History & General Information

Some previous updates are at the end of this document..

On Saturday, January 12, 2019, a group got together at LifeBridge to discuss our strategic plan and future for the ministry here. We asked questions like, “Why does LifeBridge exist?” “What is its purpose?” and “What does our community need?”

We broke into groups and discussed questions in detail, obtaining wisdom from each other. 

After culling through, organizing, and categorizing the data, we met again on April 27, 2019, to further refine what it is that God is calling us here to do together. We looked at each of our questions in light of four different categories: the Spiritual, Outreach, Physical Needs, and Social Services. This was the time when people got to “vote” on areas that were previously organized.

The votes were recorded and ranked according to each aspect of our mission statement (Reaching the Lost; Discipling the Saved; and Sharing the Love of God with Everyone) as well as whether it dealt with a Community Need.

The overall questions were further refined, combined, and ranked in total as well as individually in respect of the mission statement and community need. All areas that ranked 80% or higher in people’s votes are included in this report. In addition, there is an area for each of the aspects of Spiritual, Outreach, Physical Needs, and Social Services that is reflected in this report.

After all was put together and summarized, the board of directors ratified what is below. It is now before you as a statement of our belief that this is what God wants us to do and how He wants us to proceed. It is a framework to work from, not a mandate under which we must work.

You, the people of LifeBridge, are the authority before God and each other as to what it is that God is calling us to do here. This report attempts to reflect those ideal goals and the future that God has placed before us and serve as a tool to help us reach the potential that God has called us to together.

If we hone and focus on what’s here – how God has gifted us, how He has Called us, and how He has set up our community – I believe we will make a lasting impact on our community.

Pastor Scott Heitshusen

If you feel this doesn’t accurately or adequately reflect a proper framework in which we should operate, bring that up! Be bold to discuss it and it’s shortcomings! Most of all, don’t let it limit what you believe God is calling LifeBridge to; is calling you to!

If, on the other hand, you feel this is a good expression and reflection of LifBridge and God’s callings, consider ways you will get involved to carry out our mission and call through these areas

We will be forming teams and groups to see how to best fulfill the opportunities this framework provides. Considered being a part of those. Or, if there are other ways you see yourself helping to fulfill your calling and hours at LifeBridge, feel free to do so!

May we walk together for the praise of God, benefit our community, and encourage each other!


A STRATEGIC PLAN FRAMEWORK

The following was endorsed by the LifeBridge Board of Directors on July 30, 2019.

I. Strong Youth and Family Ministries

Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain…Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward…Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!

Psalm 127

A. Be a place where youth/students are sought, valued, lifted-up and served. Be a space for youth to be “plugged-in” and a loving, safe space – emotionally, spiritually, and physically.

B. Have a vibrant ministry to families

C. Be mentors to teens in the community

II. LB Environment

Blessed be…the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort…[Our suffering] was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer.

2 Corinthians 1:2-11

A. Be a “safe space,” welcoming, “non-traditional” community where “all are welcome.” Be non-judgmental, loving, friendly, and compassionate place where people of various denominations/church backgrounds (not all good) can come to be lifted up and encouraged. Be a beacon for those who are un-/de-/badly-churched. // Be a place of welcome/refuge/healing for people

B. Encourage people in what they are doing and/or when they are feeling beat-up/torn down by the world or situations

C. Be a place where those who “have a heart for service” will congregate and serve.

III. Beyond Our Walls / Community

A. Be involved in outreach and service individually as well as corporately

B. Be out & visible in the community. Some current examples include:

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:10

1. Be involved and supportive of the Sealy Pregnancy Center, helping an under served population in our community

2. Be involved with Anti-Trafficking areas to help all involved

3. Be involved and supportive of the Sealy Christian Food Pantry

4. Take part in &/or organize community “work days,” like:

a) Establish teams to help fix homes for people in the community

C. Serve during community disasters, feeding volunteers and storing food, water, and cleaning supplies

IV. Grow in Faith

[God gave church leaders] to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be…carried about by every wind of doctrine…Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Ephesians 4:11-16

A. Help people learn and share the saving message of the Gospel of Jesus (i.e. Evangelize)

B. Have vital and varied LifeGroups, where relationships can be established and people grow closer to God. Included with this is having a vibrant Men’s/Women’s Ministries to help build people and relationships from within.

C. Mentor people to be a mentor/equip-per for others & to be the best disciple of Jesus they can be

D. Help people listen and see what God is uniquely Calling them to do/be


Some Questions

  1. What specific goals need to be set to carry out this framework?
  2. What teams need to be setup to carry out this framework?
  3. Are there elements of the items that can hit all aspects of our mission and community needs?
  4. What needs changing to accomplish these goals?
  5. What do we need to do (or not do) to fulfill this Calling? (e.g. A service event once a month {or more}? Changes to our facilities? Staffing changes? Other?)
  6. Other??

Previous Updates

UPDATE: July 31, 2019

At a meeting last night, the LifeBridge Board of Directors (i.e., the Management Team and Board of Elders), endorsed the above 2019 Strategic Plan Framework. (PDF version here.)

We still want to get this to the congregation for input and final approval, but can move forward in some good and tentative ways with this as a guide (seeing as how all of this came from the congregation in the first place, anyway).

UPDATE: June 6, 2019

The items from our follow-up meeting on April 27, 2019, have been scored, correlated, ranked, and combined into a couple of areas and some specific “to-dos.” The Board of Directors is now reviewing and praying and, when they are ready to give their approval/endorsement, the items will come before the congregation for ratification. Then, it’s off to the races!

At that point, we will need to setup individuals and teams to look at addressing how we will go about to accomplish the work; including calendar and budgetary issues associated with each area.

Please keep the Board and all of LifeBridge in prayer as the Lord’s plan rolls out and is accomplished.

Follow-Up Meeting

On Saturday, April 27, 2019, from 8:00-9:00 AM, we will have a follow-up planning meeting at LifeBridge. [This is the Saturday after Easter.]

We will go over where the findings have brought us and further narrow our focus in light of those findings. In doing so, we will be able to start planning teams, items, activities, outreach, and more.

You need only bring yourself and your input!

Thank you and see you then!

Previous Categorizing and Filtering

If you really want to get into some of the weeds of categorizing, organizing, combining, etc.: bit.ly/20190112-StrategicPlan-2

YouTube this.