VisionVision

A Glimpse At The FutureA Glimpse At The Future

For Southside Church of ChristFor Southside Church of Christ

Three Areas of VisionThree Areas of Vision

Physical features of SouthsidePhysical features of SouthsideSpiritual Health and Internal MinistrySpiritual Health and Internal MinistryEvangelism and OutreachEvangelism and Outreach

Physical VisionPhysical Vision

•Debt free a.s.a.p.

•Revamping of existing building – modernization and facilitation.

•Building fund to prepare for future expansion projects

•Meeting needs of today’s families without compromising the truth of the Gospel

Commitment Sees It ThroughCommitment Sees It Through

““The people rejoiced at the willing response The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the LORD. David the and wholeheartedly to the LORD. David the king also rejoiced greatly.”king also rejoiced greatly.”

1 Chronicles 29:9 1 Chronicles 29:9

Proposed Expansion IdeasProposed Expansion Ideas

Rearrangement of foyer/office areasRearrangement of foyer/office areas Purchase of entire Trimmier-side property if Purchase of entire Trimmier-side property if

possiblepossible Prayer to make it possiblePrayer to make it possible Additional parkingAdditional parking Building of a family life center/multipurpose Building of a family life center/multipurpose

center/kitchen and classroom centercenter/kitchen and classroom center Taking advantage of existing building Taking advantage of existing building

strengths and enlarging existing strengths and enlarging existing classroomsclassrooms

A Place To BelongA Place To Belong

Providing a pleasant place we can Providing a pleasant place we can each call home.each call home.

Providing a gathering place where we Providing a gathering place where we can fellowship and celebrate our can fellowship and celebrate our salvation.salvation.

Providing a warm place where love Providing a warm place where love and edification can flourish.and edification can flourish.

Providing a place where we can be Providing a place where we can be glad to bring our friends to meet our glad to bring our friends to meet our family and fall in love with the Lord.family and fall in love with the Lord.

Spiritual VisionSpiritual Vision

The building and facility is only one The building and facility is only one small part of the vision necessary for small part of the vision necessary for us to be the unstoppable force Christ us to be the unstoppable force Christ has called us to be.has called us to be.

So we need to sharpen our spiritual So we need to sharpen our spiritual vision.vision.

Our greatest question: What has God Our greatest question: What has God placed us here to accomplish?placed us here to accomplish?

A Priesthood of All BelieversA Priesthood of All Believers

Revelation 1:6 – “To him who loves us and Revelation 1:6 – “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a and has made us to be a kingdomkingdom and and priestspriests to serve his God and Father—to to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.”Amen.”

1 Peter 2:9 – “But you are a chosen people, 1 Peter 2:9 – “But you are a chosen people, a a royalroyal priesthoodpriesthood, a holy nation, a , a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

How Do We Grow His Priesthood?How Do We Grow His Priesthood?

Commitment to the Word of GodCommitment to the Word of GodCommitment to PrayerCommitment to PrayerCommitment to Service in the Commitment to Service in the

KingdomKingdom

There is no room for pew-warmersThere is no room for pew-warmersThere is no room for back-slidersThere is no room for back-slidersThere is no room for slackersThere is no room for slackersThere is no room for absenteesThere is no room for absentees

So what should we do?So what should we do?

Train our teachers to teach with skill and Train our teachers to teach with skill and devotion.devotion.

Inspire our people with a desire to attend Inspire our people with a desire to attend Bible class because they know they will Bible class because they know they will learn and grow.learn and grow.

Employ the best teaching and learning Employ the best teaching and learning techniques, including multi-media techniques, including multi-media presentation and creative approaches.presentation and creative approaches.

Provide a wide variety of learning Provide a wide variety of learning opportunities – above and beyond opportunities – above and beyond traditional Sunday/Wednesday offerings.traditional Sunday/Wednesday offerings.

All of a sudden!All of a sudden!

Our church building will be continually used Our church building will be continually used to further the spread of the Gospel.to further the spread of the Gospel.

Our family will be together many times a Our family will be together many times a week, strengthening and encouraging one week, strengthening and encouraging one another and spurring one another on to love another and spurring one another on to love and good works.and good works.

Our membership will grow because people Our membership will grow because people are looking for a church family that means are looking for a church family that means what it says and practices what it preaches.what it says and practices what it preaches.

There won’t be any thought of coming to There won’t be any thought of coming to “set” and defining worship as a “spectator “set” and defining worship as a “spectator sport”.sport”.

And the World Will…And the World Will…

Lose a great deal of its attraction and distractionLose a great deal of its attraction and distraction Cease to feed us its constant diet of poisonCease to feed us its constant diet of poison No longer be the place we prefer to be or offer the activities we prefer No longer be the place we prefer to be or offer the activities we prefer

to participate into participate in

Our church family will provide us with strength and encouragement. Our church family will provide us with strength and encouragement. Our strength will be renewed and we will mount up on wings as eagles.Our strength will be renewed and we will mount up on wings as eagles.

Evangelistic VisionEvangelistic Vision

Only a church filled with dedicated priests will Only a church filled with dedicated priests will ever reach out in the name of Jesus.ever reach out in the name of Jesus.

Our evangelistic vision includes two parts:Our evangelistic vision includes two parts:Local evangelistic outreachLocal evangelistic outreachForeign evangelistic outreachForeign evangelistic outreach

A Unique ChurchA Unique Church

Southside has many wonderful attributes which make us Southside has many wonderful attributes which make us attractive to our community:attractive to our community:We have a multi-ethnic mixWe have a multi-ethnic mixWe have a various socio-economic demographicWe have a various socio-economic demographicWe have a large portion of our congregation that is transientWe have a large portion of our congregation that is transientWe are unafraid to be a hospital churchWe are unafraid to be a hospital church

Using These StrengthsUsing These Strengths

Our ethnic mix:Our ethnic mix:We have overcome many of the barriers that block some We have overcome many of the barriers that block some

congregations from effectively ministering to their communities.congregations from effectively ministering to their communities.We have learned to be culturally diverse – experiencing elements that We have learned to be culturally diverse – experiencing elements that

are sometimes strange to us with joy rather than fear or intimidation.are sometimes strange to us with joy rather than fear or intimidation.We can therefore reach out to anyone, anywhere, anytime in any We can therefore reach out to anyone, anywhere, anytime in any

circumstance without trepidation or judgment.circumstance without trepidation or judgment.

Using These StrengthsUsing These Strengths

Our socio-economic diversity:Our socio-economic diversity:We know what it means to have plentyWe know what it means to have plentyWe know what it means to have nothingWe know what it means to have nothingWe know every degree in betweenWe know every degree in betweenWe can reach anyone, anywhere, anytime in any condition We can reach anyone, anywhere, anytime in any condition

without judging or placing unrealistic expectations upon anyone.without judging or placing unrealistic expectations upon anyone.We can free ourselves from any feelings of pride or self-We can free ourselves from any feelings of pride or self-

satisfaction and can serve our God humbly.satisfaction and can serve our God humbly.

Using These StrengthsUsing These Strengths

Our transient population:Our transient population:Really hard at first to see this as a strengthReally hard at first to see this as a strengthYet, it provides a certain vitality to this congregation that Yet, it provides a certain vitality to this congregation that

helps us.helps us.We know we have no time to waste with any person who We know we have no time to waste with any person who

comes in the doors. Every moment counts.comes in the doors. Every moment counts.We therefore do no grow sleepy as easily, nor do we start We therefore do no grow sleepy as easily, nor do we start

accepting status quo quite as easily.accepting status quo quite as easily.

Using These StrengthsUsing These Strengths

Our status as a hospital church:Our status as a hospital church:Hospitals can be ugly places – but thank God that we have Hospitals can be ugly places – but thank God that we have

them when we need them.them when we need them.Churches can be so narrow, so strict, so judgmental that any Churches can be so narrow, so strict, so judgmental that any

sick person feels ostracized.sick person feels ostracized.Such churches look and feel antiseptic – they are clean and Such churches look and feel antiseptic – they are clean and

untroubled by the sick.untroubled by the sick.But where do sick people go?But where do sick people go?

Using These StrengthsUsing These Strengths

Our status as a hospital church:Our status as a hospital church:We are a hospital church.We are a hospital church.People who are hurting know they can come here and find People who are hurting know they can come here and find

healing.healing.We strive to be non-judgmental. We hate sin, but love sinners.We strive to be non-judgmental. We hate sin, but love sinners.We will not turn anyone away, regardless of their initial We will not turn anyone away, regardless of their initial

appearance or situation.appearance or situation.We will not willingly let anyone leave us unhealed.We will not willingly let anyone leave us unhealed.

Planning Evangelism With Our Planning Evangelism With Our StrengthsStrengths

Our evangelistic programs need to focus on the fact that we Our evangelistic programs need to focus on the fact that we are a multi-racial church. We need to anticipate cultural needs are a multi-racial church. We need to anticipate cultural needs and be prepared to embrace anyone who comes to us.and be prepared to embrace anyone who comes to us.

The richest and the poorest need always to feel welcome here, The richest and the poorest need always to feel welcome here, without any favoritism being shown at any time to anyone.without any favoritism being shown at any time to anyone.

Our dress, manner and deportment need to indicate that we Our dress, manner and deportment need to indicate that we are not worldly-focused. Our focus and our treasure is in are not worldly-focused. Our focus and our treasure is in heaven and not on this earth.heaven and not on this earth.

Planning Evangelism With Our Planning Evangelism With Our StrengthsStrengths

We need to be constantly inviting.We need to be constantly inviting. We need to provide training and professional help to encourage We need to provide training and professional help to encourage

those who are hurting to come here and find spiritual healing.those who are hurting to come here and find spiritual healing. We need to get our message out in every available medium that We need to get our message out in every available medium that

this is an imperfect family being perfected in Christ.this is an imperfect family being perfected in Christ. We need to provide a safe haven where people can escape the We need to provide a safe haven where people can escape the

judgmental attitudes of the world and find solace in the judgmental attitudes of the world and find solace in the forgiveness of Christ.forgiveness of Christ.

Our Foreign EvangelismOur Foreign EvangelismA ready-made evangelistic force paid for by the United States ArmyA ready-made evangelistic force paid for by the United States Army

Never let a soldier get away without filling him or her with enough Never let a soldier get away without filling him or her with enough Bible knowledge to teach someone else.Bible knowledge to teach someone else.

Send each military member away with an understanding that he Send each military member away with an understanding that he or she is a part of the evangelistic team of the Lord.or she is a part of the evangelistic team of the Lord.

Provide support, materials, encouragement, direction, any other Provide support, materials, encouragement, direction, any other needed help to anyone who has ever passed through these doors needed help to anyone who has ever passed through these doors and gone to other parts of the world.and gone to other parts of the world.

Tying It All TogetherTying It All Together

•Our purpose statement:

•Southside is committed to showing God's way of salvation; sharing God's love in the Spirit; shaping God's people by study; shining God's light through service and standing strong in our Savior.