DECEMBER 10
WHAT IS IT?
The End of the Year Offering, or “(un)Reasonable Offering”, is an opportunity to significantly advance the vision of Highland Park Church and to give back to God. This offering is over and above what is considered a tithe; and is a special, once a year, giving opportunity.​ Every year we pause before the end of the year to express our gratitude through generosity to advance the vision God has given our Church as a way of giving back to God. You can give online now, but we want to invite you to participate in this offering that will be received in service on December 10th.
WHY "(un)REASONABLE"?
In Acts 26 the Apostle Paul is on trial. As he is explaining his faith the people listening discount his story because it seemed so ridiculous. He responds by saying, "I am not insane....what I am saying is true and reasonable." Often, what looks unreasonable to the rest of the world is actually the most reasonable action we could take in light of eternity. Your acts of faith will not make sense to those who do not follow Jesus. Kind of like an end of the year offering. Expressing our gratitude through generosity seems unreasonable, until you realize what God has already done in your life and the impact you are making for eternity.
WHAT IS OUR VISION?
The entire vision statement for Highland Park Church can be read below, but here is a quick overview: We will be a church that is obsessed with the one, focused on reaching those who are doubting, done with religion, and disengaged from faith. A church that feels such urgency to share the good news of Jesus and help others claim their divine purpose that our comfort no longer factors into the equation. The life of our church is the activated faith of every individual. Our commitment is to engage 1% of Lakeland in active ministry and to celebrate the baptism of 3,571 people before 2030. We are the Church.
(un)REASONABLE FAITH STORIES
HOW DO I GIVE?
There will be a special offering during our services on Sunday, December 10th. We invite every ONE (All adults, youth and kids) to participate! Everyone will have an envelope (pictured below) in which you will follow the prompts. If you cannot attend or give that weekend, the offering will be open online through January 10th.
We're grateful to be able to partner with you in this season to see God move in your life personally and in our community. We believe we're in a significant season of transformation. Audacious faith is honoring to God. We're excited for the work that we see God doing, and believe the best is yet to come.
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Every ONE (Kids and Youth too!) who participates in the offering will be given the below shirt. This shirt is not compensation for giving, it serves as a reminder that generosity is our lifestyle, it's who we are. Every time we see the shirt or put it on it will remind us that it better to give than to receive and that we will continue to pray audaciously for the vision God has given us.
IN-PERSON
ONLINE
OUR VISION
We seek to reshape the perception of the Church's relevance by becoming the first place people look to for identity, community, and help. We will be a church that is "obsessed with the one", focused on reaching those who are doubting, done with religion, and disengaged from faith; a church that feels such urgency to share the good news of Jesus and help others claim their divine purpose that our comfort no longer factors into the equation.
The life of our church is the activated faith of every individual. We will always call people to a step forward toward Jesus, believing that everyone has gifting and calling upon their life, regardless of their current starting point. We seek to connect people to the bigger thing that God is doing by leading them from serving while being discipled, to discipling while serving. We will build a foundation of faith through Scripture that people can always rely upon, a springboard for their future calling.
Our call is to transform our community, building the leaders and shaping the systems so that our community would look more like God's kingdom than it does today. Our commitment is to engage 1% of Lakeland in active ministry and to celebrate the baptism of 3,571 people before 2030. While we begin in our neighborhoods, we will not allow our current address to define our future footprint but will expand in our influence and ethnic diversity. We seek to continuously make a greater impact through helping other churches, deploying leaders, expanding online, and planting campuses.
This is Church: grace that is not devoid of truth. This is Church: an intergenerational community that swims against the current of prolonged adolescence. This is Church: a people humbled so that we will love as God loves. This is Church: so healthy that the gospel is irresistible. We are not a cruise ship, but a battleship. We are the Church.