VALLEY CHURCH
He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.� Luke 10:2
WE ARE SENT
One year ago God did something amazing and an epic journey began. And I believe God is going to do it again! The mark of a healthy church is not it’s seating capacity, but it’s sending capacity. At every point in the road Valley has been a place of grace and SENDING for all kinds of people and their stories. Stories of love and life-change, of tears and laughter, of radical missions to the underdogs, of real and raw authenticity, and risk-taking next steps of faith. Jesus has transformed lives and hearts. Jesus said, and is still saying, to our church, “I want to do something new, but you have to think bigger and bolder.” Sent is about that. It’s about a BIG vision for mission, ministry and multiplication. It’s also about a home for our church, which is important for our next steps in this vision. But, it’s important to remember that a building is not the focus OF ministry but a tool FOR ministry and vision. A building is just a place of grace for that vision to grow and have a face. Reaching more people for Jesus is the vision. That matters and we get to be a part of it! Because, we know that God is crazy in love with people and the more people who know that; the more lives become filled with the hope, grace, and love of Jesus. The harvest is waiting. Because, when it boils right down to it, we don’t want to be a bunch of saved people, we want to be a bunch of sent people. Who send other people. Across the street. Across the city. And across the world. So guess what? God is going to do it again! Matt
SENT FOR MISSION:
Since the beginning we’ve always said, “This isn’t about us.” We want to be intentional about that with our generosity and efforts. Over 2000 years ago Jesus and the early church did so much good with what they had, that it changed the world. We want to play our part in a radical and unheard of way. Putting others first and ten.
“Sent” is about three focuses. Three visions that converge into one calling and new thing. To be SENT.
SENT FOR MINISTRY:
We can build a new building, but if we don’t have a healthy church to move into it we’re sunk. We’ve identified two key areas of ministry where we need to nurture and grow with laser focus and invest more resources and energy. It’s essential that we keep maintaining and growing what God has entrusted us with.
SENT TO MULTIPLY:
There should always be more room at the table of God’s grace. In our current leased facility that’s a challenge. A church home will help us widen and deepen the table so that we can be a place of Christ’s grace, hope, and love for more and more people. It will be a place to be equipped and sent from, to multiply our mission and ministry as we build the Kingdom with Jesus.
SENT FOR MISSION In a radical step of generosity we want to “put our money where our mouth is� and do something completely outside the box. Right off the top we will tithe and give the first 10% of what we raise to the following missions as we continue to partner with them in creative, hands-on ways:
The Diaper Store Ministry Allendale Public Schools Homeless Liaison Initiatives for students that are high need and high risk Adult, College, and Student Ministries Mission Trips United Methodist Missions which helps fund things like UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) and New Church development and initiatives across Michigan.
SENT FOR MINISTRY
Being sent for ministry means we have to keep our ministries strong and growing. God has been doing amazing things through Valley and we don’t want to stall and slow down due to a lack of things like staffing or resources. In the last few years we’ve grown incrementally about 5-7% each of those years across the spectrum of ministry:
We’ve identified two key areas of ministry that are vital to our church and our values. We need to nurture and grow these ministries with laser focus. The “Sent” vision will help us invest more resources, energy and focus.
VALLEY KIDS AND FAMILY MINISTRY - Fun, effective, practical, secure, and safe space for our growing Valley Kids ministry. No more three room juggling! We want our kids to have the space they need to grow and learn how to live for God, for People, for a Change too! Our kids, and their families, are too important not to invest in! We’ll also be positioned to respond to growing staffing needs. COLLEGE MINISTRY - Space for college students, college Go Groups and worship. Our land on 52nd Ave is practically next door to the growing campus and housing developments of GVSU. This gives us an amazing footprint and opportunity for effective campus ministry as we help college students live for God, for People, for a Change. We’ll also be positioned to respond to growing staffing needs.
SENT TO MULTIPLY A place of Christ’s grace, hope, and love. A place for God, for People, for a Change. A place to be sent from.
*The colors represented are conceptual and will change by time of build
12,500 Sq. Ft. of simple, practical, and functional space On 6 acres of land 90 parking spots 240 seat worship space Kids, Student, and College spaces Welcoming guest space and Gathering Area
HOW WILL YOU RESPOND AND BE SENT?
1. PRAY:
Pray that your heart would grow more generous. Let your giving be an act of faith through the leading of God in your life. Seek God through prayer so that Jesus can begin a new thing in your life as he sends you head first into the SENT vision and initiative. Worship him for the grace he sends into your life each and every day. Surrender all you are and all you have to God to be part of something bigger than yourself.
2. REFLECT:
As you journey through prayer, and listen, we believe that God will speak to you. Use this journey and take the time to reflect on what God is saying to you. If you’re married talk together about where you sense God leading you. If you’re in different places, that’s okay. Keep praying and listening. To one another and to God. If you’re not married talk about it with some friends at church or some others you trust and value.
3. TAKE A BIG SENT STEP:
Discipleship and stewardship go hand in hand. You can’t truly live into one without the other. As we go deeper into our relationship with God we learn what it means to put him above everything else. It’s about a journey of trust. It’s about a journey of next steps. And we don’t grow without taking steps of faith. Growing in stewardship requires trusting in Jesus and giving what he has called us to give because we value him more than anything else.
GIVING GUIDE
Rookie Giver:
This giver is someone who decides to either give for the first time or occasionally. They’ve decided to give and trust God and the leaders of the church with this gift.
Regular Giver:
This giver has decided to give on a regular basis. This requires some amount of focus and planning to set up a recurring gift online or through a check. It honors God with a sense of consistency and shows that giving is starting to become an important part of their faith.
Relational Giver: This giver no longer asks the question, “God, how much are you asking me to give?” They ask, “God, how much are you asking me to keep?” This posture is where Tithing starts and they release it for Kingdom work. A Relational giver makes a lifetime commitment to tithe 10% so God can help them live on the 90% that’s left. This is a relationship of trust with God. Relational giving helps govern his/her decisions on things like homes, cars, investments, purchases, etc. Is money your God? Or is your money a tool for God’s Kingdom? There’s a big difference. The Sent journey helps our hearts, and our priorities, beat in sync with Jesus and his will for our lives. Each step of this journey represents growth in an intentional lifestyle of generosity and sacrifice built on the foundation of faith. We pray these steps will help you evaluate your spiritual growth. The Bible encourages us to grow in every area of our walk with Christ, including the grace of giving. (2 Corinthians 8:7)
Radical Giver:
This giver goes above and beyond the tithe. The radical giver asks questions like, “Does my generosity reflect the transformation Christ is making in me? Shouldn’t I be giving more to God than I give for my mortgage each month?” This is a radical and intentional choice that is “larger than anything else in their life.” This means they adjust every other expenditure and choice to meet that sacrifice and commitment for Jesus and his church.
The big MIRACLE goal is to raise $75,000 over the next year to keep moving the Sent Vision forward. This is a vision that is so big we can’t do it on our own. We can only do it with God’s help!
We’ve included a sample commitment card that you can begin praying over. You don’t have to fill this sample card out, because you’ll get a shiny new one on Commitment Sunday! We’ve also included a giving chart that gives you a snapshot of the number and dollar amounts needed to break through the miracle. This is based on an estimate of how many giving units we have in our church and would far exceed the goal of $100,000. Our hope is that it will challenge you and inspire you as you pray about how you are being sent to build the Kingdom of God.
DECEMBER 2, 2018 - COMMITMENT SUNDAY
SENT VISION ONE-YEAR COMMITMENT CHART
On December 2nd we will humbly ask you to make a One-Year giving commitment to the SENT vision over and above your current regular giving. We’re praying that it’s the most radically generous financial commitment you’ve ever given to the work of God. While we can’t fully predict the construction market in the future we expect the building cost to be about $2,000,000 with some additional costs for furnishings, architectural costs, etc. $2,000,000 - Expected Building Cost Therefore, our overall SENT goal is to raise $1,000,000 before we re-apply for the John C Lasko Grant, which would potentially fund the other half of the build cost, or take on the remaining million dollars in a mortgage. $1,000,000 - Total SENT Goal We currently have about $230,000 in hand. At our current size as a church we would not be able to afford a mortgage that large. However, if God continues to bless us with growth, now that we have two services, that can change things towards more growth and possibilities. $230,000 - Current cash in hand in our building fund
Gifts Needed 1 2 10 25 20 10 10
Gift Amount $ 10,000 $ 7,500 $ 5,000 $ 3,000 $ 2,000 $ 1,000 $ 500
Monthly $ 833 $ 625 $ 416 $ 250 $ 167 $ 83 $ 47
Commitment Total $ 10,000 $ 15,000 $ 50,000 $ 75,000 $ 40,000 $ 10,000 $ 5,000
My Sent Commitment Generosity Goal: $75,000 in one year commitments
Name: Address: Phone: Email:
After prayerfully considering this vision and opportunity I/we will commit $____________ / month, above and beyond my current regular giving, for the next 12 months of the Sent Vision. (I also understand that for our church to keep maintaining and growing I need to stay consistent and even consider increasing my current regular giving to the general budget and ministry of the church.)
The Sent Prayer
We go nowhere by accident. Wherever we go, God is sending us. Wherever we are, God has put us there. Jesus wants to do something through us, where we are. Believe this, live this, and be Sent in his Grace, Love, and Power. For God. For People. For a Change. Amen.
FAQ’S
What are you asking of me? First and foremost, we are asking you to pray bigtime and look for God’s leading. Prepare your heart to hear him and then listen to what he says. Talk with your spouse, family, trusted friends about what this commitment will mean during this exciting season of your lives. How should I break up my giving? Keep giving what you currently give and be faithful with that. Consider increasing your regular giving into the new year. That helps us stay the course with our ministry expenses and General Fund so that we don’t stall as a church with things like staffing and resources! From there determine (using the One-Year Commitment Chart as a starting point) how much more God wants you to give towards the Sent Campaign and Initiative. For instance if you’re currently giving 5% of your income, God may be calling you to step up to tithe 10%. That means you would keep giving 5% to the general fund and the additional 5% would go to the Sent Vision Campaign. You can actually set that up online, which is the best option, and give to the Multiple Funds at: https://valleychurchallendale.org/give If you intend to give by check you can memo your check or if by cash indicate on the giving envelopes.
What’s the total projected building cost and when will we build? While we can’t fully predict the construction market in the future we expect the building cost to be about $2,000,000 with some additional costs for furnishings, architectural costs, etc. Once we have $1,000,000 in hand we will re-apply for a potential grant through the Lasko Foundation to help us build debt free. Alternatively we might also decide to build and take on the remaining $1,000,000 in a mortgage. If we continue to grow with our two services that’s a potential viable option as well. Does Valley currently have any funds reserved for the Building? Yes. We currently have about $230,000 in a building fund through the Michigan Area Loan and Investment Fund of the United Methodist Church. What other sources of funding are you looking into? The Lead Team is exploring other options for fundraising. Other grants, loans, gifts from our family and friends outside of the church, etc. We know and believe that God is sending us forward to create a launching pad, and permanent home, for others to be sent!
How can I help raise money for this vision beyond my own commitment? Be creative as you, and your family, and friends explore ways to give towards this vision and initiative, beyond your two year commitment. You might have some stocks, property, or other items of that nature that could be donated. You may have some stored resources or savings that God has blessed you with in the past. God might just be calling you to give out of that to prioritize and use those resources for his Kingdom work now. Here’s some other ideas to consider. What ideas do you have? >Have a Garage sale and give the proceeds to Sent >When you get your tax return in the spring do a 50/50 gift. Give God the first half and keep the second half for yourself. >Do a “Friends and Family Plan” letter and email. Tell them about the Sent vision and share why you are excited about it. Ask for a gift towards the vision. Pastor Matt raised almost $20,000 doing this when he started Valley. If you’d like some ideas and help to do this yourself let him know! Think if many of us did this! >Consider any stocks and other assets you may have. >Consider selling some things you don’t need anymore and giving the proceeds to God. >Have you been saving for something? Maybe God is asking you to reevaluate that desire or timing. >Consider delaying a trip or big purchase so that you can jump into Kingdom work and giving now.
WEARESENT.ORG