ONE DISCIPLESHIP JOURNEY

PURPOSE:

Rise Church will grow as disciples of JESUS, our ONE KING who changes EVERYTHING.

PRIORITIES:

For the next two years (2024-2025), Rise church will prioritize these four areas of ministry and growth.

ONE CHURCH for Jesus – We will grow in depth and unity as one church by living into the rhythms of Jesus as a community through worship, prayer, Journey Groups, and equipping more leaders.

ONE MORE for Jesus – We will live on mission with Jesus through prayerful invitation and non-anxious hospitality by praying for, investing in, and inviting our “one more” who does not yet know Jesus to explore Jesus at Alpha and Discovery Groups.

ONE MORE GENERATION for Jesus – We will share the story of Jesus with one more generation through investing in children, singles, marriages, and families and starting youth Alpha and youth ministry.

ONE MORE CHURCH for Jesus – We will live on mission with Jesus by praying, planning, and planting one more church centered on Jesus in New England.

“ONE CHURCH” STORY

“ONE MORE” STORY

“ONE MORE GENERATION” STORY

“ONE MORE CHURCH” STORY

FAQ

Is this a fundraising campaign? No, this is a journey of discipleship with Jesus. The purpose is growth in depth and unity as followers of Jesus as a church. According to Jesus’ teachings, how we view and use our money is simply part of our discipleship. Everything that belongs to us (our time, talent, and treasure) has been given to us by God. Gratitude to God naturally leads to generosity. And generosity toward God and his kingdom breaks the power that money has over us. We give to Jesus because Jesus gave everything to us and he gave everything for us.

As part of our discipleship journey, we believe God will provide $600,000 over two years (2024-2025) through the generosity of people like you. What will these funds go towards? Is this a capitol campaign? All money contributed will go towards the operating expenses of Rise Church (staff salaries, building maintenance, and ministry expenses) in order to accomplish the four priorities outlined above.

Does the church have a budget? How are we doing financially? When will we have a Vestry? We do have a budget for 2024 that we will share at the One Discipleship Journey Brunch and let people ask questions. Also at the brunch, the Steering Committee (Matthew Whittemore, Steve Lanfer, and Melanie McKean) will give an overview of the current financial situation of the church (which is very strong) as well as plans to install a vestry in March 2024 since in the past year, Rise has now passed the threshold of a mission church (under 50 people) to an established church (50+).

What if I am in a lot of debt or I have no money to give? How can I contribute and participate? Our hope is that we’d have 100% participation of everyone at Rise Church . More importantly than your money, God wants your heart. If you can’t give financially (your treasure) right now, then ask God how you can give your time or talent to serve the church or the city in tangible ways. At Rise, we believe being a disciple of Jesus involves moving from consumer to contributor. So we’d love to see 100% participation of all those who call Rise their church.

What if I’ve never given before? Should I start at 10% of my income (the biblical idea of a tithe)? We encourage you to have a conversation with God about how much He is inviting you to give. If 10% seems impossible, try 7% or 5% or even 2%. Then watch the impact that generosity on your own heart and on those you are helping.

Honestly, I am struggling with finances, budgeting, or debt. Where do I go for help? For a practical course on understanding God, money, eliminating debt, and budgeting, we encourage you to register for Financial Peace University online. For those looking for coaching on budgeting and long-term financial planning, we recommend getting a free coach through THRIVENT. Maybe for you this year, God is calling you to begin intentionally growing in your maturity and understanding in regards to money. Ad you do this, you will move toward being more responsible with your finances and generosity.

How could my generosity fit into the generosity of others and help accomplish our church’s priorities? Below is a graphic that shows the breakdown of suggested giving levels. Also there are QR code to start to give and pray. Ask God which level He might be calling you to contribute. Every contribution of your generosity will strengthen our overall capacity as a church to accomplish these four priorities:

ONE CHURCH for Jesus
ONE MORE for Jesus
ONE MORE GENERATION for Jesus
ONE MORE CHURCH for Jesus.