Why Strategic Growth Initiative
God’s dream for University Baptist Church has expressed itself in many iterations in the last 72 years. Yet one thing has remained consistent: we are called to faithfully be the presence of Jesus in Baton Rouge.
It is a new chapter of University Baptist Church. It is a chapter filled with an extraordinary opportunity to create authentic community among our members, pivot this community to a sense of openness to Baton Rouge, meet the needs around us in real and unique ways, and strengthen our journey together through new opportunities for theological dialogue and spiritual formation.
As we discover the new iteration of God’s dream, we must open our eyes to the growing and changing neighborhood around UBC. Within one square mile of our campus, homes are being flipped by young families, thousands of apartments are being built, startup business are sparking, and 50,000 plus students and faculty converge onto LSU every day.
God is doing something new. However, are we in the position to faithfully step into this new thing God is doing?
UBC has been working on a strategic growth initiative for some time now. We have reevaluated how we encounter guests online (website and social media) and when they join us on Sunday morning (Sunday Experience Initiative). We have reorganized our personnel structure to position the church to care for its current and future needs.
Now we will turn our attention to a broader strategic growth initiative, including but not limited to the expansion of MDO, maturing of Connect Group ministries, Soccer Academy, Arts Academy, Spiritual Formation Groups, intentional process for first time guests into full membership, care training for various groups (Spiritual Formation teachers, Deacons, Governing Board, Staff, and care team), diversifying worship experiences, age-specific recruiting for membership, and other pertinent facets.
Through the Strategic Growth Initiative (SGI), we will consider the message we are presenting (marketing, ministries, worship, etc.), the invitation we are giving, and how we are connecting with people while they are with us.
The SGI is a discernment process, not intended to get bogued down with policies, procedures, and committees to the point that a conversation cannot even begin until at least 6-months after the conception of the idea. This process is about substance over form, fluidity over bureaucracy, organic over mechanical, and spiritual over administrative.
The SGI is an invitation into a tremendous conversation about who we are, why we do what we do, and how we might experience exponential growth. Conversations will lead to brainstorming, testing of ideas, discernment of God’s leadership, and maneuvering to step into new practices.
Each member, whether the newest among us or tenured, has something to bring to the conversation. Will you join the conversation?
Development of Church-Wide SGI Teams
The Governing Board will serve as an ongoing advisory council to the Strategic Growth Initiative. Through the Governing Board, Ministerial Staff, and Senior Pastor, various teams will be created and enlisted to manage the various facets of the initiative. The magnitude of this process should not be managed by a solitary team; instead, various teams can be created to focus on specific items of the SGI.
In a sense, the SGI will be led by a variety of teams that will encompass church members and staff with the purpose of discerning how God is leading us to grow University Baptist Church.
The desire is for this to be a church-wide collaborative initiative with a vast number of members joining groups that reflect their passions and giftedness.
A potential composition of the group would include members of the Governing Board serving as point persons and/or chair persons on various teams. These teams could be composed of various enlisted individuals and representatives from specific areas included in the SGI.
Members of the teams should be collaborative and creative individuals who are able to think theologically and critically, as well as plan strategically. The teams will have a diversity of individuals from various age and ministry groups of UBC.
The teams will partner alongside existing governing bodies, committees, and ministries to implement the initiative.
Beginning in July, UBC will begin to receive information about the initiative, the various teams forming, and how to join the process.
On September 22, UBC will host a church-wide gathering, at which we will focus on casting a vision for the initiative and have first meetings of the teams.
Each team will formulate the conversation, goals, and frequency of their meetings.
The teams will submit updates to the Governing Board and Senior Pastor on a monthly basis.
To read more about the full Strategic Growth Initiative, click here!
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