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Raise the Spear FAQs
Questions and Answers
Q: What happens if we don’t raise all the funds for the entire 15 million dollars?
A: This is a faith Initiative, trusting that God has and will guide us as we walk through the commitment period. We will continue to seek and follow His leading as we progress.
Our plan, as a leadership team, is after the Raise the Spear Celebration Sunday, April 8, and all of the commitments are collected from the weeks to follow, leadership will convene and develop our next steps.
As of today, we are trusting that we will be able to move forward in a timely fashion as the process proceeds.
Q: What will be done with the 300,000 dollars once the debt is paid off?
A: We have two initial thoughts for these dollars. One, to rebuild our lagging Capital Fund, which will help address things like large maintenance projects and unexpected expensive facility needs, such as worn out HVAC units and other deferred expenses. Two, is that we have a vision to expand our ministry impact both here at home and around the world with all of our global partners.
Q: Will we be hiring more staff? A: Staffing is a fluid part of managing any enterprise. We have no present plan to hire but we do anticipate needing to add to our children’s ministry as our numbers will increase after our space is remodeled.
Q: Why a million dollars to one mission?
A: First, please know that we plan to continue supporting our other various missionaries (Joshua, Denford, TCM); however, we also believe in the work that GO Ministries is doing and are committed to supporting their ministry. This is also a great way to jumpstart our 10- year plan and commitment to plant 100 new churches in the Dominican, Haiti, and
Mongolia. As leadership, we have said from the beginning that we do not want this initiative to only benefit our members and our community. We want to expand the Kingdom globally. Our goal is that we do ministry with a “both/and” mentality, not an “either/or.” Again, this is in addition to all of our current partnership commitments and relationships and we plan
to continue supporting our various other missionaries.
Q: Why do we need to spend so much on the building?
A: Christ’s Church’s facilities and specifically our children’s facilities are very dated and uninviting. If we did not adjust some of the main issues like traffic flow in the common areas and security in the children’s wing, it would be magnified when we reach some of those 61,000 in the community. This investment will bring new life and growth into our building
and Church body resulting in even more lives being changed by and for Christ. It will provide something that we can be proud of and, more importantly, can use to invite others into where they can hear and experience the saving gospel message. We intend to use every dollar the most efficiently and effectively as we can in this process, because we are accountable to the Lord Himself.
Q: Shouldn’t we do the outside dreams first?
A: We would love to do the outside first, but the more practical and financially responsible thing to do is to start from the inside. As our team looked at the scope of the project, we realized that if traffic flow in the common spaces and more critical objectives like better security for our children’s areas were not adjusted, it would be marginalized. We would continue to contend with and magnify our traffic issues in our common areas as some of the 61,000 joined Christ’s Church. It would also cause a duplication of a large amount in costs if we were to come back later to create the Granary space than doing that upfront.
Q: What is the difference between One Fund and a Capital Campaign?
A: The biggest difference in the One Fund approach is that it is based on a discipleship model with the ultimate goal of making each of us a better disciple by increasing our heart of generosity. We don’t want to just retire debt or build something new. Our goal is to help each and every one of us become more generous and join together as we pursue the vision. A capital campaign is primarily focused on debt and buildings without much focus on individuals.
Q: What is in Phase One, and how many phases are there?
A: Phase One includes the elimination of our existing debt, a renovation of our children’s spaces, a new common area, and global church planting. Right now, the plan is laid out into two phases; but we never want to put God in a box, so those plans could change as we follow in His steps.
Q: When will Phase One construction begin? How long will it take?
A: There are some assumptions in this answer, but the earliest possible start date Is September of 2018. It would have a completion cycle of 16 months without any delays.
Q: Why this? Why now?
A: Is there a better time than now to teach the biblical principle of tithing? So, why now, because we need to teach this (tithing) just as much as we teach Baptism, Discipleship and Service. Why this? Our leadership has been praying and seeking God’s plan and direction for the past several years asking the question What is next God? Through prayer, God has given us a vison for how to reach some of the 61,000 folks that need a church and a reason to seek a relationship with Christ. Time is short, and we don’t want to have to answer the question someday of Why did you wait so long? Our leadership sees exactly what needs to happen, and we’re committed to doing the right thing trusting that God will be blessed through the efforts of His people. People matter to God, so they should matter to us.
We have one of the largest local outreach teams in the Mason area, and we need to equip each of you with tools like this building to help you reach your friends and neighbors. Their eternal lives depend on it. You might be the last person to reach one or two of the 61,000. Will you join us?
Q: What is Celebration Sunday? What’s going to happen?
A: The Commitment Cards that you submitted with your increased generosity amounts have been totaled. So, we will announce on Celebration Sunday the total projected giving to Raise the Spear over the next two years. And, we will launch the spear by collecting our Launch Offering. This is our official jump start to Raise the Spear. Then, we will celebrate and praise God for all He is going to do!
If you usually give through ACH or PushPay, remember to change your dollar amount to reflect your new sacrificial generosity to Raise the Spear. But please remember to submit a Commitment Card, so that your commitment is counted in our projected giving. Or, if you want to bring a check with you to church that day, place your Launch Offering in the baskets during our offering time.
If you haven’t filled out and submitted a Commitment Card, you can still do so and be part of something HUGE. This is our BIG LAUNCH! Let’s start off strong and fight hard for what God is going to do here!