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What do we believe God wants The Barnabas Center to become in the year 2020?
The answer: A ministry that changes the way our communities experience and talk about their stories and equips them to find the hope of Christ in their struggles.
How do we accomplish this?
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HOW DO WE GET THERE?
To accomplish this we need to raise $3 Million.
To give to Vision 2020 CLICK HERE
and fill out a pledge card.
You can email your pledge card to CHutchinson@thebarnbascenter.org or mail it to:
The Barnabas Center
7615 Colony Road, Suite 200
Charlotte, NC 28226
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WHAT DO WE DO?
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“In the fall of 2006 my life came crashing down. My family, my friends, my job – everything was at risk. The double life I had been living since adolescence was about to be fully revealed. I was found out. Two of my closest friends showed up at my house to offer support. I had kept them in the dark for the entire length of our 20 year friendship. The next day, one of them inquired with his church about counseling options for men dealing with sexual addiction. Within two weeks, I was walking through the door on a Tuesday night for the Honors Program at The Barnabas Center. And what a door to walk through! All the secret things I had done, the hurt I had caused others, the shame I carried from childhood abuse were handled by trained counselors with honesty and care. That was six years ago, and Tuesday nights at Barnabas are still a fixture on my calendar. Through God’s gracious renewal of my heart and the passing of time, I have the opportunity to lead other men from a darkness, similar to mine, down the path toward light. Many of these men are so deep in crisis that a hopeful future is inconceivable and it is deeply life-giving to be able to share my story of hope.” |
MINISTRY HIGHLIGHTS For 2013- 2014
- 925 families received individualized counseling
- 873 people attended a training or seminar
- 69 individuals participated in a recovery group
- 80% of all these clients had a scholarship to receive our services
We hope that you will consider becoming a ‘regular’ giver to our Annual Fund to support our current ongoing ministry.
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EQUIPPING THE COMMUNITY
We believe that lives are transformed in relationships. For that reason, we want to leverage our ministry. By equipping our community to lovingly enter into others’ stories. We want to provide a greater variety of resources and training opportunities to dramatically increase the number of transforming conversations and relationships. By providing tangible resources and publishing our materials, we can reach a much broader audience in the Charlotte community and beyond.
“I was having breakfast with a friend who all of a sudden shares that he was in a deep struggle. By the grace of God, the Barnabas Training kicked in. Even though I was scared to enter in, I listened and asked questions, and pursued his heart. In Barnabas Training, I have learned that God is big enough to handle any situation and that He can use me to help.”
Carl Christenson, Barnabas Center Training Participant
Vision 2020 is allowing us to develop curriculum, publish “Barnabas Training in a Box”, create, design & deliver additional training/resources, and hire two Community Discipleship Ministers.
UPDATE: In the spring of 2014 we brought CC Schott on board as our Women’s Community Discipleship Coordinator because of Vision 2020!!
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EQUIPPING THE CHURCH
The church is full of broken people. Pastors have the greatest opportunity to influence; yet they are often weary and inadequately trained to deal with the many problems they face. Through retreats and mentoring, we are investing in pastors and directly supporting them as they walk with their people. We have also formed a church partnership team that cares for pastors individually and plan to hire a Pastoral Care Minister to specifically meet the needs of church leaders.
“I had the gift of spending two days away on a retreat for pastors that Barnabas put on where I met 11 other pastors. I appreciated the staff at Barnabas Center asking questions to help me recognize the thief, but more importantly, the Giver of Life. After 22 years of ministry, am I fully alive? Oh yes! I recognized that as I sat with the other pastors—we love what we do. Having time away with these men refueled me to go back into my church and minister to my congregation.
And I met some great new friends, too.”
Mitch White, Pastor, Lake Forest Church
Vision 2020 will help to plan and facilitate pastor retreats, provide training for pastors, expand church partnership outreach, hire and train a part time pastoral care minister.
UPDATE: Because of the funds raised in Vision 2020 we held our first Pastor’s Wives Retreat in July 2014. We also had 12 pastors and ministry leaders in our 6 month laymen counseling program Training Ground.
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EQUIPPING THE TEAM
As we equip those in the church and in the community, the need and opportunity for counseling will only grow. To meet this need, we are hiring more counselors, increasing our office space, and training new staff in our ministry model. Our goal is to equip our team to better minister to (1) the families they counsel, (2) the individuals they lead in recovery groups and (3) the lay leaders and pastors who go through our training. Some of these teams will work in Charlotte, others might help launch new cities.
“I have been told that Barnabas counselors do not ask anything of their clients that they don’t expect of themselves and so I have been challenged on multiple levels. I have been asked to name the ways in which I hide my heart, and been shown places where I can grow in my spiritual walk. I feel more confident than ever in what God has planned for me as a counselor, and I feel that every experience I have had will be applicable no matter where God leads me.”
Tiffany Shores, Previous Resident Counselor
Vision 2020 is establishing a residency program for new counselors, procuring upgraded audio/visual technology, providing ongoing education for current counselors, hiring and training a new counselor every 2 years, up-fitting and expanding office space.
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LAUNCHING NEW CITIES
Over the years, like-minded communities have approached us about replicating the Barnabas model. We are equipping new communities and new cities to do just that. By setting aside resources, we will assist cities ready to launch a new Barnabas Center and equip them to successfully impact their community.
“My first exposure to Barnabas was 18 years ago. Each time my husband and I moved to a new city, we longed to have the deep and meaningful relationships with others like we had in Charlotte. I quickly realized The Barnabas Center was a special place with a unique ministry model. This was my drive to help start a Barnabas Center in Richmond, VA back in 2009. After seeing the positive impact Barnabas Center has had in Richmond, I want that same thing in the new community where I now live in northern Virginia. I desire to have a Barnabas Center here as a resource for churches and long to have it impact my new community.”
Margaret Whisler, Longtime supporter of the Barnabas Center
- With Vision 2020 the hope is to launch 2-4 new locations over the next 6 years through investing in new a Barnabas Board and Staff developing a marketing kit for new cities and providing first year administrative support for each new location.
UPDATE: Vision 2020 has allowed us to pursue adding a 3rd location in Northern Virginia.
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