Strategic Plan

Briana and I are excited to get to work. Having been a part of this church community for the last 13 years we look forward to this next season leading the organization that has been such a huge part of so many lives. We are all-in!
Will you join us on this journey to change the makeup of our community and work to build His kingdom here? To that end, we would like to share some strategies…

Authenticity must start with the heart. At the core of every healthy church and every growing believer must be pure intent born from the humility that comes from prayer and intimacy with God. I am committed to fervently pray for our organization as a habit, as well as partner with elders, church leaders, and others willing to do the same!
How:

• Create environments and events for mature believers to receive ongoing encouragement to remain connected to the vine.
• Maintain a prayer room (a distraction free environment to meet with God). Prayer needs to be a consistent rhythm for those in ministry and we will facilitate this.
• Implement a corporate practice of spiritual rhythms like prayer, fasting, celebration & shared meals, generosity, serving, sharing of testimonies, and gaining freedom from strongholds.
• Being more involved with local and global missions. Partnering with organization like CRU, Riverside Community Outreach, and others as well as teaming up with global missions organizations and missionaries.
• Leading and equipping staff and key volunteers. This looks like:
  • Encouraging and facilitating spiritual formation and intimacy with Jesus in staff and key volunteers, which is essential to a fruitful ministry.
  • Staff will pray before each meeting, seeking wisdom and guidance from God in all areas.
  • Creating a "Prayer Room Model" for staff to begin their day in 20-30 minutes of focused, individual prayer time at Branches.
  • We will create a culture of sabbath rest for staff and volunteers.
  • Staff will undergo consistent training and participate in book studies for continued development as disciples and leaders.

Our friends are the people who may not look, act, smell, or believe like we do, but we encounter and do life with them. They are our neighbors, coworkers, acquaintances, and even our families. If we are to build a church (the people, not the building) where our friends feel welcomed and invited, we need to...

• View Sunday mornings through the lens of a skeptic, a new believer, and/or someone returning to faith.
  • This will impact all the elements of a Sunday morning: worship, communication, guest services, production, greeters, kids...you name it!
  • Sermons must include the Gospel.
  • Starting Point and Alpha Groups need to be offered regularly as a next step.
• Equip mature believers to disciple skeptics and those new to the faith.
  • Regular training events and intensives to increase the number of those who are equipped to serve in Starting Point and Alpha Groups.
  • 1:1 coaching and discipleship
• Build a discipleship culture.
  • "We are disciples who disciple": In order to disciple we meet people where they are and invite them on journey toward and with Jesus Christ. We want to be know as people who love to love.
  • Mature believers are regularly challenged to walk (and equipped to lead in) the Great Commission.
  • We will leverage the principle of influence for the glory of God.
  • We will partner with parents so they are equipped to disciple their children.