Belonging

Ministry Plan 2022-23
Perry Duggar

September 11, 2022

I. Introduction (Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 12:27)

A. Today’s message is entitled Belonging (specifically, belonging to Brookwood).

1. Theme verse: 1 Corinthians 12:27 (NLT)— All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.
2. Christianity was not designed to be lived alone; it functions best in community.
3. We need relationships to develop spiritually, mentally, and emotionally.
4. Romans 12:4–5 (NLT)— ⁴ Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, ⁵ so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. [You belong to me and I belong to you; we need each other!]
5. These past two years have isolated many of us; let’s start reversing the effect of being separated. (Begin by greeting one another! If you are on-line, come back home!)
6. I will also introduce our Proposed 2022-2023 Ministry Plan (budget) [SLIDE – Bwood-MinPlan2022-23-SLIDES], which supports what God wants to do in and through all of us who belong here at Brookwood.
7. The MP can be viewed on our app or website; copies are available at Information Desk.

What are some of the…

II. Benefits of Belonging to Brookwood: (Hebrews 10:25)

The first benefit of belonging is…

A. #1 - Encountering God. (Psalm 34:3; John 4:23-24; Romans 12:1; Colossians 3:16-17)

1. We all need a greater awareness, a deeper intimacy, with God in our lives.
2. Few of us work or attend school where the continual reality of God is emphasized, so our church activities help to turn our attention to God, His Word and His truths.
3. We experience His spiritual Presence as we worship.
4. Psalm 34:3 (NLT)— Come, let us tell of the LORD’s greatness; let us exalt His name together.
5. Of course we can experience God individually, but when we gather, for worship, our collective knowledge of God is expressed as we join our voices together to praise Him.
6. As we do, the Presence of God is magnified, and we lift up and encourage each other.
7. John 4:23–24 (NLT)— But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship Him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.” [Possessing the Holy Spirit, guided by Biblical truth.]
8. Brookwood believes in an inspired Bible that is authoritative in our lives and applicable to our personal situations and circumstances in practical ways.
9. This year I will teach about Spiritual Warfare from Ephesians 6:10-20; knowing God’s Promises and receiving His Power from the life of Joshua; and learning how to hear God’s voice (also Christmas and Easter series). [My plan from summer sabbatical.]
10. We Communicate with God through Worship, which comprises 17% of our Ministry Plan ($1,335,782).
11. This amount funds our worship bands, choir, production for services for all ages here on campus and our on-line campus, as well as salary and benefits for pastors and staff involved in those areas. (But we rely heavily on over 160 volunteers!)

Another benefit of belonging is…

B. #2 - Encouraging growth. (1 Corinthians 12:5-7; Ephesians 2:10; 4:11-12; Hebrews 6:1)

1. We grow spiritually through discipleship for all ages: children, students, and adults.
2. We gather for growth centered around understanding and applying the Bible to our lives (with socializing and snacking) in an expanding number of community groups (1,120 adults connected in community groups this past year) as well as classes and seminars.
3. We grow best connected with others because we hear different people’s perspectives on the Bible based on their varied personal experiences with God.
4. We need spiritual friends who are invested in our lives and interested in our growth, who are ready and willing to provide encouragement and sometimes, confrontation.
5. We will continue to offer Essentials, our core discipleship program (fall and spring, 133 completed past year) plus numerous new classes and seminars (Hearing God and Sharing the Gospel through Your Story), an Adult Ministries Leader development track.
6. For children, Adventure Week returned last summer and will continue, as will OneCamp for students; in addition, a new ministry developed for 4 ^th and 5^th graders in the Chapel.
7. Our recreation program encourages participant’s faith, through relationships with other believers around common interests, activities, teams, and camps (1000+ participants)
8. Belonging to Brookwood also promotes spiritual growth by providing an opportunity to discover the unique spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:7), talents and abilities God has given you, and to utilize these gifts in the service of others in and through the church!
9. Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)— For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.
10. New staffing to encourage spiritual growth in our church: Stewart Mathis is our new Associate Discipleship Pastor and Linda Cely, is our new Women’s Ministry Director.
11. In the coming year, we will continue our partnership with Brookwood families and community organizations to benefit the foster care community.
12. This involvement includes offering a court-approved biblically-based training course to satisfy court requirements for parents with children involved in the foster care system.
13. We Connect with other Christians through Discipleship and Recreation, which comprises 35% of our Ministry Plan ($2,634,001).

Belonging helps when we are…

C. #3 - Enduring difficulties. (Galatians 6:2; Colossians 3:12-15; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; 1 Peter 3:8)

1. We all encounter problems, troubles, illness and ultimately, death.
2. Belonging to a church family can provide support for such difficult days.
3. Galatians 6:2 (NLT)— Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.
4. Our church family, and especially our Community Groups, understand that part of our purpose is to provide help for each other in hard times.
5. Due to the mobile nature of our society, not many of us live where we grew up, so we don’t have family members or life-long friends living nearby, so we need each other.
6. Showing up for church on Sunday morning occasionally will not provide you with a family to surround and support you in a crisis. ILL.: Graham
7. Our Care ministry offers many kinds of aid including, this past year, Healthy U Gatherings (HUGs) dealing with communication, anxiety, depression, grief, anger and forgiveness, and a Car Clinic for Single Women/Mothers in partnership with Women’s Ministry.
8. In the coming year, we will offer ReBoot, a support group for veterans facilitated by veterans, along with numerous support groups, counseling, financial care, marriage assistance, Celebrate Recovery, the Landing for students and intercessory prayer.
9. We Care for Others at Brookwood through Care and Serve Ministries, which comprises 17% of our Ministry Plan ($1,315,307).

Belonging with others enables…

D. #4 – Extending the Gospel. (Mark 16:15-16; Acts 20:24; Romans 10:13-14; 1Peter 3:15-16)

1. The most precious gift you can give someone is explaining how to begin a relationship with God through Jesus, to find forgiveness for failings and receive a future in heaven.
2. Each of us has the privilege and responsibility of being a bearer of this Good News.
3. Romans 10:13–14 (NLT)— For “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.”
4. But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them?
5. Our church is involved in reaching people for Christ locally and throughout the world.
6. Here at Brookwood we have expanded our Special Friends facilities.
7. We continue to expand activities for individuals with Special Needs and their families at our church and partner with local organizations to provide support in our community.
8. Abroad, our church supports 1,000 children in India through Set Free Alliance in partnership with Praveen Chakravarthy who is caring for 7,721 rescued children.
9. We have also provided clean drinking water to over 30,000 people in Uganda.
10. We will increase planting churches in Uganda and in Peru, along the Amazon River.
11. We Care for Others in our Community and the World through our Outreach ministry which comprises 31% of our Ministry Plan ($2,393,708). 
12. See outreach display in the concourse highlighting our missions throughout the world.
13. Total MP amount: $7,678,798  (4% increase. We can reach this if we all do our part!)

E. Closing: If you are not already a member, I invite you to become part of Brookwood!

1. This is a good church with great people who Love God and Love People.
2. I’ve been part of it for 29 years and will continue to be, even after my role changes, which will happen next summer, when there will be a new (younger) lead pastor.
3. Our Succession Planning team [PHOTO] began meeting over 2 years ago, interviews have been conducted by Succession Planning Team and our Advisory Team of Pastors and Trustees [PHOTO].
4. Two of our pastors are candidates (JC and Josh), one outside candidate (preach in Oct.).
5. We have a great year of ministry planned—and we’d love for you to become involved.
6. Today, immediately following this service, we will have a Community Group and Ministry Sampler in the concourse so you can find your place and Get Involved!
7. If you are interested in belonging to our church, our Membership class will be held today at 3PM in the auditorium.
8. Memory verse: Hebrews 10:25 (NLT)— And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
9. Let’s pray!