2025 Strategic Plan

2025 STRATEGIC PLAN SUMMARY

SUGAR CREEK CHURCH OF CHRIST

BUILDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF A

HEALTHY CHURCH “RAISING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CHRISTIAN LEADERS WHO WILL

HONOR GOD IN OUR THEOLOGY, CULTURE AND PRACTICE OF THE GOSPEL.”

This is the final version of the church’s strategic plan 2015-2025. It was developed during 2012–2014 by a Strategic Planning Group (SPG), consisting of eight members appointed by the Evangelist. An electronic version is available at www.SugarCreekcoc.org/strategicplan

I. Executive Summary ........................................................................... 1-4

Letter from the Evangelist………………..........1-2

Why A Strategic Plan?...….………………….......3

The Approach: Research and Method…….........4

II. Ten-Year Strategic Framework...................................................... 5-7

Our Vision & Mission.......................................... 5

Our Values ..........................................................6

Strategic Plan At-A-Glance................................. 7

III. Strategic Plan Initiatives............................................................... 8-21

Advance Academic Program............................... 8-10

Stronger Culture of Community............................11-13

Enhance Church Visibility…….............................14-16

Financial & Operational Effectiveness..................17-19

Measurement and Accountability..........................20-21

VI. Closing Thoughts........................................................................... 22-23

Appendix A. Church Study 2012 ...............................................24

Appendix B. Planning Resources ..............................................25

TABLE OF CONTENTS

We are children of the King. We’re on the winning side. Since our beginning, the Sugar Creek Church of Christ (SCCOC) , formerly known as the Southwest Church of Christ, has been winning for Jesus. Planted on October 9, 1988, the first worship service was conducted at the Woodlawn Avenue Holiday Inn, with only 4 families in attendance. The congregation was planted by Bro. David and Sis. Sandra Chislom. On June 3, 2012 I became the ministerial successor to Bro. David Chislom. When the torch was passed, I was ordained as the Evangelist at Sugar Creek. Since then God has continued to add new converts to Christ and move members towards maturity. As I spent time in prayer, study and meditation, God led me to a firm conclusion. We were far from where we started, but even further from where we needed to be. The development of the 2015-2025 Strategic Plan began with the working premise that God was not pleased with us simply maintaining the status quo. Instead, it was His desire to constantly move us from Good to Great. A volunteer-led Strategic Planning Group, was formed to develop a written plan that would help transform SCCOC from a fellowship driven culture to one where generational leaders would be developed for the purpose and glory of God.

LETTER FROM THE EVANGELIST

THE STRATEGIC PLANNING GROUP (SPG) CO-CHAIRS Adrienne Johnson, Co-Chair Financial & Operational Effectiveness

Cathy Davis, Co-Chair Stronger Culture of Community

Darwin Rice, Co-Chair Advancing Academic Programs

David Williams, Co-Chair Measurement & Accountability

Donna Johnson, Co-Chair Financial & Operational Effectiveness

Ed McClure, Co-Chair Enhance Church Visibility

Susie Johnson, Chair Strategic Planning Group

Tiffany Garner, Co-Chair Stronger Culture of Community

The result of their work is a strategic plan that clearly states our vision, mission and the strategic priorities required to fulfill them. Why focus on church health and not church growth? Size is not the issue. You can be big and healthy, or big and flabby. You can be small and healthy, or small and wimpy. Big isn't better; small isn't better. Healthy is better. All living things grow if they’re healthy. Since the church is a living organism, it’s natural for it to grow if it’s healthy. The church is a Body, not a business – an organism, not an organization. It’s alive. If a church is not growing, it is dying.

BUILDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF A HEALTHY CHURCH

Sugar Creek Church Of Christ | Page 1

Health does not mean perfection. When a church focuses on evangelism, it brings in a lot of unhealthy people. There will never be a perfect church this side of heaven because every church is filled with carnal Christians, and immature believers along with the mature ones. Now this is important: Because we are imperfect beings, balance in a church does not occur naturally. In fact, we must continually correct imbalance! In Acts 2:42-47 the infrastructure of a healthy church I outlined: They fellowshipped, edified each other, worshipped, ministered, and evangelized. As a result, verse 47 (NIV) says, “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” The Five Dimensions of a Healthy Church: 1.  Churches grow warmer through fellowship. 2.  Churches grow deeper through discipleship. 3.  Churches grow stronger through worship. 4.  Churches grow broader through ministry. 5.  Churches grow larger through evangelism. If churches are healthy, growth is a natural occurrence. When we go to our garden, we don't have to command our vegetables to grow. If we provide them with a healthy environment, growth is automatic. As long as we remove the hindrances, such as poor nutrition or inadequate sunlight exposure, their growth is automatic. The same principle is true for the church. Since the church is a living organism, it’s natural for it to grow if it’s healthy. Church growth is the natural result of church health. But church health can only occur when our message is biblical and our mission is balanced. The infrastructure of the New Testament church must be in equilibrium with the others for health to occur. Unless you set up a system and structure to intentionally balance the five purposes, our church will tend to overemphasize the purpose that best expresses the gifts and passion of its leaders.

LETTER FROM THE EVANGELIST

The 2015-2025 plan is designed to do just that. It is a guide to a healthy future, one that clearly reflects the vitality of the New Testament Church and the significant commitment of our leadership, members and staff. The opportunities identified in this strategic plan are exciting and promise an even stronger and healthier church in the future. We look forward to working with you to achieve our goals and advance the common good in our community and abroad! Serving at the King’s Pleasure, Leslie B. James Evangelist


Page 2 |

Why a strategic plan? Strategic planning deals with the question of what should be attempted. It deals with what objectives the ministries and activities of the church should be striving toward. Strategic planning is not a science. At its best it is a process for helping ministries of the church think about the objectives they should set if they are to fulfill their mission and then what directions they should move in to achieve those objectives. Strategic planning is adaptable. Strategic planning takes a long-range approach, but can use regular reviews and updates to check progress and reassess the validity of the plan based on strategic issues uncovered in the internal/external assessment. The plan can be updated to make the adjustments necessary to respond to changing circumstances and take advantage of emerging opportunities. It sets targets for performance, incorporates ways to check progress, and provides guidance for ongoing operational and capital plans and budgets. Strategic planning is planning for change in increasingly complex environments. Perhaps the one constant in ministry planning today is the notion of change. Increasing demands for services, shrinking resource bases, and greater expectations for service all combine to form a dynamic environment. Strategic planning is proactive, it stimulates change rather than simply reacting to it. Strategic planning is part of quality management. It helps the executive to manage the future, rather than be managed by it. It involves a disciplined effort to help shape and guide what an initiative becomes, what it does, and why it does it. Strategic planning requires broad-scale information gathering, an exploration of alternatives, and an emphasis on the future implications of present decisions. It facilitates communication and participation, accommodates divergent interests and values, and fosters orderly decision-making and successful implementation. Reviewing And Updating Strategic Plans Strategic plans should not be thought of as final statements or immutable creations, but rather as the best ideas of today’s leadership team in view of today’s realities. The one thing that is certain about any strategic plan is that it will soon be wrong in its details! The future will be different than it is pictured today. There will be new technologies, new laws, new threats, new opportunities, new crises, etc. It is essential that change is anticipated and allowed for. Strategic plans should be reviewed at least annually by the planning team. Whether plans are reviewed more often is up to the planning team’s leadership and should be a function of how fast and how extensively change is occurring and impacting their initiative.

WHY A STRATEGIC PLAN?



RESEARCH & METHOD RE

SEAR

CH&M

ETHO

DOLO

GY

Research Tool

The Member Action Plan™ (M.A.P) is the research tool designed to

capture a demographic and needs based portrait of the congregation. The

results of your M.A.P aids in measuring ministry relevance and

effectiveness, response to urgent needs, resource allocation and the

development of lesson plans, workshops and teaching emphasis. The Sugar

Creek M.A.P is administered every five (5) years by the Strategic Planning

Group (SPG).

Methodology

The 2012 Church Study was conducted on April 15, 2012. Respondents

were asked to attend a congregation meeting and participants were asked to

submit all surveys by April 19, 2012. The M.A.P was completed by 202

adult members over 18 years of age. This represented 93% of

congregation’s family units. Four out of

five who received a survey

completed it the on the same

day. 100% of all participates

surveyed completed the 2012

Church survey. Since then there

were numerous small group

interviews, surveys, and three

town hall meetings to gather

more input.


Page 4 |

TOGETHER, we seek to raise the next generation of Christian leaders who will honor God in our theology, culture and practice of the gospel.

VISION & MISSION

TOGETHER, we achieve our vision by...

•  Exposing the Word

•  Empowering the Saints

•  Exalting the Christ

“If our vision is not intimidating to us, chances are it's insulting to God.”



As members of Sugar Creek Church of Christ, we strive to exemplify the following core values throughout our ministries and daily lives: Expository Preaching

It is taking the main point of a biblical text, making it the main point of a sermon, and applying it to life today.

Biblical Evangelism

It is sharing the message about Jesus’ death and resurrection with non-Christians and leading them to repent and baptism.

Church Discipline

It is the application of scripture that keeps the church pursuing holiness and fight against sin.

Intentional Leadership

Sugar Creek encourages the development of leadership as a lifelong characteristic of our students and adheres to the concept of service to others (servant leadership) as the ideal model that best meets the needs of our community, our nation, and the world.

Long Term Discipleship

It is the maturation process of members from infancy to maturity by instruction and imitation.

OUR VALUES

“He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does

its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole

body is healthy and growing and full of love.”

-Ephesians 4:16


Page. 6 |

STRATEGIC PLAN AT-A-GLANCE

INITIATIVES

Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser... (Prov. 9:9) Advancing Academic Programs seeks to provide students and their families with opportunities for age-appropriate children's teaching, new converts, adult small groups for men, women, married and singles. We seek to create a learning atmosphere that promotes deeper discipleship and commitment necessary to help members achieve their God-given potential.

DESCRIPTION

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. (Acts 2:42) A Stronger Culture of Community seeks to connect individuals for Bible studies, friendships, and activities regardless of age or background. This planning initiative promoted to idea that ever member is a minister (Eph. 4:13-13).

Jesus said, "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden." (Matt. 5:14) Enhancing Church Visibility seeks to promote the Gospel of Christ and the Church of Christ at every point-of-contact in our city, region and beyond. Through the mission of evangelism we apply the strategy of wisdom and gentleness as an outward facing church.

Advance

Academic

Program

Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things.. (Matt 25:23) The initiative of Financial and Operational Effectiveness is designed to align financial and human resources to the overall mission of our local congregation. Creating a strategy for fiscal discipline and stewardship allows us to be better prepare to respond to economic downturns and opportunities that leverage the Gospel of Christ.

Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, And attend to your herd. (Proverbs 27:23) The implementation of strategic planning initiatives can be very challenging and labor intensive. The initiative for Measurement and Accountability ensures that all challenges are met with consistency and clarity. This where balance, rhythm, tension and resistance are evaluated. Every number and every statistic represents a soul saved or a life filled with hope and purpose.

Stronger Culture

of Community

Enhance Church

Visibility

Financial &

Operational

Effectiveness

Measurement &

Accountability


Sugar Creek Church Of Christ | Page.7

STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE

2025 GOALS GOAL 1 SCCOC will foster a balanced learning environment that nurtures the whole person, affirms students’ individual and collective gifts. GOAL 2 SCCOC will develop emerging leaders by providing relevant opportunities for service. GOAL 3 SCCOC will develop sermon based Small Groups curriculum for a life long journey. GOAL 4 SCCOC will ensure that every teacher and leader is a graduate of the Disciple Maker's Academy. GOAL 5 SCCOC will develop Disciple Maker’s Academy course catalog and online learning platform. GOAL 6 SCCOC will integrate the Financial Peace University & Leader in Me Curriculum within the Church Academy for K-12.

ADVANCE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS Churches across the country are discarding their bible school programs, claiming that bible school has become an outdated method of ministry. We contend that that bible school is no more outdated than television. To be sure, the black and white television of a few decades ago has undergone major changes. But instead of throwing out the television, it was made better. With the development of high-definition screens, we can actually enhance our viewing experience. At Sugar Creek, we have committed to developing a well-designed bible school program. The Academic Life of the church has a unique potential to promote growth, fellowship, and discipleship. It provides the smaller group settings that foster relationships and develop spiritual leaders. In order to do so, we concentrate on proper leadership, quality training, biblical teaching content, investing into the lives of others, and using the bible academy as a platform to accomplish the Great Commission. There were five questions that helped shape this imitative: 1)  are members learning the content and meaning of the

Bible, 2)  are members seeing themselves, life, and other people

more clearly from God’s perspective, 3)  are member values becoming more aligned with God’s

values, 4)  are members becoming more skilled in serving God, 5)  are members becoming more like Christ.


Page 8 |

STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE ADVANCE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS The answers yielded the five goals to be developed and maintained: 1. HIGH ACADEMICS High standards of academic achievement and behavior should be expected and maintained. God’s people should never accept “the norm.” As a ministry of the church, the doctrines and principles of the Word of God should permeate the classroom. All subjects should be taught from a biblical perspective. 2. QUALITY TEACHERS The teacher’s obligation is not a light thing but should be considered a vital responsibility to Christianity. A teacher should be called to teach, not merely a teacher by trade. Investing into the lives of others is a privilege, and the teacher should fulfill this duty with passion. He or she should strive to be a role model for his students in all areas of life as a laborer in someone’s development mentally, socially, spiritually, and academically. A teacher is not only a lecturer, but a guide who leads with questions and promotes critical thinking. A “good teacher” is one who will earn the student’s respect rather than demand it. 3. CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT Character development is essential to Christian education. When we make the Bible lessons practical by holding students accountable to assignments, involving them in extracurricular activities, and encouraging them to do their best for the Lord, we can expect the Lord to do great things. Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.” 5. MINISTRY PREPARATION An important reason for having a healthy Academic Life at Sugar Creek is to prepare students for ministry in the local church. The bible academy trains everyone to align themselves to be actively involved in the local church. In Ecclesiastes 4:12 Solomon says, “And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” When the home and church unite to educate young people, they form a threefold cord that helps raise the next generation of Christian leaders.



STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE ADVANCE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

“STUDY TO SHOW THYSELF

APPROVED UNTO GOD, A

WORKMAN THAT NEEDETH NOT

TO BE ASHAMED.” (2 TIMOTHY

2:15)

Sugar Creek will remain committed to attracting and retaining effective teachers, and the church will hold them accountable for high levels of attendance and performance. Strong student-teacher relationships will continue to be an integral component of Sugar Creeks’ academic culture and will be viewed as the foundation that satisfies our commitment to teach the “whole man.” Sugar Creek will organize a team to lead the implementation of supporting strategies for each of the four academic goals. Each team member will be asked to serve for at least two years. Team members will research best practices, enlist needed assistance and expertise from within the education community as well as from external resources, and establish specific metrics to monitor and report progress toward the realization of each goal. Team members also will ensure that the implementation of each goal reinforces and supports the plan’s other four goals. Most importantly, each team member should demonstrate a passion for his or her goal as a substantive contribution to the continued success of Sugar Creek Church of Christ.

DEVELOPING THE

UNFINISHED PRODUCT The primary responsibility of a Sugar Creek teacher is the development of new skills and new attitudes in the student. The student enters the learning environment as an unfinished product. The training process of children or adults is one that will never be finished until either the trumpet sounds or the Lord calls us home. By 2025 we will Sugar Creek will be a church that teaches skills in areas that will make people more effective for the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. This impacts their effectiveness in the home, school, marketplace and beyond.


Page 10 |


STRONGER CULTURE OF COMMUNITY The primary goal of the Stronger Culture of Community imitative is to move people from the outer circle (low commitment) to the inner circle (high commitment). Spiritual growth is not automatic with the passage of time. Spiritual growth is intentional, and requires a commitment (Rom 6:13) and effort; both God and the person have a role in growth. Becoming like Christ is the results of the commitments we make – we become whatever we are committed to. "Culture is a concept that captures the subtle, elusive, intangible, largely unconscious forces that shape a soci-ety or a work place. It is a potent shaper of human thought and behavior within organizations and even beyond its boundaries. Culture provides stability, fosters certainty, solidifies order and predictability, and creates meaning." A key factor in growing stronger is understanding the how size and culture are related. The church is oriented between being relational, programmatical, or organizational in culture. Small churches are often known by everyone in the congregation knowing one another. New people come into the church because they have a relationship with someone in that congregation; the church’s programs will not by themselves draw people. If a church is to grow over 200 in worship attendance, everyone will not know everyone else any longer, and the church will have enough resources to offer programs that will attract people. Programs thus begin to take on a greater importance in the medium size church. In the larger church, how these programs are organized begins to take on increased importance. Tasks must be delegated to various groups within the congregation, because a centralized leadership cannot control all the activity.

2025 GOALS GOAL 1 SCCOC will align every member to be a minister according to their God given gifts. GOAL 2 In order to measure our individual growth, SCCOC will provide a growth track for every member. GOAL 3 Every SCCOC member will be an active contributor to their Zone Support Community. GOAL 4 SCCOC will promote a healthy work life balance among its members.



STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE STRONGER CULTURE OF COMMUNITY GROWING STRONGER BY GETTING SMALLER This truth reflects a biblical principal that is clearly taught in Ephesians Chapter 4. “…the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body” Notice that it does not say “by what every evangelist or leader supplies.” A church’s body, by design, dispenses life from joint to joint as is patterned in nature. The “joints” are the contact points or relationships between member and member. This decentralized functionality runs counter to the intuitive instincts of many pastors who view the pulpit as the focal point for dispensing life to the church. The difference between excellence and mediocrity in assimilation lies in ministry design and implementation. “As your heart is

beating God has a plan

and purpose for your

life … to grow

personally, to get to

know God, to serve

others, and make the

world a better place.” It is essential to the spiritual health of every member that they develop into a functional member of Sugar Creek. Functional means that they are not just passive consumers of Kingdom resources but they become active in service which in turn makes them a valued Kingdom resource. Nature teaches that members of a body that cease to function atrophy and become a burden to the whole system. When this reaches critical mass congregational morale plummets in the few who feel they are “doing all the work.” This is an environment that leads to member attrition. There is no greater thrill for the Christian than to discover that God created them for a specific purpose in life.

Each member of Sugar Creek Church of Christ is served through the Zone Member Support communities. Each zone is designed to serves as the benevolence (goodwill, compassionate) arms of the congregation. •  Each zone functions according to a determined

groups of zip codes throughout the Charlotte metro area.

•  Each zone has a trained zone leadership team that serves for one year.

•  They provide first-hand insight into each zone community.

•  Each zone meets once each month at the church building for member recognition, support and service.


Page 12 |

STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE STRONGER CULTURE OF COMMUNITY In order to strengthen our culture of community, SCCOC must possess three key characteristics: 1.  It must be flexible and adaptable. There is great freedom in organizational style. The

tendency is to imitate another successful church’s organization without asking the hard questions: “What does God want us to do?” and “What can we do that other churches are not equipped to do?” and “What are the talents and gifts we can utilize now for the up-building of God’s Kingdom?” The organizational approach includes factors like time of service, order of service, structure of meetings and committees, training opportunities, etc. Furthermore, the approach should not be a taskmaster, but a servant to the purpose we are called to meet.

2.  It must be simple and easy to communicate. The entire congregation needs to be aware of, not only the purpose, but the strategy to meet that purpose. If the strategy is complicated and is not communicated well to the church body, there will not be much help in making it work.

3.  It must be broad in scope and transferable. When the approach to organization is church-wide, it is easier to establish new ministries by recruiting leaders familiar with the way existing ministries are run. As leaders help launch new ministries or move to a different facet within the church, they simply apply the strategies and principles they have learned elsewhere in the church.

"All I have seen teaches me to trust God for all I have not seen."

It is within the culture that the vision and values come alive. Culture is to vision what a movie is to the script. Most leaders assume that change comes about without changing the culture. But the vision must be incorporated within the culture before any significant change can take place. Giving attention to cul-ture is essential. The 2025 church culture provides things that cannot be found anywhere else in the world: worship helps people focus on God; fellowship helps them face life’s problems; discipleship helps fortify their faith; ministry helps them find their talents; evangelism helps them fulfill their mission.




ENHANCE CHURCH VISIBILITY HAVING FAVOR WITH ALL MEN Congregations have an obvious vested interest in building strong relationships with the communities that surround their buildings. They do not have the option of relocating and thus are of necessity place-based anchors. While businesses, and residents often move away from economically depressed low-income city neighborhoods, congregations remain. Congregations are inherently an important institutional base for helping community-based economic development, and civic engaged. The question is how to tap this potential in a major way. The church has proven to be, a "sleeping giant" that could help leverage a much wider range of community partnership and building efforts. Reaching out to our community is an essential component for growth and vitality. Churches that reach out effectively grow in size and influence. On the other hand, churches that fail in the area of outreach become stagnant and may fail as a result, so it is imperative for churches to take every opportunity to strengthen their outreach efforts. Unfortunately, many churches struggle to reach out in an effective way that is relevant to the people they are trying to reach. They find it difficult to connect with new people and bring them into the church. Real community transformation requires the church not only to lead people to Christ but also to improve quality of life, restore local hope and engender the goodwill of believers and non-believers alike (Matt. 5:16). The church is often seem as a walled-off city with special, narrow

2025 GOALS GOAL 1 SCCOC will develop a brand identity and comprehensive marketing plan consistent with the church’s vision, mission and values. GOAL 2 SCCOC will establish a thriving college and university presence throughout the city. GOAL 3 SCCOC will cultivate nonprofit partnerships for community driven service. GOAL 4 SCCOC through its partnerships, will adopt neighborhood apartments within 1 mile radius of the property for revitalization and community development.


Page 14 |

STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE ENHANCE CHURCH VISIBILITY

concerns to those who have dealt with them, either from the perspective of a poor community, or from those who seek to help achieve community development goals. What if the church existed only for the church—for itself and not for the world—but then the walls fell and we remembered who we are and why we’re here? What could happen? The heart of a community is transformed not by education or by legislation, but through the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:14,15; 18-20). GOING OUTSIDE THE FOUR WALLS Church Visibility begins when you start taking steps to make it happen. With a strategic approach and the proper tools, your church can move forward with outreach right away. Let’s review once more the basic elements of doing outreach in a more organized and effective way: Research your target audience. • Pay attention to community demographics. • Take note of the demographics within your organization. Empower your members to reach out to the community. • Prepare them with teaching. • Give them the tools. Set up and create events, services, and activities. • Create a task team to decide on the outreach events and activities. • Find people to serve at these events and keep track of these volunteers. • Use the right tools for tracking your outreach events and the people in them.

•  Get people to our outreach events. •  Advertise and market the events. •  Find people through community

efforts and outside activities. •  Invite these people. •  Connect and commit after the

outreach. •  Follow up with guests who attended

the events and services. •  Get these people involved. The first step in Sugar Creek’s outreach effort is to do our homework. It is important to know who it is you are reaching out to so that you can cater services, activities, and events to that



STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE ENHANCE CHURCH VISIBILITY demographic. We will start by doing the following: 1.  Partner with other area churches of Christ. 2.  Make the most of a city event. 3.  Solicit and attract local business owners’ participation. 4.  Focus on one segment of your community. 5.  Promote creatively and strategically. 6.  Select a strategic location. 7.  Let the congregation know the needs. 8.  Know your community’s interests and needs. Community Events Remember that personal invitations are the most effective publicity for your church, service, or event, so consider getting involved in what is already happening in your community. Your church could get involved in any of the following:

•  Emergency shelter • Habitat for Humanity •  Women’s shelter • Inner city community center •  Nursing home • Community block party •  Food bank • Tutoring • •  Scouting • Cleanup efforts for roads, parks, or •  Senior activities in other public areas

Communities Doing Good Inc. (CDGI) CDGI was founded by the Sugar Creek Church of Christ as a vehicle to transform the Sugar Creek & Hidden Valley neighborhoods. CDGI is a separate organization from Sugar Creek Church of Christ, however, the two organizations work closely to build a better future for the greater good. We create lasting change for those most in need, through strategic community investment and service. We bring communities together to do good for disadvantaged residents of Mecklenburg County. Through strategic local and regional partnerships, we leverage good through health and wellness services, youth and family development and financial literacy programs to empower and encourage them to become self-sufficient. We serve through dedicated staff and well-equipped volunteers. In 2025 the Sugar Creek will be embrace its role as the Steward of the our community. By using the visibility strategy outlined - like utilizing the church’s website, social media, and even event publicity – we will encourage members towards commitment to Christ for true ministry impact in the community and beyond.

"Good works generate goodwill, to share the good

news."


Page 16 |


FINANCE & OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS Financial Challenges The finance function of all churches are under pressure to enhance its value contribution to the mission and maintain effective controls in line with ever changing needs. It is at the same time being subject to continuing internal demands to reduce the cost of its operations. In combination, these pressures create a challenging environment for the finance function. The changing world also presents significant resource challenges to churches. Churches rely heavily on member contributions to do the work of ministry. Over time, the costs of operating a church the size of Sugar Creek continue to grow well in excess of the cost of living. The financial challenges are compounded property stewardship, economic uncertainties, and ministry demands for more resources. Financial Solutions The way a church spends its time and the way a church spends its money show what’s really important to the church. The New Testament church in Jerusalem was a giving church. Acts 4:32-37 says, “ All the believers were one in heart and one in mind. No one claimed any of that which was his possessions as his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and grace was with them all. There were no needy persons among them.”

2025 GOALS GOAL 1 SCCOC will raise an additional $60,000 each year to retire mortgage debt in 5 years GOAL 2 SCCOC will acquire technological resources for the advancement of communication and management. GOAL 3 SCCOC will develop a training and on boarding process for new ministry leaders and staff. GOAL 4 SCCOC will catalog policies, procedures and guidelines for reliable ministry outcomes and risk management. GOAL 5 SCCOC will established a planned giving program for charitable giving. GOAL 6 SCCOC will publish an annual financial audit and annual report of church.



Sugar Creek enters this period of financial challenge and uncertainty with important strengths and advantages, many of which have already been mentioned. The breadth and

STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE FINANCE & OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS

quality of Sugar Creek’s academic programs and culture give the church a capacity to adapt in a strategic way; Sugar Creek has an impressive tradition of promoting creative ministry collaborations built on mutual outcomes. DEBT RETIREMENT Many families in our church enrolled into Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University and started the path towards living debt free. If using God’s financial principles in our personal lives causes us to win with money, then using God’s financial principles in our church will cause the church to win too. As a local congregation we are committed to operating debt free. We have developed a plan to retire our mortgage debt in less than five years. As a congregation, we are learning to rely on God for what we need and we don’t look to debt to provide things we want. We trust that God will provide it, in His time. The borrower is slave to the lender, even in church (Prov.22:7)! As a church committed to operating debt-free, we teach the congregation to save for the future and practice what we preach. Many churches take a “use it or lose it” approach to their cash flow, but debt-free churches have a spending plan in place that involves saving for future investments. We recognize that God owns it all, and that we are simply asset managers for Him. It impacts the decisions we make with money. As a church committed to being debt-free, we work to manage all of the resources God has entrusted to us in a way that makes us free to fund the vision and mission God has given us.

Efficiency is

doing things

right.

Effectiveness

is doing the

right things.

CURRENT PLAN: Principal: $696,582.00 (As of Sept, 26.2014) •  Interest Rate: 6.70% •  Term: 5 years balloon (Refinanced on Aug. 2016) •  Monthly Payment: $7,121.48 •  Interest Paid: $318,993.04 •  Paid off: 10/2026 (10 years) Total Spend: $1,015,575.04

DEBT RETIREMENT PLAN: Principal: $696,582.00 •  Interest Rate: 5.70% (Assumption) •  Term: 10 years •  Monthly Payment: $7,629.00 •  Extra Monthly Payment: $5,000 •  Interest Paid: $113,083.39 •  Total Spend: $809,665.39 •  Paid off: March, 2020 (5 Years) Overall Savings: $205,909.65


Page 18 |

STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE FINANCE & OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS

Through excellence in financial and operational effectiveness, SCCOC will become a kingdom minded church, where volunteers and staff are passionate, focused and aligned to achieve God’s agenda. In 2025 Sugar Creek will have credibility, add value, and be recognized as indispensable to our community’s health and well-being. As volunteers and staff continuously improve and innovate, SCCOC will become more resilient and able to negotiate, navigate and capitalize on opportunities for Christ. Finally, SCCOC will develop a reputation for integrity, transparency and accountability and be recognized as a premier congregation for Christians who wish to direct their service toward improving people’s lives for the glory of God.

Training and Onboarding After effective recruitment and selection, one of the most important ways that churches can improve the effectiveness of their talent management systems is through the strategic use of onboarding. Onboarding is the process of helping new volunteers and staff adjust to social and performance aspects of their new roles quickly and smoothly. The formation of the Talent Resource Department will aid the operational effectiveness function by:

•  Developing team to serve the overall functions of the Talent Resource Depart at Sugar Creek.

•  Composing volunteer job descriptions to meet current and future ministry demands. •  Training ministry and special project leaders to utilize the skills identified in the role/

job description. •  Designing and develop policies to govern all church functions and processes.




MEASUREMENT & ACCOUNTABILITY To remain effective, the church must continually evaluate what is being you do; build review and revision into your process. Without evaluation, you will be unable to make mid-course corrections and probably never hit your target. Our philosophy of metrics can be summed up in the following statements: •  “If you don’t keep score, you are only practicing” •  “A strategy without metrics is just a wish. And metrics

that are not aligned with strategic objectives are a waste of time.”

•  “Be careful what you measure—you might just get it.” That is, by measuring something, you are declaring to your managers and employees that an activity is important.

One of the hidden barriers to effective strategy execution is the lack of metrics that are specifically related to the strategy and the strategic objectives of the church. Most churches have dozens and dozens of metrics which are reviewed frequently by the implementation team as well as other metrics at the functional, departmental and project level. The interesting part about a number of these metrics is that they were developed under earlier strategies and have been kept, and then added to, even though they may or may not reflect the current goals and objectives of the church. Sometimes having poor metrics is as bad as no metrics at all, since metrics tend to drive what we focus on. Measurement has been a troublesome thing for the church. The things that matter the most—transformed lives,

2025 GOALS GOAL 1 SCCOC will cultivate processes and systems that are both quantitative and qualitative in nature. GOAL 2 SCCOC will develop an online ministry reporting and database tool for ministry effectiveness. GOAL 3 SCCOC will continuously evaluate the 2025 Strategic Planning initiatives for execution and ministry relevance. GOAL 4 SCCOC will optimize ministry performance and accountability by strengthening proper use of ministry data.


Page 20 |

STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE MEASUREMENT & ACCOUNTABILITY Outcomes are: •  Near-term: changes in

behavior, condition or

status that reflect a

positive shift in the

•  near-term (6-18 months)

•  Specific and measurable:

•  change can tracked using

data in a timely and

practical manner

•  Meaningful: achieving an

outcome indicates

progress toward longer-

term impact

Outcomes are not: •  Activities or processes

•  Immeasurable long-term

change that may be

outside our control

ministry effectiveness, spiritual growth—are the hardest to measure. So we settle for metrics that are easier to obtain but much less meaningful. Because the desired results (transformed lives, exercising faith, hope, and love) are extremely difficult to measure, some churches just measure inputs—giving, attendance, spending. The assumption is that these inputs will indicate progress toward the goal. Of course, every experienced leader knows that things are not that simple. Wise leaders pay attention to the metrics and discern whether a downward trend indicates a problem to be addressed or a "pruning" that will ultimately strengthen the congregation. They know that even if the numbers don't meet their expectations, God can still be at work in powerful ways. “Metrics are a way to assess a church's fruitfulness and identify opportunities for

growth.” Clear, concise and relevant metrics serve multiple purposes within the strategy implementation process: Governance: Metrics allow us to manage and govern the overall focus, attention and resources we give to certain ministry activities. Reporting: This is the most commonly identified function of metrics. Metrics to report performance to ourselves, our staff and volunteers. Communication: This is a critical but overlooked function of a metric. We will use metrics to tell people both internally and externally what constitutes value and what the key success factors are. Opportunities for Improvement: Metrics identify gaps between performance and the expectation. At stated, healthy things grow. If we don't have measurement tools in place, unhealthy areas could go unnoticed for years. The measurement and accountability gives SCCOC a strong indication of congregational health or effectiveness, but not one to be used apart from godly wisdom.



CLOSING THOUGHTS To meet the growing demands over the next 10 years, Sugar Creek must provide cutting edge leadership to bring about systemic change. To attempt to provide this leadership without the benefit of a strong road map to guide us and measure the results of our efforts would simply be impossible. The 2025 strategic plan provides that map and redefines who we are and the role we must play in winning souls and keeping souls saved. It establishes new levels of ministry, professionalism and achievement. Living up to the standards defined in these pages will demand commitment and attention from everyone involved with Sugar Creek – from volunteers and staff. We believe that together we can make that happen. We praise God for our rich heritage and the privilege to serve Him with excellence. Sugar Creek can be illustrated in three ways: 1.  A Family: We are brothers and sisters who have been called by one message into one

household. We praise and honor our Father and He validates our worship by blessing us as His children.

2.  A Hospital: We are a hospital filled with imperfect Christians who have been battered, bruised and broken by the effects of sin. This is where we are healed by the Great Physician, and for this reason we forsake not the assembly and the fellowship of the saints.

3.  A Battleship: We are soldiers that have been commissioned by the Chief Commander to expand His territory while on our mission to heaven. On this journey we encounter assault, ambush and opposition but find constant assurance in Him who has conquered the enemy

“THERE IS A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE THAT MAKES OUR FAMILY SHINE. SUGAR CREEK EMBRACES A LOVING, WARM, AND

GENEROUS SPIRIT THAT RADIATES WITHIN THE HEARTS AND FACES OF ITS MEMBERS. OUR LOVE AND POSITIVE ATTITUDE IS

WHAT HAS BROUGHT US, WHAT WILL TAKE US, AND KEEP US GLOWING, GROWING, AND PLEASING THE LORD. ~L.B. JAMES

We believe we have God’s favor. We are committed to riding the waves that God chooses to create. We believe that every member who supports our mission will continue to contribute and that we have the plan in place to grow. We believe that the individuals and families in our church can reach their full potential. And we believe that through providing the resources and leadership to help them reach that potential, we will reach our own. We believe we are on the road to raising the next generation of Christian leaders who will honor God in our theology, culture and practice of the Gospel. We have the right goals, objectives and measures that will ultimately help us transform conditions in the community and advance the common good for everyone in Mecklenburg and beyond.


Page 22 |

CLOSING THOUGHTS

STRATEGIC TRANSFORMATION FROM TO

Success Measured by Baptism Success Measured by maturity in Christ

Limited Brand Understanding Committed Brand Advocates

Church driven community service Nonprofit partnerships for community

driven service

Teachers and leaders appointed serve without proper training and support

Teachers and leaders inspired to be lifelong learners, independent thinkers

who are committed to contribute to their community and the world

A few members serve according to their passions and availability

Every member to be minister according to their God given gifts

Limited Volunteer Opportunities Year-Round Meaningful Volunteer

Engagement

Mass Marketing Focused on brotherhood Year-Round Targeted and Personalized

Communications

Mortgage debt paid in 10 years at a total spend of $1,015,575

Mortgage debt paid in 5 years at a total spend of $809,665

Ten years from now, with the strategic plan fully implemented, we envision a Sugar Creek as a church that has fundamentally changed the way it does ministry and is delivering quality service to the community.

BUT IN A GREAT HOUSE THERE ARE NOT ONLY VESSELS OF GOLD AND SILVER, BUT ALSO OF WOOD AND CLAY, SOME FOR HONOR AND SOME FOR

DISHONOR. THEREFORE IF ANYONE CLEANSES HIMSELF FROM THE LATTER, HE WILL BE A VESSEL FOR HONOR, SANCTIFIED AND USEFUL FOR

THE MASTER, PREPARED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK. (2 TIM. 2:20-21)



1. The Mission & Vision of the Sugar

2. Creek Church of Christ

3. The Strategic Planning Group

4. Research Tool & Methodology

5. Membership Demographics

6. Worship & Bible Study

7. Travel Time & Internet Access

APPENDIX A. 2012 REPORT The 2015 Church Study is accessible online at SugarCreekSPG.org/Study

7. Financial & Physical Health

8. Work Life & Education

9. Married & Family Life Pt. 1

10. Married & Family Life Pt. 2

11. Family Subsystem

Recommendations

12. Recommended Reading


Appendix A |

APPENDIX B . PLANNING RESOURCES

1.  Advance Strategic Planning by Aubrey Malphurs Building Communities From Inside Out by John Kretzmann & John McKnight

2.  Developing the Leaders Around You by John C. Maxwell 3.  Effectiveness by Numbers by William Hoyt 4.  Faith-base Marketing by Bob Hutchins and Greg Stilelstra 5.  Finding Faithful Elders and Deacons by Thabiti Anyabwile 6.  Good to Great by Jim Collins 7.  Leading from the Second Chair by Bonem & Roger Patterson 8.  Leading from the Second Chair by Mike Bonem and Roger Patterson 9.  Love & Respect in the Family: The Respect Parents Desire; The Love

Children Need by Emerson Eggerichs 10. Managing the Nonprofit Organization by Peter Druker 11. More than Conquerors by Schrader Lane Church of Christ 12. Organizational Survey by Allen Kraut 13. The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork by John C. Maxwell 14. The Antioch Effect by Ken Hemphill 15. The Complete Guide to Nonprofit Management by Smith, Bucklin and

Associates, Inc. 16. The One Thing by Gary Keller 17. The Power of Team Leadership by George Barna 18. The Power of Vision by George Barna 19. The Power of Vision by George Barna 20. The Purpose Driven Church by Rick Warren 21. The Responsible Administrator by Terry L. Cooper 22. The Very Large Church by Lyle Schaller 23. Transitioning by Dan Southerland

The comprehensive version of the 2025 Strategic Plan is a living document. This plan will continue to be evaluated and revised for relevance and accuracy. The following items were sources for the creation of the 2025 Strategic Plan.


©2015 Sugar Creek Church Of Christ Exposing the Word | Empowering the Saints | Exalting the Christ.

Documents

2025 Strategic Plan