This blog is a condensed text version of what was presented to the FBP congregation on Sunday 4/8/18. Watch the video for a more complete presentation by our Elders.

This past Sunday 4/8/18, was a great day! It was the day that FBP Elders shared their 3-5 year vision for our church with the congregation. After many months of evaluation, prayer, and seeking the Lord for all the various ministries of our church, we’ve cast our local vision, essentially turning it over now to the church body for consideration and acceptance. This has been a very long process and we appreciate the congregation’s patience.

One of the most prominent actions made early in the process was to redefine our church mission statement.  “FB Powell exists to invest in and equip the next generation to live Christ transformed lives in a rapidly changing culture.” This statement serves to help develop and refine our overall church vision.

After the launch of that mission statement, each primary ministry then presented their vision proposal to the Elders. Part of the consideration was to ask 4-questions.  Where should we invest? What are the biggest needs? What’s stopping us from achieving our goals? How can investment allow us to achieve our goals? What we were looking for is when we press the different vision proposals together – where do they intersect or overlap? That’s where the greatest need and opportunity lies – opportunity that we believe God is leading us to accomplish as an overall vision for our church.

This past Sunday, we presented a specific vision for our Family Ministry. There are two parts. The first part is that in 5-years, we will be fully engaged in our community in the following ways:

  • We will be heavily involved in our public-school system at every level.
  • We will be a place where people can turn to when in need.
  • We will be a passionate partner where our values align.
  • We will be a reflection of our community, and a channel for them to come to and worship Christ.

The second part of our Family Vision focuses on the “next generation”. In 5-years, we will be the place of choice for:

  • Young married couples (with or without children) who desire to build discipling relationships.
  • College students, targeting commuters in North Knox county.
  • Post-college/career singles in North Knox County.

Our final statement in our Family Ministry vision is “we will be a warm, friendly, welcoming congregation that builds friendships and exalts Christ by making disciples.” This a general call for all of us, as we seek to become not known only for our knowledge of Christ, but to become a true reflection of His heart by loving others.

To accomplish the above vision, and the other visions of various ministries where they all overlap, the Church Elders are proposing that we make an investment that helps us meet those local objectives. We are proposing the construction of a new Student Life Center.

(the above photo is provided for representation purposes only)

The building has not been designed yet. However, the basic elements of what this building proposal will potentially include is as follows:

  • A new Youth Worship Center
  • A fully-equipped Student Life Room for students to hang out in
  • A dining hall for large groups of people
  • A regulation-size gymnasium, a workout center
  • Additional meeting or classrooms.

The presentation also included high-level and more specific justifications for the new Student Life Center. The high-level justifications for the proposal fits three major criteria. The new Student Life Center fits the FBP Mission statement of “investing and equipping the next generation”. The project fits the Family Ministry Vision goals of investing in young families, college students, and post-college/career singles, and as we move deeper into loving and serving the Powell community. And it fits the First Baptist Academy vision goals and needs.

The more specific justifications are as follows. We believe this project will pull the FBP Family together around a common mission and vision. It relocates the 6th-12th grade student ministry into a facility that is more conducive to student ministry needs in the modern era. It maintains the space for our thriving AWANA ministry and allows our College ministry to meet at a more reasonable time and expand.

Probably the most significant justification is that this project allows the Family Life Center to return to the purpose for which it was really intended – by freeing the space for community outreach events, and for college groups, single groups, men’s ministries, and women’s ministries to meet. With FBA athletic events moved to the new Student Life Center, these ministries can occur simultaneous with FBA events.

Last, the proposal allows for rebranding of other spaces for other uses by right-sizing space to an event. Examples would include rebranding the current Youth Worship Center for mid-size chapel-type events, using the new dining commons for large meal events, and the new regulation-size gymnasium for FBA indoor sports games. The games currently being played with spectators are overwhelming our current facility.

Watch the video for a more detailed explanation of justifications.

Based on high-level cost estimates, we expect the new Student Life Center to cost $4.1M. The total project we are proposing is $5.8M, which includes much needed renovations and improvements to our existing facilities and land use. Our plan is to involve the congregation as much as possible in completing the renovations to help manage costs. Those renovations include the following:

  • New parking lot across the lane from the Family Life Center.
  • New roof systems for Educational Buildings.
  • Interior renovation of existing facility, eg. flooring/paint, etc. (does not include FLC).
  • New sound equipment and acoustical treatments.
  • General and theatrical lighting upgrades for Worship Center.

What’s the timeline for all of this? Year One (this year), fundraising begins. Almost immediately, we will begin building renovations. Year Two, and as certain financial milestones are met, we will finish the church renovations, start site development, and begin construction on the new building. Year Three, we will occupy the new Student Life Center… and then the fun really begins. What do we mean by that?

As Elders, we want you to be very clear about our overall goal and understand our heart. We want our church to gain “sight” of this new Student Life Center. We want our congregation to visualize it as a very real thing that’s worth sacrificing and working hard for. But even more, what we really want our congregation to see is what’s beyond the building. The building is not the vision for our church. The building is on the pathway of success in accomplishing our vision – and that’s to encourage/buildup our church body through relational discipleship and pouring deeper into our community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That’s where the fun is… where the joy is… when we engage more people and see them coming to Christ.

Our prayer is that Jesus is exalted in everything we sacrifice and do! Let it all be for His glory and honor! Thank you.