Strategy Plan for Knox County Association of Baptists

I. Priority: Prayer

1. Associational Prayer Coordinator to enlist one or more prayer partners for each associational staff member and ministry with specific instructions about prayer needs. By January 1 of each year.

Goal #2. Prayer Partners among Pastors/Ministers.

1. Associational Prayer Coordinator (with the assistance of the prayer team) to contact pastors/ministers and ask them to enlist a prayer partner in another church in the association with whom they will pray (this can be over the phone) weekly for one another and their ministries.

Goal#3. Focused Associational prayer needs each month.

1. Associational Staff Members and Organizational Leadership will post prayer needs through the associational office each month for distribution through "The Reminder," email, website, and other means of making associational churches and members aware of prayer needs. Associational office staff will have responsibility for awareness.

2. Associational Moderator will call attention each month to special needs through directed prayer times at Executive Board meetings.

Goal#4. Encourage churches to develop a prayer ministry within their church.

1. Associational Prayer Coordinator will contact each church to encourage them to establish a prayer ministry in their church if they do not have one, offering assistance about how to establish this ministry. APC will also discover names of Prayer Coordinators in each church (this can be done when the information is requested each year for Annual Church Profile and organizational information from each church).

2. Associational Prayer Coordinator will conduct semiannual training of church prayer coordinators to help them be informed about best ways to access information regarding needs of the association. A member of the associational office staff will be assigned to work with the APC in conducting this training.

Objective: Facilitate the increased efforts of our churches in reaching their communities for Christ.

Goal#1. Increase Baptisms reported in the association by 20% in 24 months.

1. Associational Evangelism Director and Evangelism Council will provide monthly encouragement and promotional information to stimulate churches to pray, plan and conduct evangelistic efforts in the local church. Some of this will need to be done in cooperation with the Associational Sunday School Director and LIGHTeam.

2. Associational Evangelism Director will encourage reporting of evangelistic efforts in the local churches through regular articles in "The Reminder" as well as occasional letters of commendation and encouragement to the churches. The associational office staff will assign a staff member to work with the AED to accomplish these tasks.

Goal#2. Association to conduct annual training events in evangelism.

1. Associational Evangelism Director and Evangelism Council will lead the association to conduct at least two events annually to help provide training in evangelism as well as stimulation and motivation to do evangelism through the local church.

2. Associational Evangelism Director and Evangelism Council will work to encourage networking among the churches (i.e., by areas of the association in surveys, prayerwalks, evangelistic events, etc.), to encourage churches to work together to reach their specific communities for Christ.

Goal#3. Association will serve as catalyst in helping to start five new churches in the next five years (2002-2007).

1. The Association will work with churches in the association to encourage sponsorship of new work. The Director of Missions and Missions Development Council will have direct responsibility for this ministry.

2. The Missions Development Council will work to encourage churches within the association to partner together to accomplish the planting of new congregations (involves: enlisting of people within congregations to help form core groups, helping to fund new work, getting involved in helping to survey areas of potential new church starts, etc.).

3. The Association will work in partnership with the Tennessee Baptist Convention to help find the best ways of launching and funding new work in the association. (Missions Development Council and DOM).

4. The Association will help determine geographically and demographically where these five new churches should be located. (Missions Development Council and DOM).

Objective: Increase involvement of churches in Knox County Association of Baptists in Missions and Ministry.

Goal#1. Increase the level of ministry contacts to the Knoxville community by reaching 10% more people than we are currently reaching through the avenues of:

(1) Chaplaincy (Including Law Enforcement, Jail Ministry, Truck Stop Ministry, Hospital, Hospice, Industrial).

(2) Camp Ba Yo Ca

(3) Baptist Centers

(4) Multihousing

(5) Campus Ministries

1. Chaplaincy

(1) Establish an organization through the association to help chaplaincy ministries be elevated in recognition of their service. (Chaplaincy contingent of Missions Development) Costs: Help subsidize the costs of fellowship meals through associational budget for Missions Development.

(2) Ask each chaplaincy ministry about the feasibility of reporting of ministry through the association to create greater awareness of their ministries ( The Reminder). Also ask Chaplaincy ministries about the feasibility of establishing and reporting goals for reaching people in their ministries.

(3) Have an annual banquet where each of these areas of chaplaincy report and share accomplishments and needs in their areas of ministry. (Self Funding).

(4) Encourage churches to invite Chaplains to come and speak.

2. Camp Ba Yo Ca

(1) Encourage churches to greater involvement in the ministry of Camp Ba Yo Ca through "hands on" participation in maintaining the camp, thereby creating a greater interest in the numbers of children reached. (Camp Director and Camp Committee)

(2) Greater involvement of churches in the annual "Child to Camp" banquet to raise funds to send economically disadvantaged children to Camp. (Camp Committee and Camp Staff)

(3) Increase the opportunities to make presentations about camp in associational churches.

(Camp Director and Staff, with the support of the Camp Committee).

(4) Increase the level of prayer support for Camp, making our churches aware of the evangelistic results now being realized at camp and of the great opportunity for increasing these results when adequate funding and staffing is provided. (Camp Staff, Camp Committee).

3. Baptist Centers

(1) Keep a report before the people of our churches of the success of the centers in reaching people (Reminder).

(2) Encourage churches to give to "over and above" needs of the Baptist Centers. (The Centers always need money to make physical improvement and to increase the levels of ministry currently being provided.)

(3) Increase the number of presentations of the ministries of the Baptist Centers in the local churches. (When people see the leaders and the needs of the centers, they are more encouraged to respond). (Baptist Center Directors, Staff, and Committees).

(4) Increase in the number of volunteers who are willing to come and assist on a regular basis at the two centers. (Baptist Center Directors, Committees).

4. Multihousing

(1) Encourage the churches to increase their level of giving so that this position can be staffed again (current level of giving to the association does not provide enough money to staff this position at present). (Missions Development)

(2) Increase the number of churches willing to get involved in multihousing ministry.

(We have a three year track record that shows how effective this ministry can be in our association. There are approximately 115,000 people in Knox County that live in some type of multihousing. There are now about 30 churches in our association that are involved in reaching people in multihousing settings. Numbers of people being reached annually through multihousing ministries in the association are from 100 to 200.) (Missions Development)

5. Campus Ministries

(1) Heighten Awareness of campus ministries in our churches through regular reporting of information to our churches. Articles in "The Reminder" as well as periodic "Special Edition" Campus Ministry newsletters would be a good beginning. (Baptist Collegiate Ministry Directors and BCM committees).

(2) Heighten awareness of campus ministries in our churches through increasing the level of presentations of the ministries in our local churches. (Directors could schedule times for presentations in churches, at missions fairs, etc).

Goal#2. Increase Missions Involvement of our churches by 10% each year in "Acts 1:8 strategy."

Action:

1. In Our Association: Facilitate associational Mission Projects such as World Changers, Camp Ba Yo Ca, Appalachian Regional Ministries, Multihousing, Baptist Centers, etc.. (Enlistment of additional volunteers and workers by Ministry or project leaders.) (Costs: negligible - Some grant money)

2. In Tennessee: Facilitate Annual in-state Mission Project coordinated by KCAB. (Enlistment through Men’s Ministry, WMU, Missions Development, etc..) (Costs: Funds to be raised on a per project basis through churches and individuals, possibly some through Pioneer Missions Account).

3. In Home Missions (inside USA): Facilitate Iowa Partnership and potential partnerships with other states such as New York, etc.. (Pioneer Missions, Men’s Ministry, etc.,) (Funding to be raised on per project need basis and possibly through Pioneer Missions Designated Funds).

4. In International Missions: Facilitate annual Missions Project coordinated by KCAB. (DOM, Missions Development, etc,) (Funding to be provided by individuals and churches involved, association-wide offerings).

5. Encourage churches in individual church projects.

Goal#3. Increase levels of ministry and involvement of churches in Family Ministry.

Action:

1. Conduct Family Enrichment Conferences - Annually over 5 years beginning in 2003 (i.e., Tony Evans, Legacy Builders, Trent & Smalley, etc.) (These would be cost recovery conferences.)

(Provided through Associational Family Ministry Council).

2. Youth Ministry

(1) Ogle’s Water Park youth event: continuing in 2003 and coupled with an evangelistic event such as a concert, dramatic presentation, youth led revival, etc,. (Cost recovery)

(Led by associational Youth leadership team.)

(2) Youth Volunteer Leadership Training (Annually).

Led by Associational Youth Leaders, TBC, and SBC Leaders. (Cost Recovery and Family Ministry Budget).

3. Singles Conference (Annually). The Singles Ministry out of Family Ministry Program would enlist conference leaders such as Harold Ivan Smith, TBC Leadership, SBC Leadership, etc.,

(Cost Recovery and Family Ministry Budget)

4. Senior Adult Conferences (Annually and as needed).

(1) Continue Senior Adult Celebration in November annually. (Cost Recovery & Family Ministry Budget.)

(2) Leadership Training annually (TBC, SBC, other) (Family Ministry Budget).

Objective: Organizing communication methods that foster church to church and pastor to pastor partnerships that build God’s Kingdom.

Goal#1. Foster "Pastor to Pastor" Relationships.

1. Enlist pastors into a partnering relationship with other pastors (perhaps in groups of 3)

who will make a commitment to talk and pray weekly with the other two pastors in his partnership group. (Pastor’s Conference President and officers: This information will need to be relayed to the associational office so that occasional letters of encouragement can be sent out to help pastors remember to stay in touch with those in their group.)

2. Encourage pastors in small groups (three to five pastors in group) to fellowship together at least quarterly, inviting their wives to come with them, for an evening out together. (Pastors Conference officers)

Goal#2. Foster Church to Church communication and relationships.

1. Encourage every church in the association to partner with at least one or two other churches.

The partnering churches should get together at least twice annually for joint worship services and perhaps at least once annually for fellowship (ice cream fellowship, etc,.). (This may be reason to provide a "Fellowship/Partnering" contingent on the Missions Development Council.)

2. Church to Church Partnerships could join together to accomplish mission projects and trips, become a base of support for new church starting, cooperate with each other in evangelistic efforts. (Prayer Coordinator, Evangelism Council)

Goal#3. Develop Mentoring Program for Bivocational Pastors.

1. More experienced bi-vocational or full-time pastors would voluntarily be paired with less experienced bi-vocational pastors to provide a mentoring relationship.

2. Provide periodic courses or seminars at the associational office and have mentors come and participate with those they are mentoring in learning experiences. (DOM, ADOM)

Goal#4. Develop Mentoring Program between larger and smaller churches.

1. Voluntary partnering between pastors of smaller and larger churches for fellowship and learning experiences. This should be a reciprocal learning approach where both pastors and churches learn from each other.

Goal#5. Provide two major opportunities annually focusing on evangelism, ministry and music.

1. Enlist the assistance of interested local pastors and ministers of music and evangelism to help in this planning. Also enlist the assistance of TBC and SBC resources. (Evangelism Director, Local Music Directors and Pastors to coordinate).

Objective: Involve churches in Kingdom Growth and Development.

Goal#1. Conduct two Church Leadership Conferences annually in two accessible locations and increase participation by 10% annually.

1. Involve several pastors and Ministers of Education in the planning of these events to insure a higher level of participation. 2. Survey the needs before planning events to make sure the conferences address felt needs.

(Involves LIGHTeam, Discipleship Training Team, Media/Library Team, TBC & SBC leaders)

(Costs: to be derived from Assoc. SS and DT and Media Library Budgets with assistance from TBC.)

Goal#2. Conduct one major Church Growth training event utilizing a major Church Growth expert.

1. This will be the primary responsibility of the Associational Sunday School organization, with the assistance of the Associate Director of Missions. Resources will also be requested from TBC & SBC.

(Costs: Associational Sunday School budget, TBC, SBC)

Goal#3. Establish a Small Church Support Team.

1. Associate Director of Missions, with primary involvement of the Associational SS Director and DT Director, will oversee the gathering and implementation of this team, including members of the LIGHTeam, Discipleship Training Team, interested pastors and church staff persons. The purpose is to provide a team that can help train and give support to Teaching/Reaching/Discipling ministry of the smaller churches.

Goal#4. Establish a Scholarship Fund for five small church pastors to attend leadership training annually.

1. Provide a line item in the associational budget to help with this expense. Ask for assistance of the TBC & SBC in providing these scholarships. (Associate Director of Missions will oversee)

Goal#5. Help Churches begin Bible Studies in Multihousing settings.

1. Seek the assistance of knowledgeable people in helping to train workers interested in multihousing Bible Studies.

2. Move toward finding a person who might serve as a volunteer Multihousing Director until such time that the Association is able to fund this position again.

3. Involve LIGHTeam members in training workers who would like to serve in Bible Study in multihousing settings.

Objective: There is a need to keep up to date with maintenance and planning to meet future needs of the association regarding facilities.

Goal#1. Ask the Association to create a standing committee to continually study the facility needs of the association and bring recommendations concerning their findings.

1. Ask the Constitution and Bylaws Committee and the Committee on Committees to work out a description for this committee after the Association has approved the creation of the committee.

Objective: Increase the level of giving to Associational Ministries.

Goal: Raise the level of giving of churches to the associational budget over the next five years from the current average of 1.60% of undesignated church receipts to 3% of undesignated church receipts.

Actions:

1. Conduct an annual Stewardship Campaign in the association, complete with video or CD rom presentation that can be distributed to every church. Part of this campaign would be an emphasis on "Every Church Involved in the Stewardship of Associational Missions."

(Stewardship Committee and Capital Funds and Finance Committee responsible).

(Costs: $3,000 to $5,000 annually).

2. Conduct an Annual "Associational Missions Fair" to help make the churches further aware of the ministries and needs of the association.

(All Programs and Ministries involved)

(Potential Costs: $1,000 annually).

3. Conduct "Associational Missions Day" in as many churches as possible each year.