| | | | | | Quick First Note While I have been looking forward to sending this update for several weeks, my efforts just got interrupted with an emergency pastoral call. A friend's life (marriage, work, all the big rocks) is disintegrating. This is one of several similar calls I have had this week. - Tuesday: I'm losing my family and job.
- Wednesday: Can God be trusted?
- Thursday:
- What is the Church?
- How do I lead a divided marriage?
- Shame feels like an ocean.
I am adding this quick beginning note because the rest of the update sounds very formulaic. But it is important to remember that all the processes listed below represent real lives that are often outside the reach of the local Church. I am reminded of Romans 10:14 "How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?" | | Strategic Plan (summary) I am excited to share an overview of our recently completed strategic plan. Over the past year we have had tremendous growth in bridging the gap between faith and the Marketplace. Some of the key points are listed below. - A Portrait of Success
- Mission and Vision Statement
- Core Principles
- Top tier strategic goals
However, if you prefer you can download a more detailed PDF version here. | | A Portrait of Success Imagine a bridge connecting Christian community to the Marketplace through a national network of chaplains. It would: - Be accessible, inviting, and contextual with a zero barrier for entry
- Engage three hard to reach portions of the marketplace, such as:
- Spiritual But Not Religious (SBNR)
- Major Market Blind-spots
- Those disassociated from the Church
- Provide a contextual path for spiritual growth and discovering Christian community.
| | Mission Engaging the Marketplace with the Gospel for the flourishing of Christ's Kingdom. | | Vision To build a bridge between Christian community and the Marketplace through a national network of chaplains. | | Principles Narrative:
The value of success and failure are measured by our greater story.
Excellence:
An opportunity to steward the pursuit of our greater narrative.
Hospitality:
The embodiment of our greater narrative through love. | | Top Tier Goals Leadership Engagement: Develop a platform for New Vertical leaders to participate in functional ministry.
Sustainable Monthly Funding: Increase monthly parnternships 14% by end of December 2025.
Create Partnership Process: Create and populate a pipeline for organizational partnership
Clarify Shepherding Approach: Streamline a path from spiritual orientation to Christian flourishing | | NV Refresher As a stateside missionary, New Vertical extends the local Church's reach into three buffer zones that are often beyond the scope of the local Church.
Through the PRCC (The multi-denominational chaplaincy arm of the PCA), our Board of Directors, and the many friends who support us, New Vertical seeks to build a sustainable discipleship pipeline by shepherding those outside the local Church. | | Chaplaincy is Pastoring The data on the expanding gap between culture and the local Church helps explain why some confuse mentoring, coaching and pastoring. While there is fluidity among these roles, they are very different. Here is a short article on the nuances of each.
Because chaplains are pastors, their funding structure is different from coaches or mentors. They are dependent on external funding to equip them for gospel proclamation. | | Please Pray The goals set forth in this strategic plan are designed to address two major obstacles: Awareness and Funding. The need is real. If we can reach these milestones then we can successfully move this GAP from a blind spot to a known opportunity.
Additionally, - Please continue to pray for our family and the New Vertical ministry leaders.
| | Grateful We know support comes in many forms. We cannot pioneer marketplace ministry without you. Thank you for your support. You are loved and we are grateful.
His Grace is enough. | | | | | | | |
