Campus History JUNE 1995 GRACE CHURCH FOUNDED
Campus Launch
M AR C H
DT
FEB R UARY
PV
MA RCH
2008 2010 PL
Table of Contents
HB
2012
2000 MARCH
Permanent Campus
M AR C H
2013 DT
4
Campus Initiatives & Budget
6
Biblically Oriented
8
Relationally Connected
10
Courageously Generous
14
Ministry Focused
16
Culturally Engaged
20
Funding Levels & Giving Guide
23
Prayerfully Dependent
A PRIL
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N OVE M B E R E S
N OVE M B E R HB
OC TOB E R
AN
AUGUST
ES
SUMME R
AN
JAN UARY
PV
O C TO B ER
TR
SUMME R
GR
2014
3
2017 2016
SP
J U LY
2019 2018
SP
AUGUST
TL
S E P T E M BE R G R
WE CHOOSE The mission of Grace Church is to create disciples, or followers of Jesus who live lives of spiritual passion. Our Core Values provide a foundation for cultivating lives of spiritual maturity resulting in personal ministry and driving discipleship into our local congregations. Everyday we face an abundance of choices regarding how we will spend our time, money, and energy. These decisions can create momentum for discipleship or can cause us to drift away from our purpose. We Choose is our two-year ministry plan. It is a strategic way to budget, discuss, raise, and spend resources in a manner that will accomplish this mission God has given us. It is not
a capital campaign. It is a plan celebrating that every dollar given supports a broad range of ministries. It involves elders and staff setting priorities and asking God for wisdom. We Choose sustains the ministry we have already been entrusted with, as well as looks ahead to opportunities God has put in our path. Our primary goal is to equip our members around our Core Values of discipleship. Ultimately, this ministry plan involves you and the choices you make to partner with God, through the local church, to change lives and advance his kingdom here at home and around the world.
Campus Initiatives Over the next two years, our campuses will work in the following areas in addition to our current ministry efforts:
AN
• Offer re:generation • Move to a permanent facility
DT
• Partner with a local school, League Academy, supporting students, teachers, and administration
ES
• Work with English speaking campus to reach Latinos • Launch multiple Español campuses
2019
• Disciple families with young children and students • Move to a permanent facility
2020
GR
HB
• Expand re|engage • Continue 1Effort (DSS - Laurens County)
PL
• Replenish leaders relocated to other campuses • Utilize student ministry to reach new families
PV
• Grow Mosaic ministry • Support local organizations (Dream Center and JC Cares)
SP
• Seek female chaplains to partner with DSS • Offer gender studies as outreach to college students
Total Budget $16,400,000 $17,100,000 (4% growth)
42.49% MINISTRY SERVICES Operations/Facilities
TL
• Partner with Español campus to disciple English and Latino families together • Serve Miracle Hill boys home as nextdoor neighbor
Human Resources Worship Finances/Accounting
TR
• Provide healthy community group experiences • Partner with White Horse Academy and Foothills Family Resources
Capital Equipment Technology/Production Digital Communications
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19.93% 13.06% PASTORAL CARE
10.76%
CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT OUTREACH
t
NEXT GENERATION MINISTRY SERVICES
13.76%
42.49%
13.06%
19.93%
10.76%
13.76%
CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT
PASTORAL CARE
OUTREACH
NEXT GENERATION
Improvements/ Renovations
Community Groups
Local Partnerships
Grace Church Kids
Men’s/Women’s Ministries
Regional Missions
Grace Church Students
Existing Facility Expansion
International Missions
New Campus Launch
Counseling & Shepherding
Debt Repayment
Special Needs
Foster/Adopt
Care Ministries
Español Multi-Campus
Missionary Support
College Ministry Internships & Residents
Ministry Staff Support
WE C H OOSE
5
01
Biblically Oriented
“But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” —Matthew 4:4 We are all going to feed our souls with something. We have to intentionally choose to feed on every word from God. When we are oriented around the Bible instead of ourselves, we will conform our lives to biblical truth day-by-day, starting with slow, incremental, and consistent nourishment of God’s Word.
PERSONAL APPLICATION Daily Reading Plan from Grace Church RightNow Media NLT or ESV Study Bible 30 Days to Understanding the Bible | Max Anders
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WORSHIP We are careful to make sure one of our most prominent ministry areas, weekend worship, is defined and directed by Scripture. Every week our team works diligently to select songs that match the flow and tenor of the message. These songs are chosen from a list of songs that have been carefully selected and deemed in line with Scripture. Also, in an effort to facilitate growth in biblical literacy, Scripture verses can be found accompanying the words of the songs we sing. And recently, to supplement our worship with music that further enhances the teaching, we wrote a small collection of songs in English and Spanish. It brings the worship team great joy to lead the congregations every week into formative, expectant, and Scripture-oriented singing.
RETREAT MONTH GRACE CHURCH STUDENTS Over 1000 students will take weekend retreats and focus on the following biblical topics: Fusion “Amaze” | Despite our choices, Jesus came to willingly be the sacrifice we need to have new life in him. Our need is only fully satisfied in what God offers us. 24Seven “The Show” | What can we learn from the stories of kings in the Bible who turned away from God and a king who humbled himself in obedience? Forge 9/10 “Created” | Who are we created to be as men and women made in the image of God? Forge 11/12 “Parables” | A study of the parables of Jesus to discover more of who he is and how life with Jesus as king is far different—and yet far better—than life with “me” as king. DISCIPLESHIP RESOURCES ON GENDER Ezer materials are designed to give women at Grace a common language to process gender-specific issues around body image, sexuality, the power of words, shame, and identity. As women weave in and out of roles and seasons, this biblically based curriculum helps ground identity to God’s design. As our church grows, we hope that all women will join an Ezer group and learn alongside others at their campus. Women also lead across all campuses through students, care and recovery, Ezer groups, and partnering in community groups. In the next two years, Grace hopes to equip those leaders for their critical work in the body of Christ by creating practical tools and diagnostic materials that complement the current curriculum. These are designed to help women take what they’ve already learned, dig deeper, and then move into relationships with the confidence of God’s Word to facilitate powerful and bold interactions. When women are defined and directed by Scripture, casual conversations turn into fruitful discipleship opportunities. Ezer ministries hope to train women to harness their knowledge of Scripture and gender theology to deploy their gifts through meaningful relationships.
“When women are defined and directed by Scripture, casual conversations turn into fruitful discipleship opportunities.”
Likewise, we encourage every man to complete Quest for Authentic Manhood in their first year of attendance at Grace. These groups are also pathways for men to get to know others at Grace and understand the mission of the church better. Group leaders serve across all our campuses to ensure that entry into short-term men’s discipleship groups is always possible.
WE C H OOSE
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02
Relationally Connected
Life change occurs best in community. That biblical idea drives our desire for every man and woman to be involved in
some
form
community.
“Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.” —Galatians 6:2
The
of
biblical primary
means for this is community groups, where everyone has a chance to connect in formative and relational discipleship.
In a world where we instinctively hide, and loneliness is everywhere, we have to fight to be relationally connected in the way that the Bible lays out for us. Being connected to others in community is fundamental to what it means to be human. As believers, being relationally connected is defined by developing relationships of encouragement and accountability. It is not about spending all of our time with a functional community of friends who are just like us and make us “feel good”, but about a formative community of people who are spurring us to be more like Jesus through challenging, exhorting, sacrificing, encouraging, and motivating.
PERSONAL APPLICATION Join a biblical community at your campus Life Together | Dietrich Bonhoeffer
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CARE & RECOVERY As an equipping church, Grace Church views the struggles of our lives as discipleship opportunities—seasons for us to grow even in the midst of our pain. In offering care and recovery, we seek to provide teaching and small group environments where you can not only find the strength “to make it” but to move forward to a better place in your life and relationship with Jesus. As we care for our members, these ministries also help us create pathways to share the benefits of the local church with people who are far from God.
295
Community Groups
3,700
Group Members
500 Care & Recovery Group Members
MENTAL HEALTH We are committed to step into the gap and help care for individuals and families who are dealing with mental health issues.
ACT I ON STEPS
In addition to our current ministry efforts, in the next two years we will: • Provide Family Grace as a family support care group for families and spouses of those with a loved one dealing with depression, anxiety, or other mental health difficulty or disorders
R E:GENERATION Re:generation is a 12-step discipleship process oriented around life change and hope through the application of God’s Word. By working through these 12 biblical steps of looking to God, looking to self, and looking to others within an authentic community, people have found freedom from substance abuse, codependency, pornography, disordered eating, depression, fear, control, emotional/physical abuse, same sex attraction, anger, obsessive thoughts, and many other personal struggles.
• Partner with Mental Health of America Greenville County in trainings, volunteers, and space • Teach and provide resources for parents and students on anxiety • Author three children’s books for topics of grief, heaven, and terminal illness • Partner with Foster & Adopt parents by writing adoption curriculum for kids and teens • Start recovery groups for teens
WE C H OOSE
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03
Courageously Generous
ROLE OF PERMANENT CAMPUSES IN DISCIPLESHIP
1. People are three times more likely to connect at a smaller, more regional campus. 2. We have historically seen an increase in attendance of about
“For you know the grace of
35% within the first eighteen
our Lord Jesus Christ, that
months
though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” —2 Corinthians 8:1-9
of
moving
3. Research has shown us that out of 100 people who come to a new, permanent campus, 33 of those individuals identify as not being a believer or disciple prior to coming to their campus.
PERSONAL APPLICATION The Money Challenge | Art Ranier Giving Guide Diagnostic on page 22
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a
permanent building.
The expression of our generosity reveals what is going on in our hearts—what we value, fear, have confidence in, and what makes us happy. Courageous generosity requires a heart that is oriented around managing, not owning, the resources God has given us. It is a discipleship issue, and it is our responsibility to steward well the resources he entrusts to us.
10
into
Background photo — the future Greer campus circa 1930
ANDERSON
GREER
Our Anderson congregation launched in October 2014 with around 100 people. We averaged 428 people in 2018 and are moving to a permanent home in a historic theater in downtown Anderson.
Our Greer campus started in September of 2016 with about 120 people. We averaged 320 people in 2018 and are moving into several historic buildings in downtown Greer in 2019.
•
•
Built in 1910, the G.F. Tolly Building, used as a furniture store space, has also housed other business in downtown Anderson for 107 years Later known as the State Theatre for more than three decades, it was acquired by the Anderson Community Theatre in the early 1970s
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Contains 21,480 square feet
•
New address: 133 E Whitner St., Anderson, SC 29624
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Established in the early 1930s as the first Ford dealership in the Upstate, W.M. Thompson Ford
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Bought by D & D Ford in 1937 (still operates in Greer)
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Contains 16,325 square feet
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New address: 129 East Poinsett Street, Greer, SC 29651
WE C H OOSE
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Meet Brandon Garcia GRACE CHURCH EN ESPAÑOL WORSHIP MINISTER
Tell us a little about your job and what you do. I lead worship, alternating between the Thursday Night service, Saturday night at Pelham, and at Forge. My days consist of worship planning meetings, translating songs, creating tracks for en Español, rehearsals, and meeting with our Español campus volunteers.
Where have you served at Grace? Soon after we got here, we found that we could really find purpose in helping build the Spanish-speaking community here around our age. We started a group called “Los Veintes” for young adults in their 20s, and we meet once a month. We also lead a community group. We are working to build a culture of vulnerability that’s not common in the Hispanic culture.
How have you grown as a disciple in the past year?
“Grace Church
The Bible was not the center and foundation of my life when I moved here. It was more of a tool with good advice and direction to help me through life, but it was not my everything. Since starting at Grace, the Bible has become the center of our marriage and of my life. We spend more time reading it now and orienting our lives around the Bible instead of orienting the Bible around us.
existe para hacer seguidores maduros
The community has been big for us too. Often in Costa Rica the conversations were superficial, but here I’ve learned that to grow as disciples we have to include people in our lives who are willing to have the tough and awkward conversations. It has been the same for prayer—not just to say thank you to God but to be fully dependent on him.
de Cristo al equiparlos para una
What do you love most about leading Grace en Espanol in worship?
vida de madurez
I love the way the congregation responds because they are really passionate about worshiping and that our band is like a family. I also just love the idea of responding after the teaching, which was new for me too.
espiritual que impacta su hogar,
What have you learned from working with our English-speaking worship leaders?
comunidad y el
The main thing is leading worship with character. Our church background before Grace was more about performance and show. It used to be so important to me that the lights, music, and performance were great. I’ve found that the character of the person leading is more important than the skill.
mundo para Jesús.”
SPARTANBURG
Greer
TAYLORS
ACTION STEP Spartanburg
85
26
asley
123
Greenville
Powdersville
185
Mauldin 385
HARRISON BRIDGE 12
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Piedmont
85
Simpsonville Fountain Inn
• Our Spanish campus has become one of the largest Latino Bible-teaching congregations in the state. Because estimates put the hispanic population near 20,000 in the Spartanburg area and close to 10,000 in the Mauldin/ Simpsonville area, we are starting regional campuses in these areas in 2019 to continue to bring a discipleship emphasis to the Latino community.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING Compared to many parts of the country, the Upstate’s real estate market is quite affordable. However, for single parents, the elderly, those with recent criminal histories, and families making less than $20,000 each year, the options become increasingly limited. Greenville is experiencing a housing shortage, and it wreaks havoc on families already living on the margins. For families in middle-income brackets, the ability to find housing is also difficult. In turn, they remain in long term rental units or buy homes that would otherwise be available for those who have less income. Housing instability is linked to familial and social consequences. When families are forced to move frequently, reside in dangerous communities, and endure unsafe conditions, there is little room for a fruitful life. Families dwell in constant survival mode, full of anxiety, worried about their safety and basic needs. God sees the worried young man with a criminal record. God knows the names of the single mom and her children who’ve never experienced stability. God loves the elderly man who must decide between food and rent each month. And so does Grace Church. This is why we are working with organizations like Homes of Hope and Jasmine Road.
“It takes a variety of churches to reach the city with the gospel.”
CHURCH REVITALIZATION AND PLANTING Mitch Miller is leading a church revitalization effort at Griggs Memorial Baptist in the Poe Mill area of Greenville. Will Broadus planted Reconcile Church in an urban context in West Greenville, South Carolina.
ACT I O N STEP • $1250 / month for local church outreach W IL L B ROAD US
M I TC H M I LLE R WE C H OOSE
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04
Ministry Focused
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” —Romans 12:1 (ESV) We are either focused on ourselves or we are focused on others. But when we start with the perspective of God’s mercy and reflect on what he has done for us, it is only reasonable to then pour ourselves out for others as Jesus did for us. As we sacrifice ourselves and our time for the body of Christ, our gifts will allow us to do what God has called us to do. Instead of spending our time trying to perfectly identify our individual gifting, we can jump in to serve and trust that those around us will clarify and affirm our gifts.
PERSONAL APPLICATION Ask your campus pastor about specific needs on your campus
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RE|ENGAGE Since the launch in 2016, 560 couples have been through the re|engage marriage program at Grace Church. The model includes raw and relevant stories, a solid biblical curriculum, and effective group time. Host campuses have expanded from Pelham to include Powdersville and Harrison Bridge to reach local communities. Additionally, several area churches are sending leaders, pastors, and members to seek refuge, healing, and training. Fifteen percent of the current participants are from the community and do not consider Grace their church home. Life change, as it turns out, is contagious. Re|engage pastor Jeremy Meyer said, “People see the growth and life change happen and want to be a part of it.” One couple noted, “This is the first time in my life I have been 100 percent real with my spouse and others. Amazing to be fully known by people.” Several couples who have been through re|engage now serve in the ministry and facilitate groups. A Harrison Bridge leader remarked, “Leading allows me to continuously work on my relationship with Christ and with my wife.” And another, “Serving in this ministry has given us the opportunity to encourage others on their journey to mending and restoring their marriage. Brokenness is real but can be redeemed.” Over the next couple of years, our aim is to continue to do what we already do really well—create an atmosphere that points people to the gospel, identify and train leaders, and provide hope through the entire process.
People Actively Serving GRACE CHURCH KIDS GRACE CHURCH STUDENTS
2,002 508
WORSHIP / AV
443
GENDER STUDIES
375
CONNECT TEAM
793
Meet Joe Clarey MOSAIC PASTOR
What is your job title, and how long have you been on staff? Pastor of Mosaic and Pastor to New Guests - Pelham. I started on staff in 2017.
What do you want to say to all the volunteers who have served as shadows or served in Mosaic? You are helping us make disciples. Our goal is to disciple every individual at every level, and each and every volunteer helps us accomplish that.
Tell us how you got here. Prior to Grace, I served individuals with autism for ten years with Project Hope Foundation. I was around individuals with disabilities growing up and had a passion to work with these kids and families. After getting my undergrad in psychology, I went into the field of ABA (applied behavior analysis) and got my Masters in Special Education and am a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. After volunteering with Mosaic at Pelham for five years, I came on staff to oversee Mosaic programs.
How large is the Mosaic ministry? We offer Grace Church Kids Mosaic at every campus, Mosaic Students at Powdersville and Pelham, and Mosaic Grouplife, for adults, at our Pelham campus. We serve about 180 people across all campuses. Both students and adults have their own service with worship, prayer time, and teaching. Adults also have community group on Sundays.
How have you seen Mosaic grow since you started on staff? We see three to four new families every month. I also see it grow by hearing from families that tell us how appreciative they are. We hear at least one story every Mosaic Respite night about how families haven’t had a date in years or have never been able to go out. Mosaic Respite night now has a waitlist.
ACT I ON STEPS
Where do you see the ministry expanding in the next two years? 1. A day program where adults with disabilities can come and be a part of something meaningful. After they graduate the school system, there is nothing for them. We have an opportunity to disciple them after that in an impactful way. 2. We are probably a year away from launching overnight respite care. Most families have never been away from their child with disabilities, ever. The divorce rate for these families is in the 80th percentile, so this is an opportunity we have to give them time to work on their marriage and help protect the family. 3. Because transportation is one of the most difficult parts of the lives of our adults, we hope to purchase a bus to transport individuals in wheelchairs. 4. We want to equip other churches to be able to start a Mosaic ministry.
WE C H OOSE
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05
Culturally Engaged
“Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of you life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way.” —Matthew 5:14-15 Engaging the culture to share the message of salvation includes both doing good deeds and having a voice—for our church and for us personally. Motivated by our love for God and what he has done for us, and by a holy fear of who God is, we need to be sure we are both doing good deeds and telling others why in order to bring glory to God and shine light in the darkness.
PERSONAL APPLICATION Review the Engage teaching series (Jan. 2018) The Gospel Comes with a House Key | Rosaria Butterfield
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“Are you giving voice to the hope you have in Jesus? Are you performing good deeds that point people to Jesus?” We are leveraging our resources to build capacity with organizations with proven effectiveness in their areas of specialty. These relationships will also create discipleship opportunities for our church members to give and serve sacrificially. We Choose to partner with Homes of Hope, Project Hope, and JumpStart for their work in affordable housing, the autism community, and the prison system.
HOMES OF HOPE WWW.HOMESOFHOPE.ORG Homes of Hope is working to provide foundational, safe environments for low to moderate income families in the Upstate. By providing affordable, energy-efficient rental and home ownership options, their clients can now afford housing and power bills. Supplemented by Homes of Hope’s financial wellness program, affordable housing gives families the freedom of a disposable income so that they can begin saving and investing.
JUMPSTART WWW.JUMPSTARTVISION.ORG JumpStart’s focus is to disciple men and women as they transition back into the workplace who, without training and support, would otherwise have a hard time doing so. The metric of success is to reduce recidivism in South Carolina, our nation, and beyond. PROJECT HOPE WWW.PROJECTHOPESC.ORG Project Hope is a proven organization offering a broad range of services for children with autism from pre-school through young adulthood. About 1 in 68 children have been identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Project HOPE provides a myriad of services including Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy. Each child has a team of therapists, a lead therapist, and a supervisor, as well as the parents. Monthly team meetings are crucial to maximize each child’s progress with his or her therapy plan.
Churchwide Outreach • Nicaragua • Kenya • Missions Grants • JumpStart • Project Hope • Homes of Hope • Senior Honor • Piedmont Women’s Center • OVC Kenya • Allendale • Foster Family Recruitment • DSS Workers • Grace City Church (Charleston, SC)
ACT I ON ST E P S
• Invest $100,000/year to increase the number of affordable homes built in the Upstate with additional staff and intentional use of volunteers
• Griggs (Greenville, SC) • Reconcile (Greenville, SC) • Germany
• Deploy volunteers for financial counseling
• Mill Community Ministries
• Invest $100,000/year to grow the ministry into every medium-security and state prison in SC
• Jasmine Road
• Ezer ministry will lead a session on shame and guilt to equip volunteers at an upcoming JumpStart conference • Continued support of a shared JumpStart staff member, Cary Sanders • Invest $100,000/year to provide ABA therapy sessions for 200 families
• Just Serve Days • Disaster Relief • Dental Clinic • Backpack Drive • Residential Housing • Foster Family Support
Campus Outreach • White Horse Academy • Foothiils Family Resource • Miracle Hill Boys • Carolina High • Dream Center • JC Cares • League Academy • Neighborhood Focus • Greer Relief • Thornwell Children's Home • Mentor Upstate • Haven of Rest
WE C H OOSE
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Meet Beth Drake FOSTER & ADOPT ADVISOR
Tell us about yourself and where you have served at Grace. I’m from Yanceyville, North Carolina—a rural, small town on the Virginia border. Dwayne and I have been married 29 years, with three children. Over the past 11 years, I’ve served in student ministry as a middle school leader, a leader for Ezer studies, on the campus impact greeting team, and as a Parents Night Out coordinator for foster and adoptive families.
What is your job and what do you do day to day? My title is the Foster and Adopt Advisor. Grace Church is committed to following the biblical mandate to care for vulnerable children by engaging the needs of foster care and adoptive families. In order to do that, I oversee the Foster and Adopt Resource Center and Parents Night Out, touch base with those getting a foster license or adopting, and oversee our monthly training process for foster parents. One thing I’m working on doing more regularly is reaching out to those that have already fostered or adopted and following up on how we can help.
Where do you see your ministry expanding in the next 2 years? This is easy for me to answer. We need to become involved on the other end—with the biological families. We would like to figure out how to best get involved with the children and parents before they move into foster care, and look at opportunities to help equip the biological family to parent well. The other piece we’re looking at is building out curriculum to help equip the adopted parents to raise these children coming from hard places. We have recently started an equipping group for parents with children who have come from trauma, and I hope that it continues to expand into further opportunities for discipleship. Lastly, we want to continue to expand our numbers who are fostering and adopting, and also continue encouraging those who are not called to foster and adopt to figure out how they can still serve.
HOW CAN YOU HELP? Adopt a child • Become a foster family • Serve as a wrap-around group • Use your unique talents to serve families • Volunteer at Parents Night Out • Volunteer or donate to the Foster & Adopt Resource Center • DSS Worker Support • Backpack Drive •
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Become a mentor or guardian • Pray consistently
GERMANY Why Germany? Germany sits at the center and crossroads of western Europe. Once the home of the Reformation, Germany is now a postChristian, post-modern, and post-secular landscape. Churches once full of people and scattered among ancient cities are now relics amongst the cultural and economic center of Europe. Home to 81.8 million people, Germany is now the most populous member of the European Union and the second most popular human migration destination in the world. Nestled at the base of the Blue Ridge on the other side of the world is BMW’s North American headquarters and production facility here in the Upstate. Because of this, the exchange of both people and culture between our countries and our cities is vast. The opportunities to support local churches as they are planted and grow in Germany continues to be an area in which we feel called to participate. As we work alongside the German church in their own context, it continues to teach us ways to interact with our changing world here at home. Our goal is to support or establish a healthy church with leadership development and discipleship DNA among the English speaking internationals of Munich. This church can also serve as a base for supporting and resourcing younger German church leaders.
ACT I ON STEPS
• Translate Biblical Femininity into German as part of our initiative to equip the German church • Equip a female intern from Germany through monthly Skype calls and in-country hosting for six weeks • Travel in June 2019 to strengthen existing international and German churches
SEX TRAFFICKING Greenville County has the highest sex trafficking rate in the state, largely due to its location between Atlanta and Charlotte —two of the top 20 major cities for sex trafficking in the U.S. Sex trafficking is defined as a person who is made to provide sex by use of force, fraud, or coercion. Victims are typically the most vulnerable among us; children in foster care systems, teens from abusive homes, women who are desperate and in poverty, and men from unstable environments.
Jasmine Road is a local ministry that offers women who are trapped in a cycle of sexual exploitation and addiction a path to freedom, a haven for healing, and the opportunity to flourish, leading to generational change and the betterment of our community. A safe and secure 24 month, rent free, home environment based on a community living model is essential for these women’s success. We are working with other churches to make a major capital investment to provide a second residential house. For more information, visit www.jasmineroad.org. WE C H OOSE
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Funding Levels 2019-2020 Our elders and staff have set a two-year budget goal that will allow us to fund our planned ministry operations and expansions. We believe this goal is attainable based on current attendance and giving trends. We also believe that we have incredible potential for courageous generosity in our congregation. Therefore, we have added two additional tiers of financial goals that, if reached, would allow us to have an even greater impact for the kingdom.
$43,000,000 $38,000,000
$33,500,000
01
02
03
FUNDING LEVEL 1
FUNDING LEVEL 2
FUNDING LEVEL 3
•
“We Choose” Ministry Plan
•
•
•
Year 1 - $16,400,000
$1 Million Additional Debt Reduction
$1 Million Additional Debt Reduction
•
Year 2 - $17,100,000
•
Travelers Rest Permanent Building
•
•
Debt Repayment
•
Affordable Housing
Consulting Strategies to Help Like-Minded Regional Churches
•
New Campus
•
International Englishspeaking congregation
•
Natural Burial Land
•
Church Plant (e.g. Asheville, Myrtle Beach, Rock Hill)
(under prayerful consideration of elders / leadership team)
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Giving Guide We created the Giving Guide as a diagnostic tool. First, identify your current position on the journey of generosity. Next, pray and ask God where he would like you to be one year from now? Two years? Ten years? Finally, trust God with the answer and take a step of obedience to move forward.
Courageous Reckless | Eternally Focused | Motivated | Expectant
Intentional Thoughtful | Joyful | Invested
Reluctant Fearful | Requires an Ask | Unimaginative
Casual Sporadic | Detached | Passive
Consumer Self-focused | Impulsive | Idle
WE C H OOSE
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Giving Guide Reflections Revisit the Giving Guide. Identify your current place on the giving road and determine concrete steps to move courageously.
If I am an intentional giver THOUGHTFUL, JOYFUL, INVESTED •
How much house is enough? What kind of cars, toys, vacations, and savings accounts will foster contentment? The answers to these questions are unique to you. What if you placed a cap on spending and saving? What if you decided that every additional dollar above that cap goes toward the kingdom and courageous giving? What could that look like for your family?
•
Consider setting a lifetime generosity goal (a specific number) for your family’s kingdom giving over the course of your life.
If I am a consumer SELF-FOCUSED, IMPULSIVE, OR IDLE •
Who do I know that is generous? Get coffee with them to discuss their giving motivation and practices.
•
In 2018, over 650 people made first time gifts to Grace Church. Join that group and see what happens.
If I am a casual giver SPORADIC, DETACHED, PASSIVE
If I am a courageous giver
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Why do I treat my financial gifts differently than my other monthly expenses?
RECKLESS, ETERNALLY FOCUSED, MOTIVATED, EXPECTANT
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Revisit your budget. Prioritize your giving in the same way you would your other monthly expenses. Give it a line item and follow through.
If I am a reluctant giver FEARFUL, RE QUIRES AN ASK, UNIMAGINATIVE •
What fears keep me from giving consistently?
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In 2018, 672 people set up recurring gifts through SecureGive, Grace’s online giving tool. We encourage you to do the same. Some benefits of online giving include:
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Helps guard against forgetfulness
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Planning and budgeting is easier for the church
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Lessens the church’s administrative work
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It is safe
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It is convenient
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An account can be set up by downloading the SecureGive Vision mobile app or at GraceChurchSC.org/SecureGive
G RAC E C HURC H S C.O RG
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Find context to share your story to inspire the next generation of courageous givers.
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Complete estate planning that accurately reflects kingdom priorities.
C LOSING We know that God desires to continue to bring people out of darkness and into his marvelous light throughout the Upstate and the world. We have prayerfully created a ministry plan that allows us to steward our resources and help fulfill God’s mission. But we cannot accomplish this unless we all choose to share in this responsibility. Begin by praying and thanking him for all he has done for you and for our church. Then, ask God to expose in which of the Core Values you can grow personally. Finally, take time to pray and consider what God would have you do financially to fulfill the calling he has placed on his church. When we move from fearful ownership to faithful stewardship, we practice obedience and allow God to multiply our resources for his glory.
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Prayerfully Dependent
“And we can be confident that he will listen to us whenever we ask him for anything in line with his will.” —1 John 5:14 Pursuing an intimate and prayerfully dependent relationship with God is less about method and more about a mindset. A life anchored in prayer begins with the realization that we all struggle with selfsufficiency and independence. With this attitude, we can begin to quietly acknowledge God’s presence and his faithfulness in each moment of our day— creating space for dependence on him. The less we rely on ourselves and hold onto control, the more we find ourselves in ongoing communication with the one who is reliable and is in control.
PERSONAL APPLICATION Commit to attend campus Night of Prayer A Praying Life | Paul Miller A Call to Spiritual Reformation | D.A. Carson
WE C H OOSE
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A Family of Local Congregations
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