“A lot of churches are perfectly positioned to reach a culture that no longer exists.” -Carey Neuhoff
I am thrilled to see how God is working in our church. Last year, many of us gathered for a meal and a discussion about DSBC’s values, the growing needs of our community, and the opportunities to meet those needs and better love and serve our community as the hands and feet of Jesus. We concluded with an invitation for the church to enter a season of concerted prayer as we discern how God is calling us to move forward.
For 40 days, we, as a united church, fervently prayed that God would reveal the direction he wants us to pursue.
In late October, over 120 of us gathered for a meal and a powerful time of prayer as we continued to seek God’s guidance.
In January and April of 20204, we shared some practical next steps, including a fresh plan for our campus. During this season of prayer, we discerned God calling us to step into five critical areas of growth:
- Cultivating a Culture of Prayer
- Intergenerational Ministry
- Spiritual Development
- Cultivating Community
- Serving our Neighbors
I believe God is shaping DSBC to reach the needs of our present culture and the ones to come, demonstrating our unwavering commitment to serving our community.
-Pastor Caleb
If you have questions or comments, email me at caleb@dsbc.church.
Next Steps
Join us for Part 5 of this conversation on August 25th. Dinner & childcare available.
“A lot of churches are perfectly positioned to reach a culture that no longer exists.” - Carey Neuhoff
Growing needs, new opportunities
We recognize that there are growing needs in our community.
- Loneliness, isolation, disconnection
- Affordable housing, food insecurity, education support
- Business, exhaustion, lack of rest
- Gun violence, suicide
- Fractured families, divisiveness
- Political Idolatry, syncretism, consumerism
We recognize that we have opportunities to meet these needs.
Increased Participation
As we each member of the church steps into their calling, we can see an increase in community groups, studies, adventure kidz, Student Ministries, Hospitality
Ministry Expansion
We have the option to add an additional worship service to our Sunday morning programming. This would expand our ability to host more studies and groups and also reach people in our community that prefer a later start time.
Campus Improvements
We have the option to build a counseling center in the east lot, a sports court adjacent to the Student Center and remodel our Worship Center to create more multi-purpose space.
Links & Resources
Guiding Scripture
Ephesians 3:8 – 4:32
3:8This grace was given to me — the least of all the saints — to proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable riches of Christ, 9and to shed light for all about the administration of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things. 10This is so that God’s multi-faceted wisdom may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens. 11This is according to his eternal purpose accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12In him we have boldness and confident access through faith in him. 13So, then, I ask you not to be discouraged over my afflictions on your behalf, for they are your glory.
14For this reason I kneel before the Father 15from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. 16I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, 17and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, 18may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, 19and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us — 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
4:1Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, 2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit — just as you were called to one hope at your calling — 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
7Now grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8For it says: When he ascended on high, he took the captives captive; he gave gifts to people. 9But what does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower parts of the earth? 10The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, to fill all things.
11And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness. 14Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. 15But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head — Christ. 16From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building itself up in love by the proper working of each individual part.
17Therefore, I say this and testify in the Lord: You should no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thoughts. 18They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because of the hardness of their hearts. 19They became callous and gave themselves over to promiscuity for the practice of every kind of impurity with a desire for more and more.
20But that is not how you came to know Christ, 21assuming you heard about him and were taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22to take off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires, 23to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24and to put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.
25Therefore, putting away lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, because we are members of one another. 26Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, 27and don’t give the devil an opportunity. 28Let the thief no longer steal. Instead, he is to do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need. 29No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear. 30And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by him for the day of redemption. 31Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. 32And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.