Vision 2010

Background

Vision 2010 was launched in October 1999, and arose out of the combined work of our Ministry Coalition and most of our church members from the former Parish of Carlton. Together we decided on the way forward. In December 2003, our members from the former Provisional Parish of Bexley and Bexley North were offered partnership in our mission in an amalgamation. For over five years our church has been blessed by the direction, guidance, and vision that our long-term strategic plan gives.

Vision 2010 details why we exist as a church, what we dream of becoming, our guiding principles and our core strategies. Apart from some editorial revisions, Vision 2010 remains unchanged. Our hope is that Vision 2010 will keep assisting us as we strive to make an impact on the thousands of souls in our area who need Jesus Christ.

Our church has come a long way from where we were when we commenced our Vision 2010 journey late in 1999. It certainly has come a long way from when there were 74 people on the St. James’ church roll back in January 1996! We are now a parish of 4 congregations in 4 church centres: Carlton Public School, St. George Bank Auditorium, Christ Church Bexley and Holy Trinity Bexley North. These 4 congregations, and any we plant in the future, share a common leadership team and financial resources. Together, with the dozens of ministries related to our church gatherings, we will continue to be a church that brings people into God’s kingdom, builds members towards Christian maturity and sends believers into the world as Christ’s soldiers and servants. We have tremendous opportunities and challenges ahead. Hundreds of thousands of people within a short drive our parish still do not know Jesus. We will continue to work hard to reach them.

This is a vision of which our church members can all be very proud. It aims to give glory to God and be a blessing to many. It is a vision we can all own, because it is ours. Vision 2010 has not been dumped on us from outside, we have worked it out ourselves with the Scriptures as our guide. We have our hands to the plough and are not looking back.

Our Mission Statement

We exist to:

• Bring people into God’s kingdom,
• Build members towards Christian maturity, and
• Send believers into the world as Christ’s soldiers and servants,

Our Vision Statement

We dream of…

• An outreaching church that actively seeks to share Jesus with people of all nations in the St George District and beyond.
• Our members will have a strong desire to reach people who do not attend church, and to see St George North Anglican Church keep growing in numbers, so that many others can be rescued from God’s imminent condemnation.
• A community of 1500 adults and children won for Christ.
• We dream of large and small church gatherings. We dream of 5 new congregations, 60 evening homegroups, 20 daytime small groups, and 10 children’s and youth groups. Our vision is to have ministries which target all age groups supported by 12 strategically deployed full-time equivalent staff.
• A church where the Bible is the primary and ultimate source of authority in matters of faith.
• St George North will be known in the community as a church where the Bible is taught faithfully. Large numbers of people will flock to hear God speak, by his Spirit, through the Bible, the impact of which will change many lives.
• A church where every member is a minister.
• Our members, as trained, mobilized soldiers and servants of Christ, will be living their lives around what God is currently doing in the world rather than attempting to fit God into what they are doing. Our members will be having a daily time with God through prayer and Bible reading, belong to an evening homegroup or a day-time small group, and be giving at least ten percent of their income to St George North.
• St George North being known as a loving and caring community.
• Practical help and structured support will be extended to all members.
• Planting and equipping churches both locally and around the world.
• We dream of our church members generously supporting evangelical missions with their prayers, time and financial gifts. We will have deployed 20 people into career Christian ministry. We dream of being a teaching church to help other churches and their leaders as they too serve Christ.
• A large multifunction church complex.

  Our vision includes: a 500 seat auditorium; offices for staff; halls for youth activities and church functions; ample meeting rooms of various sizes for church groups and ministries; playground facilities; creche facilities and ample car parking spaces.

Our Core Values

We value…

Vital Relationships with Jesus

We value genuine commitment to Christ, built through Bible reading, prayer and weekly participation in church. We value radical living, as those who are now owned by Jesus Christ - we do his bidding, we do not ask him to do ours. We value integrity and Christ-like character. We mean what we say, we say what we mean and we live what we preach. We value Christ-centred worship, and value the Holy Spirit’s work in pointing us to Christ and forming us into Christ’s image. We are committed to financially supporting Christ’s work with at least ten percent of our incomes. (1 Cor 7.23, Eph 4.22, Heb 12.1-3)

Authoritative Bible Teaching

We value Biblical preaching and teaching, for the Bible alone is God’s inspired, infallible and inerrant means of speaking to humanity, and the message of Christ is God’s way of saving people and transforming lives. We value reading the Bible in its own context. We value Biblical authority over reason, experience and tradition. (2 Tim 3.16, Luke 24.27, Gal 1.8, Eph 1.10)

Leadership and Excellence

We delegate leadership, and we entrust leaders with the authority to do what needs to be done. We do not vote on everything. We expect leaders to lead and followers to follow. We do not start ministries unless we have the leaders to run them. We value innovation, creativity, risk-taking and continuous learning. There is freedom to fail. We value the ministry and leadership of both men and women under Biblical guidelines. Our model of leadership is Christ, who laid down his life for his people. We value professional minsters equipping members for ministry through teaching and preaching the Bible, through modelling and through training. We value excellence in all areas of ministry, working to please God, not people. We value the active commitment of all our leaders to a St George North homegroup. (1 Tim 4.13-14, Eph 4.11-12, Heb 13.17, 1 Tim 2, Titus 2, 2 Tim 2.2, Col 3.23, John 10.15).

Unconditional, Loving Relationships

We value every member of St George North being cared for by other members of St George North. We value a loving community in which we put others first. We value active membership of small groups as a vital means of developing relationships and Christian growth, and to provide opportunities for ministry. Small groups constantly seek to serve St George North’s Mission. (1 John 4.7-12, James 2.14-17)

Evangelism and Outward Focus

Saving people from Hell matters to God, so it matters to us. We value an outward focus in all that we do, and commit a disproportionate amount of our time and resources to reaching people for Christ. We value the participation of all members in the process of evangelism. We value cultural relevance. We accept people as they are, and urge them to make Jesus their Lord. (Matt 28.16-20, Luke 15, Rom 5.8, 1 Cor 9.19-23).

Servanthood and Teamwork

We value our unity in Christ and so we work together as one team to fulfil St George North’s Mission. Conflict must be resolved quickly and in a godly manner. We do not tolerate contention. We value the ministry gifts of all our members as we work together to fulfil our Mission. We choose to work, study, play, celebrate life and be involved in other ministries at times that do not conflict with our Mission. We support St George North’s Mission with our prayers, our time, and our money with the same dedication to our goals as elite athletes have to theirs. (1 Cor 7.29-31, John 17.20-21, Rom 12.3-11)

Our Core Strategies

We promote ...

S trong church gatherings and small groups

T raining and equipping for leaders

R egular personal and group prayer

A uthentic ownership of mission and vision by every church member

T argeted specific affinity and ethnic groups

E vangelism through a spoken witness

G rowth through life-changing Biblical teaching

I nvestment of financial resources into gospel ministry

E very member in ministry

S tructured care and support ministries