people where to sit.
Another important thing that I love about the church I go to, is they have a café. Many
people would want to know why a church would need a café and I must say, at first I was a little
confused to. Then the stories of life change over a cup of coffee, how many people said they
came just because there was a place for them to get a good cup of coffee and to read a good
book. I would be open early and make sure I stay open late, as people do work and they would
need a time of the day were they could meet a friend and do life together.
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It is so important to do life together. Again I am in the middle of the darkest and hardest
season of my life, my wife is leaving me and there is nothing I can do about it, but trust Jesus
and that God has my best interest at heart. I have been welcomed with open arms at my church
and surrounded by people who don’t support all my mistakes but forgive me because we are all
forgiven. This is the type of church I want, a church where no matter what people do, they feel
that this is a safe place, a place of hope and a place where they can come as they are and be loved
right they are, because this is right where Jesus loves them.
Bibliography
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