What Are Our Goals?
Goal #1
To assist people in coming to know God through Jesus Christ.
We want to lead people into the greatest experience of life - knowing the living and true God. We want to see the number of Christians increase dramatically, as many hearts, minds, and lives are transformed through entering a personal relationship with Christ. People will deepen their understanding of the gospel and grow in their ability to love and care for one another.
Strategy #1: Worship Services
We will develop services with both the believer and unbeliever in mind - building up the believers while helping and challenging those who have not yet come to know Christ, but are curious. God desires to reveal Himself to His people, therefore, our worship must be understandable to those present. Our desire is that worship be insightful and attractive, displaying the character and work of God so that believers can't help but bring their friends. Stimulating that thought through credible, relevant liturgy, insightful, down to earth preaching and a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere is critical to our success. The services will be blended to reflect our rich worship heritage while incorporating contemporary elements of vibrancy that is refreshing to those who haven't been to church for some time. We seek excellence in all styles. While avoiding the extremes of empty emotionalism and dead orthodoxy, we will provide services that speak to the mind and heart. Passion, life, truth, and joy must be the visible by-products of the services.
Strategy #2: Growth Groups
Relationships are central to the Christian life. God desires relationships with His people and dwells in relationship with the Godhead. Therefore, a multiplying network of small groups will be the main avenue for the church to pastor people, grow spiritually, equip for ministry, fellowship, encourage network evangelism, assimilate new believers, train, mentor, and communicate. Each group will intentionally perform and practice all the means of grace. They will develop bi-monthly outreach events where the groups will combine to invite their unsaved friends. Groups will be formed as leaders mentor apprentice leaders and then give birth to new groups. More and more leaders will be developed so that there are ever increasing numbers of growth groups to accommodate those attending the church. The established church develops small groups as one program among many. Our church, however, is a collection of small groups.
Strategy #3: Family Ministries
Believing that the spiritual nurture of children is first and foremost a parental responsibility, we are committed to assisting families by providing ministries that help them in their ability to know Christ and make Him known in this world. We will provide quality childcare during our regular worship services where parents will find a safe and clean atmosphere that expresses our high priority for children. A Sunday School program prior to the morning worship service will offer activities, teaching, and fun where children can discover the basics of the faith and experience it's joy. Parents, as well, may take part in periodic classes offered during the fellowship time, prior to the morning service, for deeper understanding of the scriptures and training in ministry skills. These classes will supplement our primary means of discipleship: Growth Groups. Since teenagers face unique challenges, we hope to develop a complex program that encourages students to be transformed by the gospel in real ways and to take that message to their own spheres of influence. This ministry would be intimately connected to the larger church so that we all might profit from their energies, insights, and skills. We would regularly provide opportunities to build stronger marriages, sharpen parenting skills, develop men's and women's ministries and equip them for their unique roles in the home and church.
Goal #2
To assist people in making Christ known in Hanover & the World
God's people must be equipped and sent into the world to make His grace and gospel known in words and deeds. They must be trained to go, live, speak, and take advantage of every opportunity with such effectiveness that the community is transformed.
Strategy #4: Networking/Fellowship Events
The church will regularly sponser events which service as bridges from the community to the church (e.g. golf tournaments, progressive dinners, Valentine banquet, family hay rides, church picnic, sailing). Every activity we present must be a friendship evangelism event. We want to create opportunities for people to be exposed to the life of the body of Christ so they will see and experience the reality of our transforming lives and enjoyment of God. Various levels of events will be offered to expose people across the spectrum of spiritual development, from making new contacts to earning the right to be heard to cultivating the relationship to the sow the seed of God's word to calling them to repentance and faith.