a message from pastor chuck recap by patricia salcedo In his State of the Church announcement in June, Pastor Chuck walked us through the history of Stonebriar and shared the vision for our future. “The year 2017 is a great time to pause, take a deep breath, and reflect on these 18-plus years we’ve been together as a church,” he began before covering financial updates, ministry goals, and leadership plans.
history and financial updates Thanks to the generous support of our congregation and leadership of our elders, we have great news to announce regarding our financial future. • In 1998, we began to meet in the gym of Collin College, and our congregation grew rapidly. • In 2001, we purchased land and moved into our first building, where we owed $14.5 million. • In 2004, we built a larger place of worship and increased our total debt to $42 million. • In 2019, when our loan reaches maturity, our total debt will be less than $8 million! With continued generosity, we can reach the milestone of becoming a debt-free church, freeing us to focus more of our financial resources on glorifying God through ministry.
ministry goals An increased focus on mentorship is a major ministry goal for the coming years in our church. Pastor Chuck emphasized that “mentoring is essential if we hope to hand off the reins of leadership to those who will carry on in our place. We now plan to turn more of our attention toward mentoring others for taking the baton and running the race to reach their generation—and beyond it.”
leadership plans “Let me assure you,” Pastor Chuck confirmed, “I do not plan to go anywhere. I’ll be here through this process. But as we embark on this journey toward the future, we will answer the question many are asking: ‘What is going to happen when our current ministry leaders are gone?’ We have a short-term and a long-term plan. Short term, we are working on an interim plan that will be put into place should an emergency need arise in any of our senior leaders’ lives. As we look at our long-term need for leadership, we will remain sensitive to the Lord’s leading for every leader’s replacement.”
Through God, we shall do valiantly.
closing remarks
Pastor Chuck finished his announcement with a charge of commitment. “We must commit ourselves to working together as we prepare for these healthy changes. More than ever, your personal attendance, your faithful service, and your generous financial support are absolutely essential.” He closed his remarks with the words of the Psalmist—the same he spoke at the end of Stonebriar’s first gathering on October 14, 1998: “Through God, we shall do valiantly.” Pastor Chuck’s State of the Church announcement originally aired in the Worship Center on June 18, 2017. Watch the video online at www.stonebriar.org [keyword: giving].