sign in sign up
<<
Home , Great Church

Dear TBC Family, Vision/Mission Statement

What a joy to Tabernacle Baptist ! Having been here a few years, I can honestly say I am as excited to be the pastor of “Tabernacle Baptist Church this great church as I was on day one. As I think and dream about the future of Tabernacle, the phrase that keeps coming to mind is “greater exists to worship God through things are yet to come.” making disciples of

After studying and observing the local church for over a decade, I have among all peoples.” realized the signifcance of having a clear vision. As Aubrey Malphurs points out, “The typical church in North America is like a sailboat “We accomplish this through the process of without a rudder, drifting aimlessly in the ocean.” This is due, largely, Gathering for Worship, Growing in the Word, to churches accepting and implementing every new idea that comes down the line. As a result, churches often become over-programmed, and Going to the World.” over-structured, and lacking a clear vision.

Our vision focuses on three main objectives: Gather, Grow, and Go. Gathering for Worship We want to see our members engaged in congregational worship, The frst step of the vision for Tabernacle Baptist Church is “Gathering developing authentic relationships with one another in small groups, for Worship.” God does not save people into an isolated relationship with Him. and impacting our community and world with the of Jesus Christ. When a person is saved, he or she is united with a body of other In order to do this, we have aligned our staff, ministries, and programs (Eph. 2:14-16). At TBC we recognize the importance of gathering together around this vision. regularly for corporate worship. The writer of Hebrews makes clear that even in the face of persecution the church is to remain faithful in gathering together, The purpose of this vision packet is to provide an overview of our holding to their confession, and encouraging one another (Hebrews 10: 23-25). plan to accomplish these three objectives. I hope you will take some Scripture teaches that the primary focus of the church’s gathering is the preaching time to read through it, pray over it, and commit to supporting it for the of God’s Word (2 Timothy 3:15-4:4). As we focus on God’s Word, we learn His sake of all God has in store for us. Though I am thankful for the history desire for our lives and how to follow His direction. As God reveals Himself to us of this great church, my desire is for us to move forward to the future. through His Word, we respond with worship, which includes singing praises, prayer, If we walk together, united in faith, I believe we will truly experience giving fnancially, and offering our lives in service to Him. greater things! Focal points of Gathering

I. Expository Preaching: We place a high priority on faithfully Serving with you, preaching the Word of God. This will take the form of verse-by-verse preaching through books of the and topical series. II. God-centered Worship through Music: The Bible calls us to sing and give praise to the Lord. Our worship is to be joyful, celebrative, meditative, and God-centered. We utilize different styles of worship, but keep a unifed focus on the truth of God’s Word. III. God-centered Worship through Creative Arts: God is the Pastor Wes Master Artist and we glorify Him as we use art in our worship. As part of our worship gatherings we offer drama, video, and other forms of creative arts to illustrate biblical topics. Growing in the Word The Word Life Group Leadership Structure of God is The second step of our vision is “Growing in the Word.” I. Facilitator: responsible for leading the discussion time during The church is called to be more than a group of people who central to the Sunday Morning Bible Study. gather once a week to sing and listen to preaching. While Christian gathering for worship is an essential component, it is not II. Outreach Director: responsible for planning service and enough. We must be engaged in sharing life with one community. community outreach projects. another as a Gospel-centered community (Acts 2:46-47). III. Prayer Director: responsible for taking up prayer requests and recording This community is to be guided by biblical truth and grounded in spiritual them, as well as keeping up with the ongoing prayer needs of the group. accountability. True transformation happens as we live together in love and IV. Host Families: responsible for providing a home in which the group unity as the . As we live in this way, we will be conformed into can gather together for eating, fellowship, and prayer. the image of Christ, and will take on fesh and blood to a watching world in need of a Savior. V. Activities Director: responsible for planning and coordinating group fellowships and outings. The Word of God is central to Christian community. Keeping the Word of God central requires more than learning information about the Bible. It requires focusing on how God’s Word applies to our lives specifcally, and then holding one Life Group Schedule another accountable to live lives of surrendered obedience. We believe that a small group community is the best environment for discussing God’s Word, applying it to I. Sunday Morning: Life Group Discussion time. This can be either our lives and holding one another accountable. At TBC, these groups will be called before or after the service, but classes using the sermon-based Life Groups. curriculum are encouraged to meet after the worship gathering. Focal Point of Life Groups II. Sunday Evening: Life Group Home Groups. Groups will gather in homes for a time of fellowship, discussion, and prayer at least twice a month. For convenience, some Life Groups may choose to meet I. Application (Bible Study Hour): Life Groups will include times in homes on a different night other than Sunday. of discussing and applying the Bible. These discussions will primarily be based on the text of the sermon. TBC will provide sermon-based curriculum to guide our Life Groups in biblical application. The hope is that these discussions will lead to greater life application and accountability. II. Community (Home Group) 1. Fellowship: True biblical fellowship is a partnership (Galatians 2:9). We share in the good and the diffcult times, encouraging and supporting one another. This sharing of life requires regularly spending time with one another. Our life groups will eat together, care for one another and do outside activities together. 2. Prayer: We are called to “devote ourselves to prayers” (Acts 2:4). As we gather together for prayer we show that God is the center of our community. All of our Life Groups will gather together in homes to pray for one another, our church, and the world around us. 3. Accountability: One of the great blessings of being in a Life Group is having brothers and sisters to hold us accountable. God has given us one another to confront sin in our lives and remind us of the truth and calling of the Gospel. 4. Service (Community Involvement): In response to the unbelievable grace God has shown us, we demonstrate Christ’s love to others by serving them and sharing the Gospel with them. Life Groups are expected to have at least 2 community service projects per year. Going to the World a. Divorce Care: to help people in our city and in our church who have gone through the painful experience of divorce. This ministry is focused The third step of the vision for Tabernacle Baptist Church is on showing these individuals the hope of the gospel, and providing a “Going to the World.” As a parting directive to His followers, Jesus gave the Great group to walk through this diffcult time together. Commission to “Go and make disciples of all nations…” (Matt 28:19) This was b. Divorce Care for Kids: to help children who have gone through their not simply a call given to the disciples; it is given to us today as His church. In Acts parents’ divorce. The leaders will teach children about God’s love for 2:42-47 Paul writes that every follower of Christ saw this as their responsibility. them in a fun environment, and help them see the hope of Jesus in the Every member of our church is called to be a part of our mission of making midst of painful circumstances. disciples in our city, across America, and around the world. We believe that the c. Grief Share: to help individuals struggling with tragic situations or loss scope of God’s love is world-wide, and the only way that the lost can be saved is of loved ones. The group provides a biblical perspective on grieving through the message of Christ. This conviction leads us to send our members to and recovering from deep pain. take the Gospel to all who need to hear, both in our community and to the most d. Celebrate Recovery: to help those who are struggling with hurts, habits, unreached places in the world. Our church is not simply a building for ministry; and hang ups are invited to be a part of this ministry, which offers them it is a base for missions. We seek to empower every member to live on mission a biblically-based recovery process. in every context of life.

Focal Points for Going 4. Sponsored Ministries: We are involved in various ministries outside our church. Some of these are state-wide and others are national. I. Local Outreach Ministries We recognize the need to partner with other ministries to reach the God has placed TBC in Decatur, Illinois for a reason, namely lost. The sponsored ministries include: Equestrian Ministry, Faith Riders, He has called us to impact this city with the transforming power Disaster Relief, New Life Pregnancy Center, and others. of the Gospel. We must strive to be the salt and light in our city that God desires us to be. We are must be intentional about II. Global Outreach Ministries: reaching out to the people of our city and working to see the very culture of Decatur redeemed by the power of God’s love. Our task is not only to reach the lost in our city because God desires the worship of people from all nations. Psalm 46:10 says “I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in all 1. Visitation: We are committed to reaching out to those who the earth.” Our goal is seeing “this gospel of the kingdom… visit our church, and individuals who move into our area. preached in the whole world” (Matthew 24:14). We must There are two primary groups that go on visitation: FAITH give our time, resources, and lives to this global mission. and REACH. These groups are trained to share the Gospel and sent out as teams to visit people who may be interested in joining our church. 1. Short-term mission trips: The primary way that we are involved in global missions is through short-term 2. Member Care: The church is called to care for its trips. We offer a variety of week-long trips throughout members as a family. We take this seriously and visit the year in areas of construction, church planting, hospitals daily. Each pastor has an on-going daily orphan care, and going to unreached peoples. assignment, as well as a monthly weekend assignment. Our also assist the in visiting those in 2. Career missionaries: TBC has been blessed to need of care. In addition, member care will be provided send out career missionaries in the past, and we will through Life Groups as membership practices care for continue to pray for God to call people from our one another. Certain deacons, pastors and members church to give their lives to serving people groups of our REACH team are also involved in visiting the around the world. homebound members of our church in order to minister to their needs. 3. Financial support: Our church gives regularly to missionaries and mission work. In addition to the 3. Support Groups: these groups are designed to regular giving through Cooperative Program, we have provide care and council for those with specifc special offerings to give over and above our normal needs. This groups include, but are not limited to, gifts to support global missions. the following:

Gifts to the Work How are TBC Additional Opportunities/Special Events 1. Sunday Night Prayer Service: or those who are not apart The vision of Tabernacle can be planned thoroughly, members of a small group to be engaged in cooperate prayer and fellowship. explained clearly, and led fervently, but without our members called to This service will occur on Sunday nights at the church. serving and giving, it will go nowhere. Romans 12: 4-8 shows support 2. Wednesday Night Biblical Training: the Bible calls the church us that the church is like a body with many members who to “equip the (all Christians) for the work of ministry” have different roles and gifts. God has given us these gifts the vision? (Ephesians 4:12). The primary responsibility of the pastoral so that we will use them to serve in the church. We belong leadership is to equip members of the congregation with the to one another and need each other. We must willingly and generously use what tools they need to engage in ministry throughout every area God has given us for the beneft of the whole body. This includes our abilities, of life. One way that we equip members is through biblical time, and fnancial resources. In order to fulfll our vision, members of TBC training. We have multiple classes relating to biblical teaching must use their gifts to serve the church, and ultimately the Head of the church, on theology, evangelism, marriage, parenting, spiritual disciplines, Jesus Christ. and many other areas to which the Bible speaks. As Paul wrote to the Ephesians, our end goal is that “the body of Christ may be Focal Point of Giving built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” I. Spiritual Gifts 3. Quarterly Ministry reports: allows for further fellowship, 1. Every Christian has been given a gift by the of God. celebration, and testimonies of events in the life of the church 1 Corinthians 12:11 says “All these (gifts) are the work of one as well as voting on issues that come to the church body. and the same Spirit, and He distributes them to each one, just as He determines.” Because this is true, we want to help each member 4. Special Events: periodically the church will have large, discover how God has gifted them to serve. During the process of church-wide events that meet a specifc need in the vision. membership, each person will be given a Spiritual gift test. Examples would include Vacation Bible School, concerts, Debates/Conferences, etc. 2. Because we desire to see as many members as possible using their gifts and serving our church, we ask that each member serve in no 5. Summer Fellowships: the church will provide a select amount more than 3 areas at one time. This will allow other individuals to of fellowship events during the summer to encourage interaction serve and develop the gifts that God has given them. among all families. 6. 5th Sunday Fellowships: on the evenings of 5th Sunday’s, TBC will offer church-wide fellowship events to encourage II. Financial Gifts interaction among all age groups. 1. We are also called to use the fnancial gifts God has given us 7. Developmental and Age-Based ministries: TBC also offers to serve the church. 2 Corinthians 9:7 says “So let each one age-based ministries such as men’s, women’s, senior adult, give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; youth, children, and college. Information regarding these for God loves a cheerful giver.” Many people recognize the ministries can be found on the church’s website or at the call to tithe, but we are also called to give church information center. abundantly and sacrifcially. It is only through fnancial support we can carry out the ministry God has given us. We trust the words of Philippians 4:19, “God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Church Vision Structure Leadership Structure

SENIOR PASTOR (preaching and vision) SENIOR PASTOR (preaching and vision)

GATHERING PASTOR PASTOR PASTOR MINISTERIAL/ ADMINISTRATOR of of of DEVELOPMENTAL FOR WORSHIP PASTOR PASTOR MINISTERIAL/ ADMINISTRATOR GATHERING WORSHIPPASTOR DESCIPLESHIP OUTREACH minister of children of of DEVELOPMENTAL SUPPORT STAFF FOR WORSHIP (gathering)of (growing) (going) minister of youth WORSHIP DESCIPLESHIP OUTREACH minister of children office staff EXPOSITORY GOD-CENTERED CREATIVE minister of seniorSUPPORT adults STAFF (gathering) (growing) (going) minister of youth support staff PREACHING WORSHIP MEDIA office staff maintenance staff EXPOSITORY GOD-CENTERED CREATIVE minister of senior adults support staff PREACHING WORSHIP MEDIA maintenance staff

GROWING GROWINGIN THE WORD IN THE WORD COMMUNITY APPLICATION SERVICE (fellowship/prayer) Ministry Plan Structure COMMUNITY APPLICATION SERVICE (fellowship/prayer)

GOING TO GATHER GROW GO DEVELOP ADMIN GOING TOTHE WORLD GATHER GROW GO DEVELOP ADMIN THE WORLD LOCAL GLOBAL Deaf Ministry Media Library FAITH Preschool/Child Administration OUTREACH OUTREACH LOCAL Deaf Ministry WelcomeMedia Ministry Library SNLFAITH REACHPreschool/Child UpwardAdministration Information GLOBAL (future Wed) Center OUTREACH OUTREACH Welcome MinistryUshersSNL REACH MissionUpward Trips KidzInformation Artz (future Wed) Life Groups Center Operations Ushers Praise Band Mission Trips EquestrianKidz Artz Menʼs Ministry Ministry Life Groups Fellowship Events Ministry Operations Praise Band Choir Equestrian Menʼs Ministry Senior Adults Property Sunday Night Ministry Fellowship Events Ministry Disaster Relief and Space GIVING TO Choir Orchestra Prayer Senior Adults YouthProperty Ministry Sunday Night Disaster Relief Faith Radars Stewardship THE WORK Orchestra HandbellsPrayer Youth Ministry Womenʼsand Space Ministry GIVING TO Ministry Faith Radars Support Groups Handbells Media Ministry Womenʼs MinistrySports/RecreationStewardship THE WORK Class 101 SPIRITUAL FINANCIAL Support Groups Hospital Outreach Ministry Media Ministry Worship Ministry Sports/RecreationSingles GIFTS GIFTS Class 101 Ministry SPIRITUAL Hospital OutreachHomebound FINANCIAL Singles Concert Ministry GIFTS Worship Ministry GIFTS Homebound Christmas Events Deacon Ministry Concert Ministry Christmas EventsNew Life Pregnancy Center New Life Pregnancy Center