How can we best demonstrate care, social justice and defend the oppressed by serving the least among us?
HOT OFF THE PRESS: Check out what your generosity in action looks like via the latest Next Chapter update (September 2024). Click below to read about the big news regarding our Food for HOPE™ program, the recent launch of a new initiative, and more!
Since our inception in June 1986, Christ Church has endeavored to not only unite people to God and people to people, but also care for our community. The words of Jesus compel us to provide CARE in a more impactful way.
The Next Chapter of Christ Church is where we will confidently minister to the whole person so our Lord will be able to say to us when He returns, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."
Jesus said, “35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
We invite you to join the Movement by making a gift on behalf of The Next Chapter!
Our King Cometh!
David D. Ireland, Ph.D.
Lead Pastor
It is a movement designed to expand our CARE for our congregation and our community. This movement would greatly enhance our church’s emphasis of holistic ministry as we boldly demonstrate care, social justice and defend the oppressed. By serving the least among us and meeting their felt needs, we would be influencing the broader culture for Christ. Helping those who are often overlooked to fulfill their potential and accomplish God’s dream for their lives is a tremendous way to honor the Lord. This movement of CARE is not impossible if we see ourselves as the eyes, hands, feet and body of Jesus in our community.
As we look into the near future to The Next Chapter of Christ Church, we sought to answer these questions:
How can we best demonstrate care, social justice and defend the oppressed by serving the least among us?
How do we make a difference?
How do we continue uniting people to God and people to people?
The answer is The CARE Center—a central hub where holistic ministry to the whole person within our community would occur. We decided to carry out the words of Jesus by endeavoring to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, welcome the stranger, minister to the sick and encourage the prisoner to take their rightful place in society.
The CARE Center will offer a myriad of ministry-based offerings that represent Community Services, Health and Well-Being Services and Family Support Services. It would be a beacon of hope and a practical way to speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice. We would also be walking out the call of Jesus “to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.”
Through the 15-20 programs offered by The CARE Center, we would be helping build strong families and flourishing communities. As you join this Movement of CARE, you’d be helping to provide hope and dignity through meeting felt needs, social justice, racial reconciliation and compassion to those that are the least among us.
Many of the programs of The CARE Center—like a Thrift Store and a Food Pantry—would be housed at our Rockaway Campus. The education-based programs will be virtual and in person. There would also be a Mobile Food Program to allow all of our campuses to engage in caring for the marginalized and poor within their immediate community.
Our expression of CARE can be best understood through the following lens:
As we continue to fulfill God’s dream as an apostolic church, part of The Next Chapter includes the expansion of some of our ministry efforts into a vibrant Training Center.
Expanding on resources such as: The School of Prayer, School of Worship, Impact Leadership Program, Global Preaching Summit and many others, the Training Center will equip local and global leaders with the tools they need to influence our ever-changing world.
In our effort to broaden our mission of uniting people to God and people to people, we will seek to establish three new campuses, as well as “Christ Church Anywhere” via Mini Campuses. Mini Campuses are places where 10-50 people can gather from different parts of the country, and even the world, to watch CC Online together and to grow in community. Some examples include: Nursing Homes, Prisons, College Campuses, Private Residences, etc.
The CARE Center Without Walls is all about reaching out beyond our Rockaway, NJ base by scaling our programs to make a difference across the entirety of New Jersey. With virtual classes, full engagement of our Clifton and Montclair campuses, and strategic collaborations with partner churches across the Garden State, and the mobility of our care units, we bring the Legal Clinic, mental health counseling and a comprehensive range of services to those in need. The CARE Center Without Walls is our way of making sure we’re there for our community, from start to finish–before, during and after construction.
Launching The CARE Center and all of the compassionate ministry initiatives will exponentially increase our influence of the culture for Christ. By modeling the dual emphasis of the gospel—word and works—within the first year some 44,200 guests would be served and impacted through this innovative approach to CARE. Tens of thousands of people that would’ve been overlooked or uncared for would now be able to meet God’s dream for their lives and fulfill their God-given potential.
Although this Movement is not about money but about ministry, there is still a financial investment. The approximate cost to launch The CARE Center, Mobile Care Unit and all the associated in-person and virtual programs is estimated at $30 million dollars.
ITEM | ANTICIPATED COST |
---|---|
The Care Center & Mobile Care Unit | $20,000,000 |
Training Center | $9,500,000 |
Launch 3 New Campuses & 5 Mini Campuses | $400,000 |
Mission & Center of Reconciliation | $100,000 |
TOTAL | $30,000,000 |
The potential funding would come from three sources. We are pursuing public and private grants to the tune of over $15 million. If we are unable to secure more grant funding, we would secure a $5 million loan, with an accelerated repayment schedule. Our philosophy of ministry is to avoid saddling the church with debt. The third funding source is to engage the congregation in two (2) consecutive two-year movements, to raise $10M over the four years. The focus of The Next Chapter is to raise $5M in 2023-2024 and another $5M in 2025-2026 under a subsequent movement entitled, Chapter Two. These funds are above our normal tithes and offerings.
Our ability to expand our care to the community by launching The CARE Center is directly related to your generosity. Our vision is bold and daring, but it’s doable with our God. Real CARE must not be theoretical or conceptual. It must be practical! It must meet the felt needs of the one suffering.
We have a three-tiered financial goal*—$2M, $3.5M and $5M. If we display unusual generosity, we should be able to achieve at least $2M; an exceptional faith towards God’s work would raise $3.5M for The Next Chapter Movement. And, if a supernatural feat in giving occurs, then we’ll achieve over $5M in a two-year period (January 2023 through December 2024) to expand our CARE for the community
*The range of anticipated ministry impact is directly associated with our three-tiered financial goal—$2M (Generosity), $3.5M (Faith) and $5M (Supernatural).
Imagine the incredible opportunity we have to impact a generation through each person’s sacrificial giving in this final year of this two-year movement (January 2024 through December 2024). We would have the means to change the spiritual trajectory of tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands for Christ.
Deliberate with God through prayer and the Holy Spirit’s guidance to determine the size of the gift He would have you give.
Discuss your thoughts with your family as to the changes and sacrifices you could make to give a significant gift towards The Next Chapter.
Determine your potential for giving by thinking outside the normal income stream.
Decide on a personal giving plan whether weekly, bi-weekly or monthly for the next two years and then follow through.
Please zoom in to access a more detailed view of each giving level.
Once you locate your giving level, then make a commitment to give to the Lord through our Church. To register your financial commitment, please complete the Commitment Card located at the Welcome Center or HERE.
On behalf of the poor, marginalized, victimized and neglected, your gift will help provide CARE. Thank you!
Register Your Commitment
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