What is Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow?
Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow is an effort to raise the financial resources necessary to fund the initiatives that will fulfill the “Vision” affirmed by the West Ohio Annual Conference in June of 2001.
What is the “Vision”?
“Every congregation is a healthy, growing, spiritually vital, risk-taking center for making and equipping disciples of Jesus for the purpose of transforming the world.” The purpose of the “Vision” is to fulfill our “Mission” which is to make disciples of Jesus Christ. The bottom line of all of this is to position churches to fulfill the “Great Commission and Great Commandment.”
What has to happen for this vision to become a reality?
There are two primary areas of need that must be addressed in order to strengthen churches for today’s challenges and position churches to meet future needs.
1. Strengthen Local Congregations – In order to fulfill our mission, every congregation must be given the tools to position itself for maximum ministry. This will involve:
- Investing in leadership through training pastors to meet new cultural and demographic challenges
- Training lay leaders for effective service
- Recruiting and training new pastors for future leadership
- Preparing churches to attract and minister to persons under 35
- Expansion and renovation of churches
- Elimination or reduction of indebtedness
2. Create New Venues for Disciple Making and Worship – In order to seize opportunities brought about by population growth and demographic and cultural shifts, we must be prepared to:
- Start new congregations
- Acquire prime property
- Assist in funding satellites for existing congregations
- Establish multicultural churches
- Support mission partners in Mexico, Russia, and Africa
How will the initiatives supported by “Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow” accomplish these things?
Local Church Campaigns to address expansion, renovation and debt issues will be funded through the initiative if the church will agree to tithe (at a minimum) what is raised in the campaign. The tithe will be used to expand ministry in the region.
Coaches will be recruited and equipped to work with pastors and lay leaders in a congregation to:
- Implement new ministries
- Support leaders who have participated in Conference training programs
- Learn specialized skills to attract and minister to those 35 and under
- Support pastors and leaders in new congregations
- Provide effective ministry to multicultural groups.
Scholarships will be made available to staff, lay leaders, and/or local church teams who wish to attend specialized training.
Churches will be connected electronically. Online meetings and training opportunities will allow many more individuals to participate while saving travel time and expense.
Seminary graduates will be recruited and strategically placed in residency programs.
Funds will be made available to districts and local congregations as they seek to start new congregations, expand existing congregations and acquire property.
A tithe of all dollars raised will allow congregations to practice the “Great Commission, and Great Commandment” while supporting ministry expansion in Africa, Mexico, and Russia.
How much will it cost to accomplish these things?
Congregations that have currently identified capital needs will be seeking to raise more than seventy million dollars. The cost to fund the other components of the initiative will require an additional thirty million dollars including initiative costs and a tithe to our mission partners.
What will be our Goal?
Local churches will need to invest $70 to $80 million in their local churches. $30 million is needed to provide the leadership and assistance to local churches. Our goal is to accomplish as much as our people and our churches are willing to give and do.
How will the funds be raised to support these things?
Funds will be raised from both individual donations and special commitments from congregations.
Individual donors will be asked to provide funds for:
- Internships for college students interested in vocational ministry
- Residency programs for new seminary graduates
- Connecting congregations through online technology
- Support of Coaching Program
- Scholarships for staff, lay leader, and church team training opportunities
- Property acquisition
- New Congregations
Congregations will be asked to provide funds to support new congregations, ministry expansion, and property acquisition in their regions. A committee in each region consisting of district superintendents, pastors, and lay leaders will administer funds given by congregations.
How can churches participate?
Here are some of the ways a congregation may choose to participate:
- Share a tithe of what is raised in a capital program
- Add the initiative to their budget for three years
- Take a special offering each year for three years
- Participate in a stewardship enhancement effort and share a portion of the increase
Many churches are struggling financially; others have significant capital needs. Is this really a good time for a funding initiative?
There is never a “good” time for an initiative like this. If we were to wait for a better time, it would never come. The issues is that we must recognize the urgency brought about by a number of factors:
- Within West Ohio the total population is 6,387,611
- By 2009, an additional 138,794 will live within West Ohio with an average age of 37
- 50% persons in West Ohio are un-churched. Our opportunity to reach these persons has never been greater.
- 48% of the population of west Ohio is 35 years of age or under. This also represents the largest demographic of those who do not attend church. 70% of those under 35 live in urban/metropolitan areas.
- Total membership in the 1200+ congregations in West Ohio is 243,888; the average weekly worship attendance is 126,407.
- 25% of West Ohio congregations demonstrate significant and consistent growth in worship attendance; another 25% show modest growth or are static; 50% are declining
- Ministries to children and youth must be strengthened if we are to disciple this generation
- 32% of West Ohio clergy will be eligible for retirement in years. 70% of the 170 largest churches are served by pastors 50 years of age or older.
Why can’t these things be funded through the existing resources of the conference?
These are urgent and extraordinary needs and will require a unique and extraordinary response if we are to position our churches for the future without minimizing the support currently being provided to congregations.
How can we be sure that these funds will be appropriately administrated?
The West Ohio Conference is committed to high financial standards through annual audit processes. Decisions concerning projects will be made with care, study, appropriate steps, and mutual assessment. Information concerning all projects will be made available to every West Ohio Conference pastor and church member.
The conference is also in the midst of a reorganization of its infrastructure for the purpose of supporting the administration of the components of the initiative. Bishop Ough is absolutely committed to seeing that the objectives of the initiative are realized through effective administration and stewardship.
Should churches not contributing 100% of their apportionments participate in the initiative, or should they first seek to meet their apportionment obligations?
If we are to meet the challenges facing our churches, it cannot be “either or”, it must be “both and”. It is no different in local congregations when there is a challenge for expanded ministry facilities. A church does not wait until every member is tithing before conducting a capital campaign. To wait could have a devastating impact on the ability to make disciples and to experience growth. Neither do churches refuse capital gifts from those who are not giving regularly. As individuals invest in kingdom opportunities, their hearts are warmed to do more.
Are the resources available in the West Ohio Conference to be successful in raising these funds?
If this is truly God’s plan for us, the resources will be available. Our challenge is to seek to know how God would want each of us to respond to accomplish God’s will for every local congregation in West Ohio Conference. If we will faithfully seek God’s will for us, and respond accordingly, whatever we raise will be the victory that God intended.
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