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FBC Wilmington is looking forward to working with our new Senior Pastor in a strategic planning effort that will incorporate our vision statements in a 5–10-year plan to move us closer to realizing our mission of ‘becoming and helping others become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.” We believe that God has challenged all of us to envision what the Kingdom of God looks like “on earth as it is in heaven” and to fully engage in God’s plan.
As part of our transition planning and strategy, FBC Wilmington engaged the assistance of Dr. Randy Ashcraft as a Facilitator to lead us in a series of three Congregational Conversations. The primary goals of these conversations were to identify (1) who we are as a faith community (past), (2) who God is calling us to be (present), and (3) the characteristics we will be looking for in a Senior Pastor to lead us into that calling (future).
We believe the following represents the primary ministry responsibilities and characteristics of the Senior Pastor of FBC Wilmington.
Our faith community desires a Senior Pastor that will challenge us to live more faithfully into our mission statement of “becoming and helping others to become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.” Sermons and teachings that use the Bible and personal encounters to make Christ real and spiritually alive inspire us. Challenging us to seriously consider, imagine, and envision God’s “kingdom on earth as it is in heaven” and creating a clear understanding of our role in fulfilling that vision is important to us.
We have an outstanding ministerial staff and an engaged congregation in both the mission and ministry of our church. Our Senior Pastor should be adept at collaborative leadership which empowers the staff in their respective roles and gifts, and engages the congregation in collaborative strategic planning to establish a vision for the church. Developing ways to maintain connection during and after the current pandemic (including the use of technology) will be a challenging expectation of the Senior Pastor’s leadership. Guiding us to make decisions as a diverse congregation will also be an essential skill.
Our church thrives on personal interaction, compassion, care, and love for one another. The primary focus of the Diaconate is to provide congregational care and assure that individual needs are recognized and met. Our Senior Pastor will provide leadership and display similar passion for congregational care through counseling and spiritual guidance, building personal relationships, reaching out to persons both in the congregation and in the community, and of course through weddings, funerals, and other events in the lives of our members which have spiritual significance.
We have a long-held reputation and expectation of being missional. Our church engages with our community through initiatives that provide assistance and hospitality for homeless and hungry people, at-risk students, home construction, and other local endeavors. Our primary local ministry partner is the Jo Ann Carter Harrelson Center, located next door to our downtown campus. The Harrelson Center is home to non-profit organizations that provide significant support to the Wilmington community. The center was birthed by the congregation and has continued support and love from the Wilmington community. It is a place where needs are met, dreams are fostered, and hope abounds.
Being relational and missional are the foremost reasons members say they joined our church and feel connected. Our Senior Pastor should have a passion for establishing relationships in the community and encouraging active congregational engagement in mission and evangelism. One of the most significant ways our church can be effective is to continue to reach out and provide leadership to help reconcile racial, political, and economic discord. This is a priority for our church and our Senior Pastor.
Our church family takes seriously the call to minister to those around us. We are committed to being a leader in sharing the love of Christ, being an agent of reconciliation, and expanding opportunities for all members of the congregation to engage. Some of our responses:
“FBC to be more engaged in the issues in Wilmington especially given our social and political climate … be a solution.”
“Fully living up to and using the blessings we have been given to be the hands of Christ in the city of Wilmington.”
“Continue being strong in the community. Collaborate more with other churches in helping the community.”
We are a relational church that values our connections with others in the congregation. Strengthening those connections and helping each other become “Fully devoted followers of Christ” is a core value for our members. We want to become a faith community that seeks to build unity without requiring uniformity. Some of our responses:
“A vibrant faith community where everyone trusts and cares for each other, as in Acts 2.”
“That we are an example in our community of being the light and salt of Jesus. A vibrant church that fulfills needs and hopes of a diverse congregation.”
“I dream that FBC will be a welcoming, inviting, affirming place where all feel like they can become a part of the community.”
We are a very diverse church in terms of age, worship styles, political and social affiliations, and economic conditions. Our desire is to fully embrace our diversity and to open our hearts and doors to an even more diverse population in terms of race, culture, and progress in becoming fully devoted disciples. Some of our responses:
“My dream for FBC is that it will be a place where All people (ages, races, etc.) would feel welcomed and comfortable worshipping.”
“Would like to see us become more diverse, more welcoming and openly inclusive of those different from us. Would like to attract more young families.”
“FBC will exhibit that it is an inclusive body that cares for people as individuals, welcomes all to fellowship, and shows the love of God by example.”
FBC Wilmington acknowledges that we stand on the shoulders of the faithful that preceded us, those that built traditions, and those that were willing to change and adapt to new callings and circumstances. We too desire to be faithful to those traditions and the call for change when needed to advance the Kingdom of God. We have been particularly challenged, as all of the world has, by a global pandemic, political divisiveness, and racial injustices. God is calling us to re-examine our role as a faith community, our methods for sharing the gospel, and new opportunities to serve others. Some of our responses:
“Going into 2021, the CHURCH, and by extension, our church, will be challenged to re-engage people and embrace new ways of building up our presence in the world.”
“Continue to be innovative and creative in showing and sharing Christ.”
“Be more responsive to injustices when they occur by promoting awareness, taking a stand, and engaging in creative solutions.”
