Next Big Step to Consider

Dear Congregation,

When I first got to Hicksville Cornerstone Church one of the tasks the elders charged me with was to grow the “next generation” ministries at the church. Everything from Nursery to Youth Group. We have come a long way in the time I have been here, mostly thanks to the dozens of volunteers that make those ministries possible on a weekly basis. As we have grown as a congregation the youth participation continues to increase, and the need for someone with a full time focus on that area becomes more of a challenge. Currently, I (AJ) run the youth Bible study every Wednesday and help facilitate all youth camps and retreats. I also help with Growing God’s Way and speaking at FCA Team Times. Because of this, I don’t do it as well as I would like.

With the current giving, we are forecasted to end the year with a substantial surplus. We now have over 250 people on our current roster that attend on Sundays. We are in a good position to bring on a Director / Pastor of Student Families. This would mean that we can have someone specifically dedicated to family ministries.

Bringing on a new assistant pastor will be a first for our church. We are seeking how to do it best. That includes feedback from you as we move forward. Here are some points we want you to know that we have considered as an elder board, as we invite you into the conversation.

Should we do this in the middle of the capital campaign? An extra $180,000 to go towards a building campaign over 3 years would be a nice addition. However, the church is not a building, the church is a people. And if we have to choose between reaching our fundraising goal quicker, or reaching our community with the gospel or building our community deeper in the gospel, we will choose the second option.

Why a Pastor of Student Families and not a Youth Pastor? While finding someone who can disciple the next generation is important, what is equally as important, if not more, is finding someone who can walk alongside parents as THEY disciple their children. We want to find someone who will help parents develop ways to have spiritual conversations with their kids. Church youth time happens 2 hours a week. Our goal is to help parents invest more time and energy into their children. The new pastor will help parents disciple their children, not just teach and disciple their kids. There is abundant data to suggest that you (as the parent) have far more impact on the spiritual life of a child than any pastor. With that in mind, we are looking for a seasoned individual, not someone fresh out of high school.

What are the next steps? Give us your feedback as we build the job description and the search committee. We will be taking nominations for the pastor search committee at the congregational meeting. We prefer those nominated to have school age children, as they will be the ones, primarily working alongside this new pastor. This does not mean that senior saints cannot participate in the hire, we just ask that you nominate those you think would be a good representative of the church.

We are very excited about the possibility of expanding our staff. We already have a great community here, and bringing in the right person to foster the next generation will pay great dividends for us as we think about Hicksville Cornerstone Church in the year 2040 (if the Lord tarries).

Disciple-making remains the focus of our church, but imagine a community that has poured into our high school age students so much so, that they in turn are leading Jr. High D-Groups in the future. The trickle down effect of disciple-making is real, we are already seeing it, and it can be even greater in the days ahead with the right person to get us there.

Please pray for us, and interact with us, as we make the decision whether, and how to move forward with this option as a congregation.

In Christ,

AJ Swanson

Lead Pastor

Hicksville Cornerstone Church