RECEIVING OUR VISION STATEMENT

DOWNLAOD LINK JSCC Vision Objectives

The Vision Team was commissioned in July 2021 by the Johnson Street Church to begin a vision process for the church. With guidance from Carson Reed, the team met most months throughout the past year, with the co-chairs and Scott meeting biweekly (sometimes weekly) to organize, plan, and facilitate the process. Carson provided continued support via Zoom and attending in person events when available. From the beginning, the desire of the Vision Team, co-chairs, and Scott was to be led by the Spirit throughout the process. The committee and co-chairs spent extensive time in prayer this past year and committed the entire process to God. We know that God has a preferred future for Johnson Street. The Vision resolved to collaboratively pray and discover what that preferred future is. The Vision Team was called into existence by the church leaders to intentionally explore what God has in store for our congregation. The process of identifying a vision was to develop the road map that takes our church from its current location to fulfilling God’s mission for our church which is to be the extension of God on this Earth. We began with an extensive look at our current Context, Assets, and Energies. Information was gathered in various methods including development of sub- committees, interviews, an online survey, and data digging at the church. With the completion of each area, key themes began to emerge about who Johnson Street is currently as a congregation. The work from the Vision Team in each of these areas led to the development of a Vision Statement. This process included the entire Vision Team and many weeks were devoted to crafting the following statement: Johnson Street Church of Christ partners with God to embrace each other as followers of Jesus and engage our community with His transforming love.

REVEALING THE VISION STATEMENT

The Vision Statement was unveiled at a Vision Development Workshop held in the Family Center on May 7th. One hundred and five members of the congregation participated in this three-hour event where they were able to pray, share, and dream about how this vision statement could be applied to areas of Worship, Discipleship, and Community. The excitement and participation of those attending was palpable and was a highlight of this process. The notes from each small group table were compiled, and the Vision Team spent time recording and organizing the comments shared that day. After analyzing reports from each of the 13 tables, the Vision Team worked to identify key themes and concepts that emerged from the data. These key themes were developed into eight objectives, along with bulleted actions to fulfill the objectives. The attached objectives and actions clearly reflect the voices of our congregation that were shared during the Vision Development Workshop and embody our desire to fulfill the vision statement to join God where we believe He is already working.

VISION OBJECTIVES

1 - Create a more welcoming environment to allow us to embrace each other as followers of Jesus and engage new members and guests. (An environment that brings glory to God is created when we accept one another as God has accepted us. Romans 15 with a special emphasis on verses 5-7)

2- Structure our corporate worship environment to promote more active partcipaton of the entire congregaton and community. (The Holy Spirit has given all of his followers spiritual gifts to be used for the common good. These followers and their gifts make up the body of Christ and are worthy of honor. 1 Cor 12, Ephesians 4:11-16)

3- Organize ministries within our church in a strategic manner to empower staff members and leadership teams to actively serve our church and community. (God has equipped his servants with the capacity to build up the body of Christ so that the body of Christ can realize unity and maturity in the faith. Ephesians 4)

4- Implement practical ways for both our members and guests to embrace and engage within our church and the community. (The body of Christ is committed to echoing Jesus’ mission to seek and save the lost in practical ways. John 15:16–17, John 13:34–35)

5- Restructure facilities to allow more opportunities to embrace our members and engage with our community and guests within our church. (Though we are free to do what we wish with what we have, we have made ourselves a slave to everyone so that we might save some. We relinquish our rights and preferences to sacred cows for the sake of the gospel. 1 Cor 9:19-23)

6- Align and utalize small groups and adult bible classes to allow members opportunities to partner with God and embrace each other as followers of Jesus while also being a nurturing environment for guests. (We are called to encourage one another and to spur one another on to good deeds. Smaller, more intimate groups foster both service and relationship both inside and outside the community of faith. Hebrew 10:24-25)

7- Actively develop and support areas of discipleship and fellowship for specified populations in our membership such as college age students, women, men, married, unmarried, seniors, children, and youth. (Personal relationships are the key to making disciples. Paul’s personal relationship with Timothy was the catalyst to spiritual and community growth. 2 Timothy 2:1,2, Romans 10:14–17)

8- Intentionally seek and develop partnerships and opportunities within the community in which our church can serve. (We were called into community to make disciples. Just as Paul leaned into his partnership with the churches in Philippi, Thessalonica, and Colosse, (to name a few) we have potential partners in the gospel that can help us fulfill the great commission. Philippians 1:3-6, Luke 19:10)