If you were not at Foothills Community Church you missed one of the biggest announcements we have ever made. We unveiled our new campus expansion plan. Let me share a little more detail.
As most of you know FCC currently has 2 locations (Seneca, SC and Toccoa, GA). Over the last couple of years we have been praying for clarity on where we would add our next campus. Through that time of prayer I sensed that the Lord was leading us to do something very innovative when it comes to adding campuses.
First off, one of the things we feel strongly about is adding campuses in smaller towns. Both of our current locations are in small towns. I have always said that small towns don't lack churches, they lack choices. Although most small towns have churches that are reaching people for Christ, most don't have churches like Foothills. Please understand our goal is not to reach people who are already happily attending a church, it's to try to reach people who are un-churched or de-churched.
Our plan will be to begin a Bible study group in a living room, and grow it to the point that they would eventually hold services in a larger location (Pretty much the way that Foothills Community Church got started-- in my living room). In order for this to be successful, we need leaders who have a passion to reach their communities for Christ, and will do whatever-it-takes. As I read the book of Acts it is apparent to me that a Holy Spirit directed grass roots approach is what the early church was all about. That's exactly the model we will be using.
We know that in many of these towns we will never grow a mega-church. That is not our goal. Our goal is to be effective. To help people find and follow Jesus.
Here's some things you need to know. We are actively seeking potential leaders that could possibly become campus Pastors as well as people who would like to be a part of this movement of God. We are targeting the following locations in Georgia: Hart County, Habersham County, Rabun County, Elbert County, Franklin County, White County, Jackson County. In North Carolina: Transylvania County, Macon County, Jackson County. Of course we are also considering other areas of South Carolina as well.
Here's what I need you to do:
1. Pray. This is a God-sized vision. We cannot do it on our own. (In fact, we will only move forward as God leads. We will not "force" this to happen. If God doesn't guide, we will wait for His timing. Please pray for clarity, wisdom, the right people, for favor in these areas, and for campus pastors in these locations.
2. Get the word out. If you know people in these areas that you think would be a good fit, let us know. Maybe the Lord would call you to go to one of these areas!
3. Give. This is going to cost a lot to do right. We are committed to keeping the costs low so that we can start multiple locations, but there will be costs involved
You are probably wondering when all this will happen. It will happen in phases. A lot of things have to come together first, but I am hoping that we will be starting our next campus in late 2012 or early 2013.
