Attachment
GREAT LAKES CITY CLASSIS VISION FRAME
BACKGROUND
The current South Grand Rapids Classis vision was written in 2007. Much has changed since then. In addition to the normal passing of time and inherent transformations to our culture and churches, we have merged with Lake Erie Classis, substantially expanded our territory, and changed our name. If we consider our name change significant, it implies direction. Add the reality that many of our classis’ churches and leaders were not members of the classis when the current document was adopted.
Also, in 2013 the RCA adopted Transformed and Transforming as a 15-year strategic plan. Alignment with this vision and the Great Lakes Regional Synod vision of Starting and strengthening churches by developing leaders will add clarity and focus to our future.
For these reasons, we believe it is time to revisit and revise our classis’ vision to increase focus, ownership and impact.
Missional Mandate – MISSION
What are we doing? The missional mandate is a clear and concise statement that describes what the classis is ultimately supposed to be doing.
Developing leaders to guide churches that transform lives and communities.
Missional Motives – VALUES
Why are we doing it? The missional motives are shared convictions that guide the actions and reveal the strengths of the classis.
- We value equipped, reproducing and passionate leaders as the most effective way to strengthen and start churches.
Demonstrated by: inductive learning (equipping in the context of doing ministry together); intentionally identifying and raising up next generation leaders; networks, learning communities, coaching, seminars and webinars for pastors, church staff, elders & deacons, and other ministry leaders; tending to spiritual health and discipleship of leaders
- We value starting new churches as the most effective way to restore people with God.
Demonstrated by: assessing, equipping, coaching & networking planters; developing parent churches; evaluating strategic new locations to plant; providing internships and residency opportunities for potential planters
- We value being God’s agents to make our neighborhoods & communities more good and less evil.
Demonstrated by: substantial amounts of ministry taking place off-campus; equipping members to integrate their faith into their careers and relationships; getting involved in justice and mercy ministries that combine word & deed; listening to and loving non-Christians
- We value good stewardship of ministry and resources by being effective and efficient.
Demonstrated by: setting S.M.A.R.T. goals and evaluating progress; changing structures and systems as necessary to increase effectiveness; taking calculated risks by experimenting with new models; investing financial and human resources for greatest dividends; churches who are closing are leaving a legacy by resourcing the next generation of churches.
- We value the Christ-centered, passionate pursuit of lost people in order to reconcile them to God.
Demonstrated by: considering first the impact on non-believers when making decisions related to budgets, schedules, buildings, staffing; encouraging every leader to have meaningful relationships with non-Christians; simplifying and streamlining our programming to allow members to spend time with non-believers; designing our worship with non-Christians in mind; preparing people to have conversations with lost people
- We value how ethnic and cultural diversity expands our understanding of God, especially evident in cities.
Demonstrated by: increasing our cross-cultural understanding; planting churches in cities and among non-Anglo people groups; empowering ethnically diverse people with influence and power; partnering with other churches and city movements
- We value our unity and interdependence – we are better together.
Demonstrated by: collaborative ministry (e.g. planting churches in partnership, sharing resources & expertise, combined mission efforts); supportive relationships built on mutual trust and respect; cross-cultural partnerships
Missional Map – STRATEGY
How are we doing it? The missional map is the process the classis will follow to accomplish its mandate on the broadest level.
· Developing leaders. Through the Leadership Development Teams we will:
o Emerging Leaders Team:
§ Help churches identify those gifted for vocational ministry and guide them in discerning a call.
§ Walk alongside seminary students through the stages of preparation for vocational ministry.
o Commissioned Pastors Team:
§ Help churches identify those gifted for vocational ministry and guide them in discerning a call.
§ Walk alongside commissioned pastors through their individualized training plan.
§ Annually assure that every commissioned pastor’s ministry and personal development is assessed.
o Equipping Leaders Team:
§ Provide accessible opportunities for pastors, elders and other leaders to sharpen their skills to lead in their church. Whenever possible, this will be done on the field of real ministry and in collaboration with other churches.
§ Provide orientation and training for elder delegates to classis, regional and general synods.
o Empowering Leaders Team
§ Encourage leaders to be coached and in a network/learning community
§ Provide qualified coaches and network/learning community facilitators.
· Starting churches. Through the Church Multiplication Team we will:
o Engage by recruiting and assessing potential planters, locations and parent congregations
o Equip planters and parent congregations to sow healthy, growing, reproducing churches.
o Empower parent churches and planters through coaching and networks
· Expanding diversity. Through staff and all teams
o Initiate mutually beneficial, cross-cultural partnerships between churches
o Assure that each team has diverse membership of elders and ministers. Diversity = ethnic, economic, gender, generational
· PrayingMissionally
o Identify a prayer champion and liaisonin each church
o Gather clusters of churches topray for conversion and revival intheir region
o Encourage churches to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers for the harvestand equip and impassion us to be those workers (Mt. 9:38).
o Alert churches to pray for the classiswhen exceptional wisdom,discernment and Holy Spirit leading are needed
o Enlist a team ofintercessors to pray for specific needs of church plants
· Operations. Through the Executive Team we will:
o Keep the classis focused on its mission, values, strategy, measurables and vision.
o Evaluate the effectiveness of classis structures, systems and teams.
o Perform all tasks assigned by the Classis Rules of Order and the RCA Book of Church Order.
o Function on behalf of classis between its stated meetings.
o Design a strategy of communication that inspires, informs, unifies and clarifies.
o Oversee personnel, properties and finances.
o Staff.
§ Classis Leader (30 hours/week) Randy Weener - Team leader, Church Multiplication
§ Clerk (20 hours/week) Tricia Leistra - Operations & communication
§ Special Projects Manager (5 hours/week) Howard Moths - Legal, church order, financial, properties
§ Leadership trainer (8-10 hours/week) Tanner Smith– strategy, content, delivery
§ Special assignments (1 day/week) Regional Synod of the Great Lakes staff: Rick Veenstra, Art Wiers, Doug McClintic, Scot Lokers, Tim Meendering, Mike Gafa
§ Kentucky Oversight (2 days/month) – Ron Lokhorst
Missional Marks – MEASURES
When are we successful? The missional marks are a set of attributes that define or reflect accomplishment of the church’s mandate.
1. New churches are being planted:
o with parent churches
o in different cities and cultures across the geography of the classis
o and becoming organized
2. Communities are being transformed through churches who are actively and strategically engaged.
o Ministry is happening in locations other than the church property
o Partnerships are forming with other churches
o Civic leaders and neighbors have an increasingly positive awareness and respect for our churches
3. Leaders are being called, trained and deployed into fruit-bearing ministry.
o Young leaders and ethnic leaders are increasing in number and serving in influential roles.
o More ministry is being led by the laity
o The number of commissioned and ordained pastors is increasing
4. Churches are growing by baptisms, professions of faith, and reaffirmations of faith.
5. Our membership is getting younger and more ethnically and geographically diverse.
6. Funding is perpetual, innovative and generous
20/20 Vision
Where is God taking us? Vision is the living language that anticipates and illustrates God’s better intermediate (3-5 year) future. While the sides of the frame remain quite constant, the Vision is the changeable picture within the frame, bounded by the four sides of mission, values, strategy and measures.
In the GLCC by 2020:
· 20 new churches will be planted and at least 40% of these plants will be of color
· 150 people will be involved in collaborative ministries
· 75% of our church pastors will have a coach they consult with at least 10 times per year
· 80% of our churches will be sending consistent, trained elders to classis meetings
· 90% of our church pastors will be in a learning community
· 60% of our churches will have an intentional leadership development pathway
· Our teams & leaders will reflect the composition of the body of Christ, including gender, generational, economic and ethnic diversity.