Goal #1: Triple the Number of Souls Reached
As the Holy Spirit blesses our gospel efforts, the gifts of God’s people at Living Hope will triple the number of souls we reach and nurture personally and corporately in greater Richmond.
Surveys show that 80 percent of the U.S. population have an “immanent” picture of the world. What does that mean? These are people who make their decisions entirely based on this world. Their ethical systems depend on whether their decisions will make them happy, whether they’ll get ahead, whether they’ll be following social conventions, or whether they’ll be contributing to the community.
So in our home of Chesterfield County, some 252,482 men, women, and children are living their lives only focused on this world. Their hope and purpose go no further than the brass sky—their feelings, their financial gains, their moralistic self-satisfaction, or their local community. Of course, we, too, are tempted by these idols, but by God’s grace, we know forgiveness in Jesus.
Christ died for all of us—including those 252,482 people who are our neighbors in Chesterfield County. Many of them drive by us on a Sunday morning and see a full parking lot. If they came inside, they would find fellowship and forgiveness and freedom in Christ. But today, if they entered, they would see a sanctuary and fellowship hall that are full and cramped. We need to build!
Expanding our capacity would increase the seating available for worship, increase the number of parking spaces available, increase the availability of classrooms for Sunday mornings and mid-week classes like Jesus and Me, and provide office space for our Pastor and support staff to have meetings and to welcome members and guests to the church during the week. The space available for fellowship after services would expand also, enabling us to extend hospitality to visitors. A cry room with a view of the sanctuary would provide parents with active children a place to participate in the service.
Tripling our size sounds major. Imagine if we could go from serving 90-100 on a Sunday to serving 300 with all of our services and ministries. But even that is still a drop in the bucket compared to the need in our own backyard. How can we not build extra room for our neighbors to hear the Good News that they are forgiven—fully and freely—and that their lives can be shaped by the hope and purpose that we have found in Jesus?