Vision 2026

Vision 2026 Resources

Resources

Vision 2026 Videos

Vision 2026 Introduction

Week 2 Video

Week 3 Video

Week 4 Video

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is Vision 2026 for members only? 

A: No. We welcome all to participate in Vision 2026 and the radical missional living God is calling every disciple of Christ to – including our generosity journey and next steps. 

Q: Is Vision 2026 just a church plant? 

A: No. While a church plant is one part, Vision 2026 is much more than just a church plant. We believe “Vision 2026: Multiplying Kingdom Impact” is God’s vision for APC for the next two years, a culture of radical missional living in time, talent, and treasure that will transform how we impact our church, our city, and our world in the name of Christ.

Q: Is Vision 2026 just paying down a loan? 

A: No. While paying down our smaller mortgage loan is one part, Vision 2026 is about much more.

Q: What is Commitment Sunday? 

A: Commitment Sunday is on April 6. It is an opportunity to bring our commitment cards to God and APC as an act of corporate worship and part of our worship services. This collection of commitment cards will also help church leadership plan as we continue our journey of Vision 2026. 

Q: When should I fill out my commitment card? 

A: We are asking that you not complete your final commitment card until you have prayed and heard from the Lord. Please also wait until our Vision 2026 sermon series in March is concluded. We recommend waiting until April.

Q: What if I’m not in worship on April 6 for Commitment Sunday, can I still participate and get my commitment card to APC? 

A: Yes. You can use the following link to fill out an electronic commitment card: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScZoAJrY6e84VudzI-cYLdKWqfIWxe0YEUfLQizkyh_PX0p1A/viewform?usp=header. NOTE: we are asking that you not complete your final commitment card until you have prayed and heard from the Lord – please also wait until our Vision 2026 sermon series in March is concluded. We recommend waiting until April. 

Q: Can you explain the commitment card? 

A: Start at top and enter the amount you normally give in a year to the local church (the APC General Fund, and if you recently joined us may include tithes and offerings at your last church, but do not include giving to the Deacon’s Fund, for APC activities/events, other charitable contributions to other organizations) – Line 1. The next line is for your additional annual (each year) increase you would give to the APC General Fund as part of your next generosity step – Line 2. You add these two lines together and enter them below the “=” sign for a subtotal – Line 3. That amount gets multiplied by 2 (two year commitment) and entered in the top white box in green shading – Box 1. Under this box, you may be willing to add an amount, in the second white box, for a one time gift (not already included in your normal giving or increased annual giving entered above) – Box 2. Finally, you will add the 2 year total to the one time gift for your overall 2-year VISION 2026 commitment which gets entered in the bottom white box – Box 3. Please also fill in your name(s) and details. 

Example 1: A member who has never given (first time giver) is going to take a step and move past occasional giving to intentional giving a portion of their income (they will step to 5% of $50,000). They do not have a one time gift that is not already part of their increased giving. Line 1 would be $0. Line 2 would be $2,500. Line 3 would be $0 + $2,500 = $2,500. Box 1 would be $2,500 x 2 = $5,000. Box 2 would be $0. Box 3 would be $5,000 + $0 = $5,000. 

Example 2: A family is going to take a step from intentional giving to tithing (currently giving 7% and will move to 10% of $200,000). They have a one time gift of $10,000 from their savings/investments that they will also give (not included in their step from 7% to 10%). Line 1 would be $14,000. Line 2 would be $6,000. Line 3 would be $14,000 + $6,000 = $20,000. Box 1 would be $20,000 x 2 = $40,000. Box 2 would be $10,000. Box 3 would be $40,000 + $10,000 = $50,000.

Q: You are asking for a two-year commitment but what if I won’t be here for the full two years?

A: We pray that you will be on this journey for as long as you feel God is directing you. You may make annotations or comments on your commitment card to let us know how you feel you can support APC financially and when you might be departing.

Q: What if I don’t know what I will make next year? 

A: We invite you to pray about what step the Lord would have you take. Ask for Him to make a clear goal for your next step and then do your best to fill out a commitment card. This is not a legal or binding contract. We understand all situations are different and there are many unknowns. Pray and discern how God may be calling you to take your next step (5 steps explained in our Vision 2026 booklet) and pledge what you feel God is leading you to commit.

Q: What is First Fruits Sunday? Why are we doing that? 

A: First Fruits Sunday is our opportunity to bring our first offerings to God on Sunday, April 27, where we bring an initial portion, or a 1st time large donation, toward our commitment as an act of worship. We ask that everyone bring that initial offering/gift to First Fruits Sunday. This also helps APC gather the resources helpful to build up enough to begin many of our efforts and to pay down our smaller mortgage loan prior to it resetting in November 2025. 

Q: What would paying off the smaller mortgage loan do (instead of allowing a rate reset)? 

A: APC currently carries two mortgage loans, totaling $6.5M.  The smaller loan has approximately $1.5M remaining, and the current interest rate on that loan (3.75%) resets in November 2025.  Presently, APC pays approximately $96,000 per year for this smaller loan.  When it resets this November, we anticipate that the interest rate will likely exceed 7%.  Thus, APC will face nearly doubling the amount of money we pay each year for this loan, which would substantially reduce the number of kingdom dollars available.  For this reason, we believe God is calling us to clear this loan before it resets, which will free up $96,000 from our budget to be used across all three areas (our church, our city, our world) and might include additional staffing, outreach, planting, deepening and expanding missionary support, and more.

Q: Can you explain where $8.8 million came from? 

A: We start with vision – to ministry – to resources. The elders and leaders of APC have been praying for over a year to discern God’s vision for APC over the next two years. Vision comes to us from God and is only discerned in prayer. With God’s vision in mind, they considered ministries and the impact and changes needed to achieve God’s vision. Finally, they determined the resources necessary. The number and the resources came last – only after much prayer and discernment of God’s vision and ministries that we believe God is inviting us to engage in to achieve His vision. While much time and talent is needed, they also calculated the amount of treasure (money) which resulted in a two-year total of $8.8 million. We begin with our projected normal Operations budget for the next two years ($2.835 million + $2.965 million = $5.8 million). We also included money to pay off the smaller mortgage loan ($1.5 million), start and fund a church plant for two years including hiring a plant pastor ($500,000), double the current operations budget missions funding (an increase of $600,000 above the current operations budget), and also include all other Vision 2026 initiatives (increase staffing, ministries, programs, outreach, partnering – $400,000).

Q: Is there a comprehensive list of all the Vision 2026 initiatives APC is planning and going to spend money on? 

A: There is no such list. The booklet contains many examples of what Vision 2026 could include but the bottom line is that we are seeking God’s vision and will put resources to these types of things, as God leads and confirms. As the Lord provides, we will steward the funds. 

Q: Does Vision 2026 include additional support for APC’s Diaconate? Isn’t the Diaconate funded separately through the Deacons’ Fund offering? 

A: Our Vision 2026 goal is to Multiply Kingdom Impact in our church, our city, and our world. As APC grows and becomes a larger church, we desire to multiply our kingdom impact by expanding the ministry of our Deacons and Deaconesses. We will continue to collect the monthly Deacons’ Fund offering as the primary means of providing for the needy in our congregation and community. Additional funds from Vision 2026 offerings could be used to help strengthen the Deacons’ ability to wisely administer the Deacons’ Fund, in areas such as professional counseling, financial literacy, social work, immigration support, etc.

Q: Can you explain the black and white logo on the front of the Vision 2026: Multiplying Kingdom Impact in Our Church, City, and World booklets? 

A: This represents “in our church, city, and world.” The foreground is actually our APC building which represents “our church”, behind our church is a city with tall buildings representing “our city”, and in the background is a map/globe representing “our world”.