One Life Blog

For me and for others in this church with a heart for world missions (hopefully all of us!), the One Life campaign represents a great opportunity to help reach the world in a unique way.  Yes, I am enthusiastic about the other aspects of the campaign: the much-needed enhancements to make this campus a 21^st-century facility and the opportunity to strengthen our presence around northern Virginia through community groups and at least one additional worship location (since we’re basically full-up here).  As one who has lived for nearly a decade in the developing world, however, I know how great the needs and opportunities are in many places in the world where the Church is surging in numbers but sorely lacking in resources. 

For several months, the elders of the world missions council and I have been developing a blueprint for Immanuel’s Global Leadership Endowment, and we’re excited about it!.  A portion of the funds raised through the One Life campaign will be carefully invested, generating interest income that will be “reinvested” into the lives of emerging Christian leaders in several regions of the world.  We anticipate paying the costs for two years of graduate seminary education and a year of internship at IBC or at a partner/model ministry site on each continent.  Recipients of these funds will spend at least two years planting or expanding a church in their capital city – and share their successes, frustrations and best practices with a growing network of up to 30 capital-city evangelical churches through web-based communication, regional conferences and visits by short-term teams.  Through the Global Leadership Endowment several planks of the current strategic plan are accomplished: an expanded partnership with Capital Bible Seminary, a robust internship program, and strategic partnerships established on one or more new mission fields.

For more information on the Global Leadership Endowment please visit www.onelifejourney.net or talk to any of the elders on the world missions council.

Michael Connor
Pastor, World Missions 

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When we coined the phrase “Building Up—Reaching Out” for our building program several years ago, I really liked the idea. Not the acronym (BURO), though it has grown on me over the years, but the words that are reflected in the acronym. Building Up, not just our building (adding a second floor), but also building up our people. And Reaching Out—to one another and to our community.

Well, we’ve nearly reached the end of BURO and its time to say good bye. After all, it was meant to be a five-year commitment and we began in June of 2003. The chicken salad suppers ran through the summer months and helped us to introduce BURO to our congregation.  

In that program we included the following:
1. Beginning a Young Adults Worship Service
2. The Church Plant
3. Building Expansion

Of those three initiatives, only the building expansion remains to be completed.  Our One Life campaign captures that unfinished business and adds to it several of the initiatives from our “2006-2011 5 Year Strategic Plan”.
From our Strategic Plan, Initiative 1, Community and Group Development, speaks directly to our need to be in the community to achieve a greater impact in our communities. In our One Life Campaign, this comes under Community Life.  

Initiative 2, Leadership Training, is addressed through our Global Leadership Endowment.

Under Initiative 4, Church Planting, the Strategic Plan highlights 3 bullet points:  research, recommend, and implement a satellite church; establish one or more new church plants or struggling church restarts; implement the process for one or more church plant/restarts. One Life develops this through our “One Church-Many Locations”  initiative. The details of what “Immanuel  in many locations” might look like are being researched and recommendations will be made to the elders.  

While it looks like we are ready to say “Good Bye” to BURO, I look forward to where One Life, NO LIMITs will be able to take us.

Ron Hilbig
Director of Communications,
Immanuel Bible Church     

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I have a clear sense of God’s calling – to “Go make disciples . . .” Matthew 28:19.  From Town Hall Meetings, the Pulpit, ABFs, and Children’s Ministry, our family is being equipped with solid teaching on the Biblical principles of stewardship.  Last week in ABF we examined Joseph as an example of a good steward, a man who focused on honoring God in all he did whether a slave or a ruler.  Genesis 39:2-6; 41:33-44.  God accomplished His will in Joseph’s life, and blessings abounded to him, his family, and all of Egypt. His will shall be accomplished on earth – and we are invited to be a part of it.  “ARE YOU IN?”  
Lord, what would You do through me to accomplish Your will in my Church?         
 
Nate Henriksen
Family Builders ABF

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