The Purpose
To launch a spiritual growth initiative in giving to help populate eternity, develop spiritual maturity, grow in community, and build a new facility that will impact our world for generations to come.
We are called to raise $3 million to develop our Sunset property, expanding our reach and touching more lives with the love and grace of Jesus. Together, we can build a future that glorifies God and brings more souls into His kingdom!
The metrics are in the purpose:
Build Deeper Devotion
But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you —see that you also excel in this grace of giving. - 2 Corinthians 8:7
Foster Closer Community
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. -John 14:34-35
Offer Greater Outreach
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. - 2 Corinthians 5:17-18
Bring a Miracle Offering
And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away. - Nehemiah 12:43
“So that a people yet to be born may praise the Lord.”
Dear Fellow Christ Journeyer,
“So that a people yet to be born may praise the Lord.” Psalm 102:18
Christ Journey has always affirmed God’s mission that we exist as a church for those not yet part of us. Our purpose is to help people find and follow Jesus Christ; to help people experience the presence and potential of the risen Lord with us in a growing and vibrant community of faith, hope, and love in Christ. Those of us already connected to Christ Journey know that what God is giving us is too good not to share with others; others who have not yet been with us and even those who have not yet been born!
After decades of faith-filled perseverance, we are now on the threshold of completing the construction of our Sunset Drive project! And God’s timing is perfect, we are right on the verge of our 100th Church Anniversary. Our founders declared, “The future beckons us to build a great church of fellowship and power…” and this Future Beckons initiative is our next bold step in response to that challenge. It is essential for us now to begin providing for the next 100 years of the Journey by constructing Sunset Drive. Our Future Beckons has one clear goal in mind:
- Fill the funding gap to complete construction on Sunset Drive!
Absolutely one hundred percent of all gifts given to Future Beckons are committed to finishing the construction of our new facility on Sunset Drive.
Below you will also find a digital commitment card for you to use for your intended gifts to Future Beckons. This commitment can be fulfilled over the next three years. Please pray for God’s leadership as you consider your commitment and then, as you sense God’s lead, follow Christ! Lisa and I will be doing the same and trusting that where God guides God provides. We are excited and humbled to be a part of the amazing vision we call Christ Journey! What better way to invest our brief lives than in God’s great eternal kingdom on mission to see people saved, lives changed, families redeemed and futures forever altered.
Expectantly,
The chart you see below is here as an illustration of how every gift is needed and important as we each find our place and do our part together.
As you look at this chart, please don’t be daunted or overwhelmed at the large numbers at the top. Many of us have not been entrusted resources large enough to be responsible for such gifts. But some of us have. The large numbers are there for those for whom Jesus said, “To whom much is given, much will be required” (Luke 12:48). If God has blessed you with significant increase perhaps it is because this is the time He would like to meet you in bringing your gift so that “the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little” (2 Cor 8:15).
On the other hand we are hoping that every one of these gifts represents a “major gift” for the one who gives it; a gift that is not their first impression, not the safe gift but a bold one, a gift that requires stretching or rearranging one’s spending or savings plan, a gift amount that moved over time as you prayed about the unique gift God entrusted you to give, and a gift over and above what a person/family currently gives in support of the ongoing ministry and mission of Christ Journey.
Every gift is significant and what matters more than the amount is the spirit in which it is given. “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). All gifts are needed and honored, and the only way God counts a gift is not the size of the gift, but the relation of that gift to the resources one has. Jesus said of the widow’s mite “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on” (Luke 21:3-4).
Another way to consider how a person might pray about and consider their gift is to think about how a gift spread over three years can really add up. For this we suggest using the three D’s: Delay, Delete, Donate. Consider how for a season you could rearrange (delay, delete, donate) some of your ordinary spending and redirect it by faith to make your gift. Ask God to help you get creative.
- Giving up a cup of your favorite $5 coffee each week would free up $750 over 156 weeks
- Giving up a restaurant or fast-food meal each month for the family might save $50 per month and free up $1800 over the 36 months
- Keeping your current phone and donating the money you would have spent for the newest phone on the market might free up $1000
- Having a garage sale, or a bake sale, or lemonade stand might be ways children or a whole family can be involved hands-on together
Testimonials
Weekly Updates
Future Beckons Group Curriculum
Resources to help you lead your group discussions
FAQ
What is The Future Beckons?
Our initiative is designed to challenge, inspire, and develop generosity as an act of faith, rooted in love and hope. It aims to ignite the coals of spiritual growth, turning them into a glorious flame of action and impact.
Outcomes:
- Widen Our Reach – Populate eternity by sharing the Gospel.
- Strengthen Our Fellowship – Build deeper connections; people need community.
- Deepen Our Discipleship – Provide coaching and support for spiritual growth.
- Lengthen Our Generosity – Encourage giving that nurtures growth and transformation.
- Broaden Our Environment – Create dedicated spaces where people can live, grow, and thrive in Christ.
- Leadership Development – Equip and empower leaders to grow spiritually through tailored resources available both on-site and through the Christ Journey App.
Together, we can expand our ministry and multiply our impact.
Why are we building a Sunset Campus?
We are building so we can reach more people and families, helping them find and follow Christ. In our new facility we will be doubling our debt-free owned space for ministry. For over 30 years we have been prayerfully persevering to build on Sunset Drive. Now, at long last, the doors have all opened and construction is underway!
What will we have on Sunset Campus that we don't currently have at Gables?
- Double the space for Sunday multi-generational ministries (debt-free) Allowing necessary space for church-wide fellowship any day of the week in a multi-use facility that can seat 1000 people in a banquet-style setting simultaneously.
- Over 340 parking spaces (We currently have 71 parking spaces in Coral Gables).
- A spacious lobby area and open auditorium offering prime spacious opportunities for long-awaited local leadership gatherings and global ambassador conferences.
- A large grass area behind the facility for outdoor sports and water activities for our CJ Kids, CJ Students, and young adult ministries.
- Additional space for mid-week gatherings. We desire to use this amazing space indoors and outdoors for increased student ministry and young adult ministry.
What will happen in Coral Gables Campus?
It will continue to stay on mission fulfilling our purpose.
What will happen in Sunset Campus?
We anticipate that our Sunset Drive and Coral Gables locations will both host Sunday ministry activities for people of all ages and stages of life as one church in two vibrant and thriving locales. We will reach out to the many unchurched families and persons in the area and offer them the love and hope we also offer in our Gables location.
Which location will be the broadcast campus?
Coral Gables will remain our broadcast campus and Sunset Drive will receive it in real-time broadcast on state-of-the-art technology, as we use in Gables. We anticipate eventually installing broadcast equipment at Sunset as funds allow, but to begin, we will broadcast from Coral Gables.
Where will the teaching Pastors be on Sundays?
Our teaching pastors will continue to teach live from Coral Gables every Sunday.
