The BIG news is this; after a couple of years of prayer and study and a year of serious God-wrestling I will be changing lanes from youth ministry to lead-pastoring a next generation church expression.  Andrea and I have been praying about planting a new church or starting an alternative ministry within a church and we have heard God's clear call to start a new expression of the church at Santa Cruz Bible.  It will be called Elevation and will feature a high energy Sunday night service and mission focused community.  Elevation will be for people of any age but will be focused towards people 18-35.  We're certain of God's powerful and clear leading and we are on fire with joy and fresh vision.  Keep an eye on this blog for regular updates and a journal of our journey in launching and leading a new expression of the church within an existing church.

As for youth ministry, after 23 years of ministry to high schoolers I'll still be helping out at high school group as a volunteer - probably for life : once a youth pastor always  a youth pastor.  In fact if I didn't have this clear leading form God I would do high school min for the rest of my life with great enthusiasm.   Our Senior Pastor and Executive Pastor are excited and very supportive and our Elder Board unanimously voted for us to begin this new expression.  The fuse has been lit, here we go!  Below is an excerpt from the proposal I presented our Elder Board: it will give you a bit of an overview of my thinking and heart.

I.        The Need

A.       Churches across America are seeing significant decline in 18-35 age range.  Surveys also show less young singles and families are returning to churches after “sowing their wild oats in college”.

B.       SCBC has seen a radical decline in the 18-35 age range.

C.       The American culture has changed and a smaller number people will likely seek out current church forms.

D.       Our community has only 3-4 churches primarily focused on the emerging generations.  The community has tens of thousands of people unreached in this age range.  We need more churches intentioned for unreached and postmodern people.

E.       Our church and the greater community would be well served by additional church expressions that are purposely shaped for emerging generations.

1.        1 Corinthians 9:22b I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.

II.      I propose we start a “New Arm” of ministry at Santa Cruz Bible Church to address these needs

1.        Note: Definition of a “New Arm” follows.

B.       The Starfish Analogy

1.        A Starfish has a central “body” called the disk.  A starfish has multiple arms extending from the disk.  Each arm is connected to and is a vital part of the starfish’s body but articulates and expresses itself individually and differently.

a)       Some “arms” of our current ministry at SCBC include:

(1)       The Main Services

(2)       Celebrate Recovery

(3)       The Hispanic Ministry

(4)       Youth Ministries

C.       Definition: “New Arm of Ministry” = A new worship service and mission-focused community purposed to reach and grow the people who will be attracted and engaged by a different expression of the historic and biblical Christian faith.

D.       Points of connection to the “disk” of the SCBC starfish.

1.        A common doctrinal statement and mission statement

2.        A common Elder Board with representatives of the New Arm included in the future

3.        Common financial, people and property resources

4.        Common discipleship groups, children’s and youth ministries and other all church ministries.

III.    My Calling

A.       After much prayer, counsel, study and consideration I feel a clear Call to lead a fresh expression of Christ’s Church either as a New Arm within an existing church like SCBC or as a new autonomous plant.

IV.    Values

A.       Worship Gatherings

1.        Scripture-centric life-change focused teaching

2.        A ministry primarily shaped for 20-40 age group, but welcoming and embracing all generations

3.        Use of technology to communicate and spread the impact of the church

4.        Use of Multisensory / Multimedia teaching, learning and expression

5.        Variety: in music, environments, teaching / learning experiences, interaction and service order

6.        Use of interaction in services both verbal and technological

7.        Excellence in all things

8.        The utilization of more current forms of music for worship and audio environments

9.        Utilization of the arts

10.      Culturally current expressions that provide a strong attractional element to the gatherings

11.      A firm grasp on orthodox historic Christian theology

12.      A high value in joy, humor and encouragement

13.      Authentic, transparent teaching / learning

B.       Lifestyle of the Community

1.        I/A Approach:  Incarnational / Attractional

2.        Emphasis on Incarnation as the primary means of reaching people which are not yet Christian, as in Christ’s ministry.

a)       John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

3.        A missional focus on less reached people groups and cultures in Santa Cruz .

4.        Hospitality in homes as a central practice

5.        Living a life others would desire to emulate

6.        Less is more: limiting programs, meetings, and subcultural events that separate the believer from the lost community too often.

7.        Studying, discipling, meeting and worshipping off-campus and out in the greater community whenever possible.

8.        A church characterized by loving the lost and living life regularly in their midst while still living holy lives.

a)       1 Peter 2:12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

b)       Luke 7:34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners."

9.        A community of both saved and unsaved people with a believing church at its core.

a)       Belong, Believe, Behave.

b)       Allow and invite not- yet-believers to take part in the life and works of the community.

10.      Mission as a lifestyle

a)       Challenging believers to engaging in deep ongoing friendships with not yet believers from the highest levels of leadership across the board.

b)       Regular, ongoing service to the poor and needy locally and globally.

(1)       Missions as more than mere trips and service as more than mere projects

C.       Technology Redeemed

1.        Design a Virtual Online Campus for those who are not able to or ready to visit.

2.        Intentionally use the Internet as the front door of the church.

3.        Use the Internet as a greater communication and equipping tool locally, regionally and globally

D.       Multiplication

1.        Explore Multisite church through future extension. Campuses.   

2.        Form intentional apprenticeships towards future plants

V.      What this New Arm is not:

A.       Not: Chuckk “moving up” to College Career Ministry

B.       Not: A generational ministry

C.       Not: a “Youth Service”

D.       Not: A start up church that would leave the main church but would remain part of the main church and plant other new churches

E.       Not: A deconstructionist reaction to 20^th century church models

VI.    Key Staff Positions

A.       Lead Pastor =Chuckk

B.       We will hire a full time Pastor of Worship

C.       We will hire a full time Administrative Assistant

VII.  Suggested Primary Service Setting

A.       Sunday evenings initially in the Student Center and moving to the Main Auditorium if / when it grows larger

B.       Begin team building and vision dreaming this fall

C.       Begin weekly full services in January, God willing.

VIII.            Leadership Culture of this New Arm of Santa Cruz Bible Church

A.       Behavior and lifestyle would be limited by all Scriptural mandates.

B.       Behavior and lifestyle would be not be limited by 20^th century Christian subcultural traditions.

C.       Christian freedoms must be practiced in wisdom and moderation.  Purity in lifestyle and witness is vital and must be guided by the Scriptures.

If you are a member of SCBC this stirs up lots of questions like what will the ministry look like , what will happen to our youth ministry etc - You can find some of the answers here at  the ELEVATION FAQ v1.0.  If you are a student or a parent of a student  the "Official Letter" is found here.  God is up to great things, pray.

Cheers, this will be epic.