Transcript of Campaign Guide - The Village Church
Campaign Guide
Table of Contents Section 1 - A Note from Travis Section 2 -
History & Ministry of The Village Section 3 - A Note from Our
Co-Chairs Section 4 - The For The Community Campaign Team Section 5
- Campaign Explanation Section 6 - Building Renderings Section 7 -
Campaign Involvement Section 8 - Frequently Asked Questions
2 3 - 6
7 8 9
1
There is a fundamental problem in our culture about “Church.” The
problem is that, for too long, the Church in our culture has been
known for what it’s against. Almost four years ago, we set out to
change that. You see, we don’t want to be known by what we’re
against, we want to be known by what we’re FOR. We’re for people.
We’re for each other. We’re for love. We’re for kids and youth.
We’re for growth. We’re for impact. We’re for belonging and hope
and purpose. We’re for the kind of life transformation that can
only happen through the love and grace of Jesus. We’re for the
community because we believe that God is for the community. God is
for people. God is for us. And as it says in Romans 8:31, “If God
is for us, who can be against us?”
From the first night that people gathered to pray and dream and
listen, the vision of The Village wasn’t to build a great church
for us, it was to build a great church for the community. The kind
of church that would put the world-changing love of Jesus on
display for other people to see and experience. The kind of church
that would, against better judgment and sound advice, give away its
biggest offerings of the year so that thirsty people could have
water, the most vulnerable people in our city could have a place to
call home, and hungry kids could have food on the weekends. The
kind of church that would be missed if we weren’t here.
We wanted to be that kind of church because we believe that’s who
Jesus is and that’s what Jesus does. Jesus changes things in
noticeable ways. He changes our hearts, our minds, our lives, and
because of that, through us, he changes the things and the people
and the circumstances around us.
Today marks the beginning of a new journey for The Village:
building a more permanent church home, a 24/7 ministry center, so
that we can continue to passionately pursue God’s call for us and
be a church For The Community. I invite you to join me, Amanda, our
family, and the rest of The Village in reading this campaign guide
and praying through this prayer, “God, what do you want to do for
the community through me?” In praying this prayer and reading this
guide, I hope you’ll gain confidence and clarity in how you can be
part of the For The Community campaign, and show the world what the
church is FOR.
Following Jesus Together,
Travis & Amanda Garner
2
What started four years ago with 60 people crammed into a living
room to pray and dream has now grown beyond imagination:
• Almost 600 people meeting weekly across two services
• Over 250 children per month are hearing about the love of Jesus
at Village Kids on Sunday mornings
• More than 100 teenagers are learning what it means to follow
Jesus at Village Youth on Sunday nights
• Over 100 people have said “yes” to following Jesus through
baptism and/or public profession of faith
• More than $350,000 has been given away to local organizations and
ministries, each making a deep impact on the community
We could be content with that. We could say, “well done.” But we
know that God isn’t done with us yet. We envision so much
more:
• More teenagers and children coming to know Jesus
• More lives changed, families transformed, and stories
re-written
• More people experiencing hope, healing, and joy
• Deeper impact in our community • More disciple-making,
world-
changing followers of Jesus per square inch living in Nashville and
beyond
We believe that all of this would result in a better community for
everyone living in it.
Section 2 History & Mission of The Village
3
As we continue to grow, it is becoming increasingly clear that our
lack of a permanent facility is holding us back from doing all of
the good that God has called us to do for the community.
Last spring, knowing that our lease at Sunset Middle School ends in
October 2021, our church voted to purchase 27 acres of land at the
corner of Old Burkitt Rd. and Nolensville Rd. to serve as the site
of a future permanent ministry center in our community. Last fall,
over 170 households made 13-month commitments totaling just under
$1.1 million to significantly reduce the $1.5 million debt on our
property. The theme of this campaign was “Here For Good,” and
together, we planted a flag in the ground to say that we’re here
for good with permanence and also here for the good of our
community.
Section 2 History & Mission of The Village
4
Section 2 History & Mission of The Village
Nashville and the surrounding communities are growing by the
thousands. Even right here, within a ten-minute drive of our
property, over 150 new households are moving in every month. There
are 60,000 people right here who’ve never had a life- changing
encounter with Jesus, who don’t know that God is for them. Can you
imagine walking through the ups and downs and highs and lows of
life without knowing that you’re supported by God and surrounded by
a community? This is the current reality for hundreds of thousands
in the Nashville area.
Now is the time for us to take a significant step forward in being
the church for this community that God has called us to be. Now is
the time for us to build a permanent facility to serve as a mission
outpost at the epicenter of the growth in Davidson, Williamson, and
Rutherford Counties and beyond.
A permanent facility is not a distraction from our mission, it is a
significant means for mission, by which we can show the surrounding
community that we are for them and that God is for them. This is
ultimately not about increasing our seating capacity, it’s about
increasing our sending capacity, sending more and more
impact-minded followers of Jesus out into our community, into the
everyday stuff of life. We want to use our facility to mobilize our
people to be the church in every school, in every neighborhood, in
every home, and in every workplace.
5
In addition to using our building to mobilize and send people out
to serve the community, one of the best ways we can love and serve
our neighbors is by becoming a physical neighbor ourselves by
building a facility that is in and of itself for the
community.
We’re dreaming of a place to worship, hold important milestone
events like weddings, and invite people of all ages to learn about
Jesus. But we’re also dreaming of a facility that can serve the
hungry, hurting and broken people in our midst, host community
events, meetings, and support groups, and offer hospitality
throughout the week - a facility that’s a physical representation
of our longing to be a church for the community. Our facility will
increase our capacity for ministry so that we can continue to go
into the community to reach and serve our neighbors with the love
of Jesus.
Section 2 History & Mission of The Village
6
Our Community,
We are all blessed to be part of The Village family. A true
community, for the community. We believe this is one of the most
pivotal and exciting times for our church. Repeatedly, we have seen
Jesus move each of us to places we have never been before,
spiritually, emotionally, sacrificially. As the chairs of our For
The Community campaign, we have the privilege of working alongside
our church body to support each one of you as you consider your
part in this initiative.
Our For The Community campaign is a three-year journey to support a
26,000 square foot facility which will house a multipurpose worship
and youth center, flexible children’s space, lobby and café along
with space for our pastoral and staff offices. This will be our
first physical representation of who The Village is and what we
embody. It is a church that is for the people, for love, and for
community. We believe God is for the community and God is for us.
Our new Village home will be a place where lives will be
transformed through the love of Jesus, a place where our children
will marry, we will celebrate baptisms, and mourn loss. It is a
place of new beginnings. A place that we will build together to
impact lives for generations to come, all for the glory of
God.
We believe we can’t be in community with God if our sense of
community is rooted in our own understanding. “Trust in the Lord
with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding but in
all ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths,“ Proverbs
3: 5-6. We have a transformational God who is for us and working
within all of us. Join us in lifting this campaign to the Lord in
prayer, asking Him to direct our paths. Pray earnestly about how
God wants you to give sacrificially to this initiative, for the
community, through you. Through our commitment to follow Jesus, He
will show up mightily in our lives and for the community.
“If God is for us, who can be against us,” Romans 8:31
In Christ, Jason, Bethany, Steven & Angela
Section 3 Note from Our Co-Chairs
Steven & Angela McCarter
Jason & Bethany Rozell
Nathan & Mary Carla Nelson Grace Powlus
Mick & Laura Raney Jim & Kelly Reedy
Zach & Carla Richards Jason & Bethany Rozell
Chris Shaw Don Smith
David & Karen Williams
Jeff & Lee-Ann Altizer Grant & Michelle Clarke
Chris & Joanna Cummings Mackenzie Dickinson
Heather Dubuque Elias Dummer Kristy Fleming
Travis & Amanda Garner Steve & Courtney Gilbert
Julie Henson Kelli Huston
Erin Marshall
8
Phase 1 of this project includes a multipurpose room that will hold
500 people for worship on Sunday mornings and youth ministry
gatherings on Sunday nights, a large gathering space and smaller
classrooms for children, a lobby and kitchen space, and a
multipurpose meeting space for staff and other community groups and
organizations. Every space in this phase is intentionally
multipurpose and multifunctional so that we can maximize the impact
of the building not just on Sundays, but throughout the week as
well. In Phase 1, building any space specifically dedicated to one
age group or ministry area will only limit what we are able to
accomplish together and the ways God is able to reach our community
through us and our facility.
We project breaking ground in the late spring / early summer of
2020 on our Phase 1 26,000 square foot facility. The total cost for
this project is estimated between $7 and $8 million, which includes
all construction costs, site preparation costs, entrance and road
improvement costs, signage and landscaping costs, and all
furniture, fixtures, and equipment expenses.
With the For The Community campaign, our hope is to fund, through
three-year commitments, as much of the Phase I construction costs
as possible in order to minimize long-term debt.
Section 5 Campaign Explanation
Section 6 Building Renderings
Early rendering of a 500-seat state-of-the- art multipurpose
worship and youth center as it might look on a Sunday morning. This
space would host worship, Sunday night youth gatherings, our Sent
Sunday Christmas Edition event, and serve as a venue to host
community events such as meetings and school plays.
Early rendering of a flexible large-group space for our thriving
Village Kids ministry. This area would connect to smaller rooms to
serve as nursery spaces and could easily convert to serve as a
preschool or meeting and training spaces throughout the week.
10
God has been writing an incredible story for our community and the
surrounding areas through The Village, and a new chapter of that
story begins now. This is a defining moment in that story, and how
the story continues is largely dependent on how each and every one
of us responds in this moment.
What are we asking? We are asking for 100% participation from
anyone and everyone who considers The Village to be their church
home. We have taken some significant steps in a short time
together, but this is the most significant one to date. This is a
God-sized vision for us that will require God to do things that we
can’t do on our own and the participation of literally everyone in
our church.
Throughout the next several weeks you will receive more information
regarding the For The Community campaign via email and mail. For
now, we are asking you to do three things.
Section 7 Campaign Involvement
11
We are asking you to do three things: Pray, Engage, and
Respond.
Pray: We will not be able to reach this goal without God’s help and
the faithful prayer of everyone in our church. Begin praying this
prayer, “God, what do you want to do for the community through
me?”
Engage: Being a church for the community requires more than our
prayers, it requires our active engagement. Commit during this
season to being present for worship, engaging in a Village Group,
and actively loving and serving your neighbors at every
opportunity. “For The Community” is not just a slogan, it’s a
lifestyle for followers of Jesus. Mark your calendars and make
plans to attend these upcoming special Sundays:
Sunday, October 27 – Gratitude Sunday • We’ll be invited to share
our gratitude to God as we consider the ways that God has
impacted our lives for the better through our church
community.
Sunday, Nov. 3 – Ministry Sunday • We’ll celebrate the
life-changing ministries of our church and the inspiring stories of
how
individuals and families have been blessed by God through these
ministries.
Sunday, Nov. 10 – Celebration Sunday – One BIG Service, 10:00AM •
We’ll have an amazing party and hear a special announcement about
the status of the
For The Community campaign.
Sunday, Nov. 17 – Commitment Sunday • Commitment cards will be
received during worship as we offer the response God has led
each of us to make.
Sunday, Dec. 15 – Announcement Sunday • We’ll celebrate the
faithfulness of God and the collective generosity of The Village
Church
family as we announce the grand total of three-year commitments
received.
Respond: Pray earnestly about how God wants you to give
sacrificially to the initiative above and beyond your regular
ministry giving, and then boldly and faithfully respond. God
doesn’t call us to an equal share, but God does call us to an equal
sacrifice. Only God can lead you into what would be a sacrificial
gift for you.
Section 7 Campaign Involvement
12
Here are some questions and quick facts that you may be asking
yourself about the For The Community campaign. If you have
additional questions, let us know at
forthecommunity@thevillagenashville.com.
1. Where is the land / building site?
In the Spring of 2018, we purchased a 23-acre property at 7224 Old
Burkitt Rd, and a single-family home sitting on four acres of land
at 7236 Old Burkitt Rd. It is on these 27 acres that our future
24/7 ministry center will be built.
3. How much will the building cost?
The total cost for our Phase 1 building is estimated between $7 and
$8 million. This includes all construction costs, site preparation
costs, entrance and road improvement costs, signage and landscaping
costs, and all furniture, fixtures, and equipment expenses. It’s
important to note, however, that no decisions on the building’s
construction will be made prior to receiving commitments from this
campaign, so that we can responsibly build within the resources
provided and manage long-term debt.
2. How much is the campaign trying to raise?
Our hope is to fund as much of Phase 1 construction costs as
possible through three-year commitments in order to minimize
long-term debt. Through pre-campaign conversations, surveys, data
analysis, and demographic considerations conducted and provided by
Horizons Stewardship, a tangible benchmark is to raise at least
$2,000,000 in three-year commitments.
4. How can I be involved?
Continue to gather for worship and begin to pray a simple prayer,
“God, what do you want to do for the community through me?” For
now, you are invited to seek God’s direction and consider your part
in the For The Community emphasis. In the weeks ahead, you will
receive more information and inspiration during special worship
experiences and other gatherings. Then, on November 17, we will
celebrate Commitment Sunday and invite you to make your commitment
to the For The Community campaign. The three-year contribution
period for this gift will commence in January 2020 and continue
through December 2022.
Section 8 Frequently Asked Questions
13
7. Who has been contracted for this project?
We have contracted EOA Architects as our architects, T.W. Frierson
Contractor as our building contractor, and CTS AVL as our
audio-visual consultants, for this project. These decisions were
made through extensive interviews and consultation with the
Building Team and Lead Team, each of which are comprised of members
of The Village.
6. What is the timeline?
The For The Community campaign will run throughout this fall, with
an announcement of the total of three-year commitments occurring on
December 15th, 2019. In early spring of 2020, a congregational vote
will occur to approve final designs and construction costs.
Following approval, construction will begin with groundbreaking
occurring in late spring or early summer of 2020. Finally, the
grand opening of our ministry center is scheduled for fall of
2021.
8. What are the plans for future additions to the building?
The For The Community campaign will lead us to the creation of
Phase 1 of our building which is planned to include: a 500-seat
multipurpose worship and youth center, flexible children’s space
and nursery, a lobby and café, and space for our pastoral and staff
offices. Within these plans, there is room to expand and repurpose
space intentionally, so that as we grow, the building remains
welcoming and easy to navigate. Phase 2 would likely include the
expansion of the lobby area and construction of a larger worship
space separate from the 500-seat worship and youth center.
5. What purposes will the building serve?
In order to be For The Community, we want our building to serve the
various needs of the community, and be available for use throughout
the week, not just on Sunday. In addition to hosting our worship
services, Village Youth and Village Kids activities, and Sent
Sunday events, the building will be designed so that spaces can
serve multiple functions. With the building plans still being
drafted, we can’t commit to any specific uses yet, but we want to
be able to use all of our spaces to serve the community. Potential
uses include: Our nursery functioning as a daycare or preschool
throughout the week, our office space including rentable co-working
space, our worship auditorium being used for school plays,
community events, and meetings, and our lobby, café, and playground
serving as a place to work, relax, and spend time together
throughout the week.
14
PEOPLE
KIDS
IMPACT
PURPOSE
THEVILLAGENASHVILLE.COM/FORTHECOMMUNITY