Hope's Strategic Themes
(based on Becoming A Discipleship Church)
(based on Becoming A Discipleship Church)
In order to be faithful to our mission statement and to live into our core values, we have defined the following strategic themes for the next five years:
#1 Strategic Theme – Deepen our ability as
disciples to pray and read the Bible in our everyday lives and encourage
others to do the same.
Our #1 theme for the next five years is to deepen our ability as Disciples of
Christ to pray and to use the Bible in our every-day lives. We see this
helping fashion our religious beliefs, do God’s will, and declare God’s
love.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Develop Worship Services for multiple
generations and audiences
In response to a church currently worshiping five generations, another
major strategic theme for the next five years is the development of
worship services serving multiple generations. Hence, a broader range
of the congregation and community around us will be able to experience
the gospel and "Dance with the Spirit" in our midst. We reaffirm our
commitment to both traditional and contemporary worship. We propose
strengthening them as well as creating new ways to worship that might
reach younger generations.
Psalm 89:1
I will sing of the Lord's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations
I will sing of the Lord's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations
Engage the Disciples of Hope Lutheran Church in community service
In response to a new cultural context of a hunger for the spiritual hunger
and yet apathy toward religions institutions, our second strategic theme
will be focused on engaging the disciples at Hope Lutheran Church in
community service. This reflects both our commitment to declaring the
God’s love in tangible ways as well as doing God’s will by putting our
faith into action through service with those in need around us. We also
hope to invite and engage the community in service with us and to build
a relational bridge to involvement at Hope Lutheran Church.
Matthew 5:14-16
14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Become a leader in developing youth
disciples
We value
the youth of our Christian family in their current role and recognize
their importance to the future. We believe we are investing in our
children's future by helping to make them better Disciples of Christ
today. God loves us all as His children, and we love Hope's
children too.
Matthew 19:14
14Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
14Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
Develop a church-wide communication
process for all aspects of ministry and mission for Hope Lutheran Church
Another of our strategic themes for the next five years is to develop a
church-wide communication process for all aspects of the ministry and
mission of Hope Lutheran Church. This will strengthen our sense of
family at church as well as deepen our commitment to caring
relationships for everyone involved with us. We want to invite others
into meaningful contact points with our ministry and mission and to
establish effective methods for all disciples in our community.
Jude: 3
Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.
Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.
A major component of this
theme, as well as all others, is to utilize technology to enable and
create ministry (this was formerly a separate theme).
In response to the communications revolution currently taking place in
our world, an enabler of communications and all other themes for the
next five years is to utilize technology in order to enable and create
ministry. This will allow us to declare God’s love in a
technology-driven age and to build a bridge to the upcoming generations.
1 Corinthians 9:22-23
22I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
22I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
Attract, create, empower, develop and
mentor potential leaders across all ministries
Another
strategic theme for the next five years is to attract, create, empower,
develop, and mentor new leaders across all the ministries of Hope
Lutheran Church. This will include training and equipping these leaders,
as well as clarifying their roles and removing obstacles to ensure their
success.
Ephesians 4:11-13
11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Create
an environment of openness to new ideas that will encourage Christian
thinking across the congregation
Our final
strategic theme is to create an environment of openness to new ideas
that will encourage Christian thinking across the congregation. This
affirms the Lutheran heritage of always reforming to keep the church in
step with the Holy Spirit’s work in a new day.
Isaiah 43:19
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
A component of this strategic theme is to develop healthy ways to identify
and resolve conflict (this was formerly a separate theme). We want
disciples and leaders to feel they are empowered to speak up and to be
part of decision-making. We want to find a way allow conflict to move
us forward and to take advantage of tools in order to use conflict to
our advantage.
Ephesians 4:1-4
1I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit- just as you were called to one hope when you were called.
1I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit- just as you were called to one hope when you were called.