In the life of every believer there are times when one must decide whether they will step out in faith—into what God has for them—or shrink back and remain where they are. As a collection of believers, the church faces many of these same decisions. There are mile markers in the journey of every church that tell the story of these moments.
When the people of Israel approached the Jordan River in Joshua 3, the waters were spilling over the banks, and they were faced with a decision. Will we trust the Lord to lead us into the Promised Land? Or will we shrink back from His immeasurable grace? Their decision to press on in faith marked a new chapter in the life of their nation. In response to the Lord’s provision, they gathered twelve stones to build a memorial to remember God’s faithfulness.
Crossing a river of our own
Today, our church faces a similar challenge. Presently, there are many demands on our current facilities that threaten to strain our ability to maintain thriving ministries. Throughout the week, our building is used by a variety of ministries which we believe are equally important. Our Older Adult Luncheons, Women’s Ministry Bible studies, funerals and family meals, YA Night for young adults, Creation Corner, and First Baptist Academy (FBA), all share many of the same spaces in the church. As each of these ministries continue to grow, the need for space—particularly a large gathering area—grows as well. Furthermore, our Worship Center and surrounding infrastructure, such as our main floor bathrooms, are in need of repair, refreshing, and modernization as well. Despite the rising water levels, though, we believe the Lord has presented us with a way through.
For years, FBCO has been planning a new double gym and has even raised some of the needed funds previously. We are excited to say that with a recent large gift, combined with prior giving, overages from our budget, as well as a contribution by First Baptist Academy, these plans have now become a reality. We believe now is the time to move forward in constructing the new gym, as well as renovating the Worship Center and completing other capital improvement projects.
We will begin construction on the new gym this fall, with an expected completion date of next fall. Our current plan is to renovate our existing spaces in phases as we receive funds over the next three years. As we move through the process, we will not incur any new additional debt.
The new gym is slated to be 16,300 sq. ft. and will have twice the floor space as our current gym.
This new space will allow for significantly larger gatherings, as well as two teams to practice at the same time. It will also alleviate pressure on other spaces in our current building which benefits many of the previously mentioned ministries.
Beyond the construction of a new gym, there are numerous renovations needed in our Worship Center. These renovations include a new sound system (our current one is 14 years old), a much-needed renovation of the bathrooms around the Worship Center, carpet replacement, sound mitigation, lighting replacements and improvements, parking lot improvements, camera replacement, among others.
A Stone From Each Tribe
When Israel crossed the Jordan, each tribe was tasked with collecting a stone from the middle of the riverbed. Each tribe had a role to play in this unfolding story. As we look to the future of FBCO, we believe that everyone has a part in fulfilling the mission that God has laid before us.
It is important for us that as we complete these projects, we do so without incurring new additional debt. While our current debt is at a lower percentage compared to budget than at any point since FBCO relocated in 1979, we want to execute these plans without adding to that debt. Our church budget for this fiscal year is $3.8 million and our debt currently stands at just under $3.7 million.
What will the building cost?
The cost for the new building is $3.6 million. Click the “Building Cost Breakdown” button below to see how we will pay for the construction.
What can I do to help?
There are two things you can do to help.
First, we ask you to pray for God’s provision. None of this would be possible without His generosity and loving-kindness. Thank Him for the blessings He has already provided and ask that He continue to pour out His favor on our church.
Secondly, we ask that you consider giving to our capital needs program over the next three years (or part of those three years). As you consider your gift, we encourage you to give in addition to your normal budget giving. We give our tithe to the church budget as it is how we support all the ministries of FBCO. But we ask you to prayerfully consider giving beyond this amount to the capital needs program as we build the next building and renovate the Worship Center and other areas of need.
We ask that you make this a spiritual decision as well as a financial one.
God often uses our giving to stretch our faith, realign our priorities, and deepen our walk with Him.
If you are willing to make a commitment to the capital needs program, we will have commitment cards available at the church. You can place a completed card in the giving boxes in the main Atrium and at the Seven Hills exit. Filling out a commitment card will help our long-range planning as we consider the additional capital improvement projects in subsequent phases.
A Lasting Legacy
As the 12 stones from the Jordan served as a reminder of God’s provision to the nation of Israel, we believe this new building can serve as a reminder of God’s faithfulness to the generations that follow here at FBCO. Every generation is called by God to sacrifice for those who will come after them; the fruit of which we may never see. We believe this new building and renovation projects are investments into the future of what God has planned for us.
FBCO has long believed that God has blessed our church and has provided opportunities for us to make a lasting impact in this region and beyond. Through our growing ministries, commitment to Christian education and unfailing faith in the gospel message, God has strategically positioned us for His good work. We believe God is at work at FBCO and we are excited about His plans for our future together!