A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR A NEW CHURCH PLANT IN THE URBAN...

A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR A NEW CHURCH PLANT IN THE URBAN CORE OF KANSAS CITY

R E D E E M E R F E L L O W S H I Pcult ivat ing communit ies o f transformed disciples for the glory of God and the good of the c i ty

w e b : w w w. r e d e e m e r k a n s a s c i t y. o r g • p h o n e : 8 1 6 . 5 9 0 . 1 5 5 1 • f a x : 5 0 1 . 9 7 5 . 5 0 5 5 • e m a i l : k e v i n @ r e a c h k a n s a s c i t y. o r g

Dear Friends —The current need for evangelical churches in the heart of Kansas City is great. Young professionals are returning to KC’s urban core with the hope that the city will provide them with all that the suburbs cannot — sustainable living, culture, proximity to work and social scene, and most of all, community. However, over the past twenty years, evangelical churches have fled the city center and moved to the north and south suburbs — leaving a gaping hole within the city.

Our hope is that the following pages communicate our vision and strategy for serving this need through starting a new church that is biblically faithful and culturally relevant. Additionally, my prayer is that behind all the talk of vision and strategy, you will connect with our story and hear the passion of our hearts to see God move and bring about the flourishing of Kansas City through lives transformed by the Gospel.

My love for Kansas City was born in 1993, when my uncle and his family moved there. It was intensified throughout my years at Kanakuk Kamps and beyond as I developed great friendships with Kansas City natives. Amidst all the stories and talk of BBQ, I was most affected by the repeated declarations I heard lamenting the absence of gospel centered churches in KC.

Couple this with the increasingly clear call of God upon my life to plant churches, and the invitation from Fellowship Associates to their leadership residency program in Little Rock, AR., Katie and I felt the clear calling of God on our lives to KC (those interested in hearing this story in greater detail should see APPENDIX ONE: Three Calls & God’s Call).

The purpose of this document is to give you a window into how we’re moving forward with the hope that you will be led to support us in this endeavor. For those curious about our financial needs, see our Proposed 2008 - 2009 Budget (page 9).

We have no delusions that this will be an easy road for us (see APPENDIX SIX: Potential Risks), and are therefore depending on you for your prayer and support. If you have any questions or need anything clarified, please don’t hesitate to call me.

Blessings,

Kevin [email protected]

c u l t i v a t i n g c o m m u n i t i e s o f t r a n s f o r m e d d i s c i p l e s f o r t h e g l o r y o f G o d a n d t h e g o o d o f t h e c i t y

Table of Contents

Why Kansas City? 1

Target Area & Groups 2

Mission & Core Values 3

Our Vision for Kansas City 4

Our Leadership Team 5

A Unique Opportunity 6

Timeline 7

Strategic Launching Ministries 8

Proposed 2008-2009 Budget 9

Self-Sustainability Plan 10

Appendices

ONE: Three Phone Calls & God’s Call 12

TWO: Why We Chose the Name Redeemer Fellowship 13

THREE: About Our Logo 14

FOUR: Our Statement of Faith 15

FIVE: Accountability Network 17

SIX: Potential Risks 18


Why Kansas City?

Absence of Gospel Centered Churches in the Urban Core

From 1990 to present, Kansas City’s population has increased by over 300,000 (www.thinkkc.com). To effectively reach this increase, an additional 192 churches would have needed to be launched during this period. However, between 1990-2000, the net gain of churches was only thirty-seven (www.theamericanchurch.com). Moreover, the majority of urban churches have abandoned the city-center for the northern and southern suburbs — leaving a gaping absence of evangelical presence in the heart of Kansas City.

Rapid Re-Urbanization

• In the past five years, over three billion dollars have been invested toward the revitalization of Kansas City’s urban core.

• Of this, $508 million has been devoted to residential development — increasing residential units by 50% within the downtown area.

• The $850 million Power & Light District opens spring 2008 — unveiling the largest new development project in the Midwest.

• Dissatisfied with the suburban social structure, young people are flocking back to Kansas City’s urban core in pursuit of economic gain, closer proximity of home and work, and community (“Urban Gothic” Urban Times. August 2007 Vol. 1 No. 2; www.urbantimeskc.com).

The Need For Christians in the Urban Core

• Cities function as the “cultural forming wombs” of society. Whatever captures the cultural centers captures society. As the primary places of cultural development, cities influence arts, communication, philosophy, scholarship, economics, etc. “As the city goes, so goes the culture...”

• Cities offer a greater diversity of people groups and languages — thereby creating a global connection for the work of the gospel.

• Because of the inherent diversity and rapid societal change within urban environments, urbanites are more open to radically new ideas — like the Gospel!

• Therefore, we want to commit our lives as missionaries in the urban center — to live and work and build relationships with the hope that, through our witness, God may bring about social, spiritual, and cultural transformation within the city.

“If even ten percent of the evangelicals of our nation moved into the largest cities and lived out lives of love, truth, and servanthood, the culture would be fundamentally changed”

James Montgomery Boice, Two Cities, Two Loves, 165.


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Target AreaFor our target area, we identified a five mile radius within the urban core. This includes Westport (famous for its bohemian community, independent coffee house culture and night life), Downtown and the Crossroads Arts District (part of the revitalization of Kansas City’s urban core and home to an ever-increasing number of lofts and art galleries).

We believe that this will anchor us in a strategic location which is connected to the cultural center of Kansas City, numerous college and university students, The Plaza and the rapidly changing downtown. Our passion, ultimately, is to see a movement of Gospel centered churches cultivated throughout Kansas City — and we believe that Westport strategically anchors us in the heart of the city.

Target GroupsWe believe that God created cities as a place of refuge for the weak and marginalized. Therefore, we are committed to serving the poor, broken, addicted and oppressed peoples of Kansas City. Additionally, we seek to reach young, English-speaking professionals who live and work in the urban core of Kansas City. These include, but are not limited to, the following cultural tribes:

1. Young Urban Professionals: This group is characteristically single, 20-37, and the keystone of Kansas City’s urban renaissance. Rejecting the superficiality and disconnection of suburbia, this group is returning to the urban core in pursuit of economic prosperity and utopian ideals of sustainable urban community.

2. Creative Class: This group of people, classified by social scientist Richard Florida, comprises about twelve percent of all U.S. jobs and is a significant economic force in the development of post-industrial cities. Distinguished over against the historical categories of blue and white collar, this group is comprised of a wide range of ‘knowledge workers,’ including arts, editing, media, design, technology, etc.

3. College and Graduate Students: The city-center is home to UMKC Medical School, Kansas City Art Institute, medical residents, and five campuses of Metropolitan Community College.

4. Established Professionals: In 2005, the Downtown (north of Westport) had an estimated population of 16,170 but over 100,000 employees. This class of people is older, has achieved success in business, and is economically able to live and raise families in the city-center.

5. Artists: Housing over seventy art galleries, the Crossroads Arts District is the city’s center for the visual arts and home to a growing community of artists and loft-living. Dubbed “the SoHo of the Midwest,” Crossroads is host to a vibrant community of artists. This community is characteristically multi-ethnic, religiously polymorphous, philosophically pluralistic and economically poorer than the Young Professionals and Creative Class.


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Mission & Core Values

Mission

We exist to cultivate communities of transformed disciples who live for the glory of God and the good of the city.

Core Values

GOSPEL CENTERED CHURCHTRUTH

WORSHIP TRANSFORMATION

COMMUNITY BEAUTY

CITY

GOSPEL CENTERED CHURCHThe Gospel is the good news that Jesus has inaugurated the power, justice, and mercy of God’s kingdom. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, the whole world is being redeemed. The Gospel meets us at the core of who we are and invites us to embrace Jesus and his work instead of our own as the sole foundation of our relationship with God. In short, the Gospel confronts both those attempting to establish their identities by being religious and those attempting to establish their identities by being irreligious– inviting them instead to find their identity in the life and work of Jesus. Our desire is for the functional centrality of the Gospel to pervade and condition each of our six values.

TRUTH — The Gospel is revealed through the Bible and the person of Jesus (John 14.6; 2 Timothy 3.16)

WORSHIP — Through faith in the Gospel, God frees us from idolatry (Matthew 22.37-38)

TRANSFORMATION — The Gospel transforms people from the inside out (Ephesians 2.1-10)

COMMUNITY — The Gospel creates a new community (Ephesians 2.11-22)

BEAUTY — The Gospel is fully expressed when truth is embraced together with beauty (Psalm 50.1-2)

CITY — The Gospel calls us to seek the welfare of the city (Jeremiah 29.7; Matthew 5.16)


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Our Vision for Kansas CityBy God’s grace, we long to see Redeemer Fellowship...

...build a great city for all peoples through the Gospel.

...help believers and non-believers alike examine the claims of the Gospel and explore how one applies the Gospel to their life.

...offer hope through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

...be a church that remembers what it was like not to believe.

...consistently model a passionate dependance on God through prayer.

...acknowledge that people need meaningful relationships with God and with one another.

...reflect our reconciliation to God through our reconciliation to one another.

...pursue multi-ethnic community as an expression of unity in the Gospel.

...cultivate healthy families through the Gospel.

...affirm the beauty of the material world through the celebration of the arts.

...contribute positively and uniquely to culture.

...awaken joy in the hearts of those we encounter.

...be a church that listens to their neighbors and admits when they’re wrong.

...remember the poor.

...foster a lifestyle of joyful generosity.

...joyfully serve those in need.

...create a safe and honest environment where people can deal with addiction in transforming ways.

...resist the lure of individualism by loving one another in authentic community.

...call people to something bigger than themselves.

...model community not just in the life of our church, but through team leadership in our church.

...model community universally among Christ followers as we attempt to initiate a movement of like-minded churches in Kansas City.


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Our Leadership Team

Kevin Cawley // Directional Leader • Preaching Pastor

Kevin and Katie Cawley lived most recently in Vancouver, British Columbia, where Kevin studied theology at Regent College and Katie was a labor and delivery nurse. Though friends as undergraduates at Wheaton College, they didn’t begin dating until several years after graduation while Katie was in nursing school and Kevin was pursuing his Masters in Biblical studies at Wheaton. They were married in 2004. During his sophomore year in college, God began cultivating in Kevin a passion to plant churches as he and Katie both participated in the launch of a new church, planted by Kevin’s mentor. Following graduation and a church apprenticeship program in Minneapolis for Kevin, God blessed the Cawleys with the opportunity to participate in the launch of another church in Chicago’s western suburbs. This provided them with four years of exciting ministry and valuable lessons, as well as an awakened passion for the necessity of the logistical preparation and team leadership model. The Cawleys currently live in Little Rock AR, where Kevin is a church planter in residence with Fellowship Associates. They have a newborn son, Quinn.

Kris McGee // Community Leader • Preaching Pastor Kris and Adrienne McGee currently live in Wichita, KS where Kris has served as a youth pastor for five years. They met as high school students in Oklahoma, and were married in 1999 when Kris graduated from Wheaton College and returned to Oklahoma. Soon after marrying, they moved to Dallas for Kris to attend Dallas Theological Seminary. While in seminary, Kris served at a church equipping and training premarital mentors and counseling engaged couples. Upon graduation from seminary, the McGees moved to their current church in Wichita, KS. Adrienne enjoys being a full-time mom to their two children, Elisabeth (3) and Lucas (1), and helps wherever she can at the church. Having worked on three church staffs pastoring youth, young couples, and families, Kris has a growing burden to see the gospel being lived out in homes and changing communities. Kris and Kevin first met in 1995 and developed their friendship during their days at Wheaton College where they were teammates for three years on Wheaton’s football team.


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Top: Kris McGee (left) Kevin Cawley (right); Bottom: Adrienne McGee (left) Katie Cawley (right)

A Unique Opportunity:

First Calvary Baptist Church & The Journey (St. Louis)First Calvary Baptist Church, located at 39th and Baltimore in the heart of Westport, has a long history in KC. Once a prominent church and the founding force behind Midwestern Seminary, the church has been in steady decline for a number of decades. The culture and city surrounding First Calvary have undergone seismic shifts and are now host to cultural creatives, a bohemian coffee house culture and night club scene, and a concentrated homosexual population. In short, the city around the church building has changed, and the church has been unable to reach the changing culture.

Under the leadership of interim pastor Dr. Mark Devine, the congregation voted on September 30, 2007 to dissolve as a church. In their dissolution, they entrusted themselves, together with all their assets and liabilities, to The Journey and Darrin Patrick’s leadership. This came with the promise that The Journey would find a church planter to come and pioneer a new work in Westport.

After many months, a long course of prayer and counsel from others, Kevin accepted the invitation from The Journey to assume this role. We felt that the vision of Redeemer Fellowship could best be served through the people, legacy, and facilities of First Calvary. Therefore, in January 2008 we will begin a transition process which, Lord willing, will culminate in the launch of Redeemer Fellowship — a new church that will empower gospel centered missionaries to reach their city for the glory of God.


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Timeline


STAGE ONE: STRATEGY (AUGUST 2007 - DECEMBER 2007)

Fellowship Associates Residency - Leadership development and church planting strategy

Launched Vision / Fundraising Website - www.reachkansascity.org

Kansas City Networking - Made nine trips to KC (networking, team building, vision casting, potential staff, etc.)

Fundraising - Met with people with the goal of being fully funded before transition to KC (May 2008)

First Calvary / The Journey - Developed relationships and formed partnership with The Journey & First Calvary

Team Recruitment / Development - Secured teammate and continue dialogue with four other potential staff

STAGE TWO: CONNECTING ( JANUARY 2008 - MAY 2008)

Developing Relationships with First Calvary Members- Monthly trips (preaching, desserts, vision casting meals)

Continue Core Gathering - Meeting people and casting vision to those outside First Calvary (February vision dinner)

Cultural Acquisition - Continue learning KC history, culture, boundary lines, for Gospel contextualization

STAGE THREE: TRANSITION ( JUNE 2008 - AUGUST 2008)

Relocation - Cawleys & McGees move to Kansas City (May/June)

Transition - Final First Calvary service. Launch weekly meetings for Redeemer Fellowship (June 1)

Core Group Development / Assessment

STAGE FIVE: PUBLIC LAUNCH ( JANUARY 2009 - MAY 2009)

Public Launch January 11

STAGE FOUR: ‘SOFT LAUNCH’ (SEPTEMBER 2008 - DECEMBER 2008)

Weekly Worship Service - Preaching, music, limited children’s ministry, establish church culture, develop core

Volunteer Teams - Assemble and develop volunteers for public launch

Community Groups - Cawleys and McGees begin leading gatherings in their homes

Leadership Development - Identifying additional small group leaders and emerging leaders

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Strategic Launching MinistriesWeekly Worship Gathering

These weekly gatherings will provide our community with the opportunity to worship God through prayer, the proclamation of God’s Word, corporate singing, celebration of the Eucharist, and biblical fellowship. In addition to our pastoral team sharing preaching responsibilities and our worship pastor cultivating bands to lead our people with music, these gatherings will require the following groups of volunteers: communion / prayer ministers, greeters, coffee & hospitality, setup / takedown, media / sound technicians, children’s ministry (see below).

Children’s Ministry

CLASS VOLUNTEER / CHILD RATIO CURRICULUM*

Infants 1 / 2-3 A Sure Foundation**

18 mo. — Pre Kindergarten 1/4 A Sure Foundation

Kindergarten — 5th Grade 1/6 Jesus, What a Savior! ***

* we will use curriculum from Children Desiring God adapted to suit the needs of our children’s ministry as it grows. ** a nursery philosophy and ministry curriculum which presents Christian truths to children developing language skills

*** curriculum designed to present human depravity and need for salvation through a chronological study of redemption

Community Groups

Community Groups are the primary place where people connect, cultivate relationships, and experience the care of Christian community. Because we desire to cultivate a church culture that rejects passivity and empowers every member to flourish as a missionary in their particular context, we view small groups as the primary way we minister to individuals in the church. This includes communication, pastoral care, and visitation.

Composed of six to twelve members, these groups are led by trained lay-leaders and meet in homes and offices throughout the city. These groups generally meet two to four times monthly for Bible study, discussion regarding the practical application of sermons, worship, prayer, fellowship and service. Our pastoral team provides the groups with leadership oversight and logistical support.

It is our goal that virtually all members, the majority of regular attenders, and many non-Christians would be in small groups every week. Nothing will compete with small groups as our main context for equipping and empowering lay missionaries in our community.

Pop Corn .:. Pop Culture

This monthly or semi-monthly event will offer creative ways for us to connect with existing passions in the city as well as to engage the culture through a Christian worldview. We envision this as a low commitment opportunity in

which we can connect with non-believers on their turf and their terms.


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Proposed 2008-2009 Budget


Launching Fund

Relocation*

Outreach Events

Graphic Design

Marketing / PR

Computers

Office Supplies

AV Equipment

Staff*

Salaries

Insurance

Social Security

Development

Staff

Lay Leadership

Administration

Accounting

Insurance (liability)

Legal

Photocopying

Postage

Office Supplies

Facilities

Printing / Signage

Misc.

Communications

Website

ISP

Phone Service

Cell Phones

Ministry Budget

Fellowship Dinners

Children’s Ministry

Community Groups

Community Outreach

Worship Copyrights

Church Planting /

Global Outreach

$15,000.00

$5,000.00

$2,000.00

$3,000.00

$4,500.00

$1,500.00

$30,000.00

$61,000.00

$110,000.00

$20,000.00

$9,300.00

$139,300.00

$5,000.00

$5,000.00

$400.00

$500.00

$250.00

$2,000.00

$2,000.00

$1,500.00

$25,000.00

$5,000.00

$5,000.00

$41,650.00

$2,500.00

$600.00

$900.00

$3,000.00

$7,000.00

$1,500.00

$10,000.00

$1,000.00

$10,000.00

$200.00

$22,700.00

$3,000.00

$3,000.00

TOTAL $274,650.00

* Relocation and salary for two full-time staff

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Self-Sustainability Plan*


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* As a new church plant, our goal is to be financially self-sufficient within three to five years. Until then, we are receiving financial support from both individuals and partnering churches

0

25

50

75

100

20082009

2010

2011

internal support external support

APPENDICES


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APPENDIX ONE

Three Phone Calls & God’s CallAs I have re-told our story countless times, I cannot escape God’s providence in three phone calls and the way in which He used them to clarify His calling for us in Kansas City.

First, I called Matthew and Lindsay Severns in January 2007. The Severns are long time Kanakuk friends and are life-long Kansas Citians. I wanted to hear what they saw God doing in KC and if they discerned immediate needs for new churches. What I didn’t know is that Lindsay had been praying fervently for years that God would let them par-ticipate in a new church plant that would value things like biblical proclamation, cultural engagement, and commu-nity. What I also didn’t know was that Lindsay had written my name in her prayer journal to lead this church several years previously.

Second, sitting in our apartment on a rainy Vancouver day, Katie and I discussed all the lessons we learned through spending four years in a church plant in Chicago that struggled with leadership, vision, and logistical support. Moving from the competency factor to the issue of character, I told Katie that I would not plant a church myself unless God would send Kris McGee to come with me. Kris was my college accountability partner and is one of the godliest and most gifted men I know.

Katie’s response was as surprising as it was immediate: “Have you ever told him that?”

“No,” I replied, “but I will when the time is right.”

“The time is right now, Kevin. You need to call him right now and tell him that.”

And I did.

Kris’s response, like Katie’s, was surprising and immediate: “It’s interesting you would tell me that today...” Kris went on to explain that he and Adrienne had bought a house in Wichita, KS that very day. I told Kris that I didn’t want him to move unless God called him, so the new house was no threat to me. Kris committed to pray about joining me as my teammate with no real interest in leaving his current church. After months of prayer and two visits with me in KC, Kris and Adrienne felt God leading them to leave a great ministry and a comfortable life in Wichita and join us.

Finally. At 6:15 on a Saturday morning (March 17, 2007) — the day after Katie and I made the final decision to move to KC to plant a church — Darrin Patrick called. I met Darrin at a conference in Seattle in 2003, as he was launching The Journey in St. Louis. The explicit purpose of Darrin’s phone call was “To ruin my weekend.” More specifically, he said he knew I was moving to KC and wanted me to consider re-planting a dying church in Westport — the center of where we wanted to be in the city. This initiated many months of prayer and conversations.

Our decision as a team was to move forward with whatever God would see fit to do with us through this providential partnership between First Calvary and The Journey.

Needless to say, we have felt God’s sovereign provision and miraculous direction at every turn. We look forward to many more calls in the future...


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APPENDIX TWO

Why We Chose The Name Redeemer Fellowship We believe that our times are marked, among other things, by the absence of hope. Divergent philosophies regarding truth and knowledge have eroded confidence in an over-arching story to make sense of our lives. The public failure of people and ideologies has left us hopeless, cynical, or on the brink of despair.

We believe that life doesn’t have to remain like this. Redemption is possible and therefore we can have hope. We are convinced, however, that humans are fundamentally incapable of redeeming themselves.

Our name, Redeemer Fellowship, communicates our central conviction that redemption can never ultimately be found through human efforts. Humans are incapable of redeeming themselves through political ideologies, in-creased tolerance, rigid moralism, heightened religiosity or impassioned secularism.

Redemption can only come from the God who created the universe, infused it with purpose, and sent his Son Jesus to enter human history to redeem all that is broken in our world. Relying on Jesus’ goodness rather than our own for our relationship with God enables us to embrace the only true source of redemption and therefore the only true source of hope.

Jesus is the Redeemer and we believe that the redemption he offers is the hope of the world.

We believe that the Gospel changes people from the inside out— truly enabling us and empowering us to love and serve others. Therefore, embracing Jesus as our Hope and Redeemer allows us to fulfill our mission to cultivate communities of transformed disciples who live for the glory of God and the good of the city.

We intentionally want to avoid two associations with our church’s name. First, we want to avoid any name that sounds like a baby boomer community church. Right or wrong, we believe that these types of churches stereotypically represent a consumeristic, success-driven, therapeutic and superficial approach to life and ministry. In the name of “seeker sensitivity,” these churches have proffered pat answers and failed to address the concerns of the marginalized and others outside the status quo. In short, many unbelievers see these churches as utterly irrelevant to their lives.

Second, we want to equally avoid any association with the movement of hip, edgy churches that exist as a reaction to the shortcomings of the aforementioned churches. In an effort to reclaim relevance, these churches rightly embrace the questions emerging generations are asking. However, they abdicate the very relevance they seek by embracing the emerging generations’ philosophical despair.

We believe that the church need not exchange confidence for relevance. Neither do we believe that certainty precludes humility. We believe that as a fellowship of people gathered around Jesus the Redeemer, we can simultaneously be humble, empathetic to doubt and disbelief, relevant, and historically orthodox.

In fact, we believe that people will benefit most from a church that is contextually appropriate without accommodating to the changing whims of cultural and intellectual ideals. In this way, we are first and foremost a church— historically grounded in the tradition of evangelical Protestantism. But we are a church that exists not for the good of ourselves, but for the glory of God and the good of the city.


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APPENDIX THREE

About Our Logo To visually depict our value on the centrality of the cross as well as to brand ourselves as a historic Christian community within a post-modern, urban, artistic context, we chose to incorporate an element into our logo which possesses both a symbolic legacy as well as strong overtones of hope. The pomegranate has a rich symbolic history. The origin of pome-granates as a symbol of life and fertility likely derives from the myth of Properspina. Jewish tradition is rife with the image of the pomegranate and holds that each pomegranate has 613 seeds as an exact numeric reflection of the number of commandments in the Torah. Beyond symbolizing life and fertility (Song of Solomon 4.3, 6.7, 8.2), the pomegranate also appears in the Old Testament as a distinctive element of the priestly garments (Ex. 28.34, 39.26) and an architectural feature of the temple itself (1 Kings 7.13-22, 42; 2 Kings 25.17; 2 Chron. 3.16, 4.13; Jer. 52.22-23). Christians later adopted the pomegranate as a symbol of Jesus’ resurrection and the hope of eternal life. Churches often incorporate the pomegranate as prominent decor in the Sundays following Pentecost. In Christian art, the pomegranate often appears in the hands of the Christ child. Therefore, we believe that the cross in our logo builds a strong identity bound to historical Christianity and the sacrifice of Jesus our Redeemer. The incorporation of the pomegranate into the cross gives our logo additional strength and narrative feature as a symbol of hope.


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APPENDIX FOUR

Our Statement of FaithRedeemer Fellowship is an inter-denominational church affiliated with Fellowship Associates (Little Rock, AR), The Journey (St. Louis, MO) and The Acts 29 Network. In addition to the following Statement of Faith, we find ourselves in general agreement with historic doctrinal confessions like The Apostle’s Creed, The Second London Confession, The Abstract of Principles, and the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. We also affirm the foundational documents of The Gospel Coalition as well as the affirmations and denials of the Together For the Gospel Statement.

THE SCRIPTURES

We believe that only the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired, and therefore inerrant, Word of God. These books provide us with a perfect treasure of divine instruction and narrate God’s purpose in the crea-tion of the world, His plan for salvation in Jesus, and the standard by which He will judge the world. The Bible is the true center of all Christian union and will remain to the end of the world (2 Timothy 3.16-17; 2 Peter 1.20-21; Matthew 5.18; John 10.35, 17.17).

THE TRIUNE GOD

We believe that the one true God exists eternally in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and that these, being one God, are equal in deity, power, and glory. God is infinite, eternal, and perfect in beauty, holiness, goodness, truth and love. We believe that God not only created the world but also now upholds, sustains, governs, and providentially directs all that exists and that He will bring all things to their proper consummation in Christ Jesus to the glory of his name (Deuteronomy 6.4; Psalm 104, 139; Matthew 10.29-31, 28.19; Acts 17.24-28; 2 Corinthians 13.14; Ephesians 1.9-12, 4.4-6; Colossians 1.16-17; Hebrews 1.1-3; Revelation 1.4-6).

THE PERSON & WORK OF CHRIST

We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, fully God and fully man, who became human without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. He was sent by the Father to reveal God and redeem sinful humanity. He lived a sinless life and offered himself as a penal, substitutionary sacrifice for sin-ners. Through his vicarious death for sinners, he revealed God’s perfect love and upheld God’s perfect justice. He was vindicated by the Father through his literal, bodily resurrection from the dead. After being raised from the dead, he ascended into heaven and was seated at the Father’s right hand, where, as our high priest, he makes constant in-tercession for the saints. He is the only savior for the sins of the world (Matthew 1.18-25; Luke 1.35; John 1.1-18; Acts 1.9-11; Romans 3.23-25; 8.34; 1 Corinthians 15.1-28; 2 Corinthians 5.21; Ephesians 1.7; Philippians 2.6-11; Colossians 1.15-23; Hebrews 7.23-25; 9.13-15; 1 Peter 1.3-5; 2.21-25; 1 John 2.2).

THE ABSOLUTE DEPRAVITY OF HUMANITY

We believe that humanity was originally created in the image of God, righteous and without sin, but through Adam’s disobedience the human race has fallen. Humans are therefore totally depraved — born subject both to imputed and inherent sin, and are therefore by nature and choice the children of God’s just wrath. Humans are unable to save themselves or contribute in any way to their acceptance before God (Genesis 1-3; Psalm 51.5; Romans 3.9-18, 5.1-12; Ephesians 2.1-3).

THE GOSPEL AS THE WAY OF SALVATION

The Gospel is the good news that Christ’s death is a substitutionary and propitiatory sacrifice to God for our sins. The gospel is the end of all human pursuits for righteousness in that it announces that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. No ordinance, ritual, work, or any other activity on the part of man is required in order to


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be saved. God alone, because of His mercy and sovereign election, through the power of the Holy Spirit, awakens faith and repentance. Those who turn from sin and look to Christ alone for their righteousness are justified before God — having the righteousness of Christ imputed to them (John 1.12-13; 6.37-44; Acts 16.30-31; Romans 3-4; 8.1-17, 10.8-13; Ephesians 2.8-10; Titus 3.3-7; ).

We believe the gospel is not only the means by which people are saved, but also the means by which people are sanctified. Trusting Jesus as our only source of acceptance before God enables us to genuinely and joyfully do that which is pleasing to God. Through this gospel empowered obedience, the Holy Spirit makes us progressively con-formed to the image of Christ (1 Corinthians 1.21-22; Philippians 2.12-13).

We believe that once salvation is obtained, it cannot be lost. Those who are truly redeemed are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever (Romans 8.31-39).

THE HOLY SPIRIT’S EMPOWERING OF BELIEVERS

We believe that all the gifts of the Holy Spirit at work in the church of the first-century are operational today. This includes signs and wonders, as well as all the gifts described in the New Testament. Though neither essential for salvation nor an indication of spiritual maturity, these gifts are designed to testify to the presence of the kingdom and to empower and edify the church to fulfill its calling and mission and therefore are to be earnestly desired and prac-ticed (Acts 2.14-21, 4.29-30; Romans 12.3-8; 1 Corinthians 12.7-11, 28-31; 14.1-33; Galatians 3.1-5).

THE CHURCH

We believe that the church is the primary instrument through which the triune God is fulfilling His redemptive pur-poses in the earth. The Church universal is made up of those throughout the earth, both living and dead, who have become genuine followers of Jesus. A visible church is a congregation of baptized believers, associated through covenant in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the sacraments instituted by Jesus; exercising their Spirit apportioned gifts for God’s glory in relation to one another and the world. In the context of the church, God calls sinful men and women to live as the New Covenant community. The church demonstrates the reality of God’s kingdom through the proclamation of the Gospel, pastoral care and leadership, and ministry to the poor and marginalized through sacrificial giving and practical service (Isaiah 58.6-12; 61.1; Matthew 16.17-19; 28.18-20; Acts 2.42-47; 1 Corinthians 12.12-31; Galatians 2.10; Ephesians 1.22-23; 3.7-21; 4.11-16; Hebrews 10.23-25; 1 Peter 2.4-5, 9-10).

THE SACRAMENTS OF THE CHURCH

We believe that water baptism and the Eucharist are the two sacraments of the church to be observed until Christ’s return. They are a means of God’s sanctifying grace and blessing to the faithful in Christ Jesus. The sacraments are reserved for those who consciously place their faith in Jesus for their righteousness and become his disciples (Matthew 26.26-29; Romans 6.3-11; 1 Corinthians 11.23-24; 1 Peter 3.21).

THE WORLD TO COME

We believe in the literal second coming of Christ at the end of the age when He will return to the earth personally and visibly to consummate His kingdom. At this time, Christ will raise the dead from the grave and separate the righteous from the wicked. The wicked will be consigned to endless punishment, and the righteous to endless joy in fellowship with the Triune God. This judgment will forever fix the final state of men in heaven or hell, on the principle of God’s just and holy judgment in Christ (Matthew 25.46; John 5.25-29; 1 Corinthians 15.20-28, 35-58; 2 Corinthians 5.1-10; Philippians 3.20-21; 1 Thessalonians 4.13-5.11; 2 Thessalonians 1.3-12; Revelation 19.1-21; 20.11-15; 21.1-22.15).


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APPENDIX FIVE

Accountability Network


www.fellowshipassociates.com

www.journeyon.net

www.acts29network.org

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APPENDIX SIX

Potential RisksOften times, “God-talk” hinders Christians from honest appraisal of success and failure. Therefore, this section iden-tifies potential risks we face in the effort to accomplish our vision as well as means by which we can humbly and critically assess our progress in these areas.

Will conservative and reformed evangelical theology resonate within a pluralistic and postmodern urban culture?

Our theological distinctives run counter to a culture that worships autonomy and “tolerance” as the preeminent vir-tues. Kansas City’s urban core in general, and Westport in particular, are characterized by fragmented and divergent conceptions of authority, gender, and sex. Can a community built on the foundation of God’s sovereign rule of the universe and His call to surrender allegiance to a crucified Messiah flourish within Westport’s individualistic and anti-establishment ethos?

We believe it can. Postmodern relativism has left this generation dissatisfied and exhausted. Inviting people to find their identity in the God of the Gospel offers freedom from the narcissism of this age and provides meaningful articu-lations of creation, gender roles, monogamous relationships in marriage, environmental stewardship, and commu-nity. Ironically, we see this as an opportunity to invite urban dwellers to become truly “open minded” and truly counter cultural in that a Christian worldview involves embracing views which are substantively different from that of the dominant culture.

Ultimately, we believe that our theology (as narrow minded and repressive as it might seem) is a faithful articulation of that which is communicated to us in the Bible. We are confident, therefore, for reasons beyond those outlined above that our doctrine will not impede the success of our church in Kansas City. In fact, we believe that the tenets of evan-gelical orthodoxy are the foundation of our church’s success.

The realm where we must consistently evaluate our practices and confront the brutal facts which could compromise our mission will be in the way in which we communicate the truth of the Gospel. Careful attention to our methods must be combined with an imperative humility. This is part of what our core value of BEAUTY addresses. Truth is essential, but ignoring beauty leaves us one dimensional and lacking the essential quality of grace.

Are we able to reach not only the people who “go” to Westport, but also the people who “live” in Westport?

The more time we spend in Kansas City, the more we become aware of the fact that Westport is the place where everybody goes. However, the people that live in Westport look very different from the various cultural tribes that gather at Broadway Cafe. Westport’s residents are the marginalized: homeless, addicts, poor. We must consistently push against the urge to cater to, and chase “cool.”

Given our unique situation, will we be able to raise up leaders and build an infrastructure that is capable of sus-taining the life of a church?

We are aware that a fair amount of “buzz” surrounds our current efforts. Dr. Mark Devine has created a great expectancy regarding our work in Westport, both among the members of First Calvary and among outsiders.


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Additionally, our association with Acts 29 and The Journey has drawn significant attention — especially in the wake of The Journey’s increasing publicity.

Though we are grateful for God’s provision and believe that the exposure we’ve received is beneficial, we are also aware that the mark of success is not gathering a crowd. Therefore, we must constantly push away from rapid and superficial growth — choosing to cultivate disciples and mobilize missionaries over catering to consumers.

To some, this may appear antithetical to “success.” However, failure in our estimation would be a “crowd” that lacked both a missional ethos and an infrastructure of lay leaders.

What if we are unable to retain the current members of First Calvary as we launch Redeemer Fellowship?

We realize this as a legitimate possibility. However, this is only a failure if people choose to leave for reasons unrelated to our vision and values. That is, we know that many currently at First Calvary may not resonate with our vision. They may value their current forms and culture over adopting a missionary posture to reach the city. They may value their own comfort over seeing a new Gospel centered church born in their facility. In this sense, our success depends on being able to graciously help them leave.

However, we see the current members at First Calvary as a unique and God-given gift to see a multi-generational missional church born in the city. Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to shepherd these people and to create owner-ship of the vision — empowering them to do the very thing they voted to do in dissolving their current church and submitting to our leadership as a new church.

We currently have a homogenous team. What if we fail to be diverse ethnically and generationally?

We realize that the best way to build an ethnically diverse church is through building an ethnically diverse pastoral team.

To address generational issues, our main objective is to connect with established professionals within the city as well as to intentionally pursue “half time” leaders — both male and female — who resonate with our vision and are committed to empowering a new generation of Christ followers to reach their city.

Will our supporters be sympathetic to the cost of urban living combined with the three to five year “runway” we have projected to become self-sufficient?

Most cross-cultural missionaries are supported by a fraction of what it costs to live in a typical American city. Though Kansas City is one of the most affordable urban centers in the US, we are keenly aware of the amount of money required to help us establish a new church in the city. Our budget was developed with the assistance and oversight of Mike Boschetti, CPA and church planting financial consultant for Fellowship Associates.

Our prayer is that those who don’t know us will recognize the spiritual and financial accountability present within

our partnerships with Fellowship Associates and The Journey.


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A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR A NEW CHURCH PLANT IN THE URBAN...

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