HOW IS THIS NOT ANOTHER BUILDING CAMPAIGN?

Previous campaigns have had a specific building project as a target, but this is a two-year commitment in which we’re asking everyone in the Riv family to take a step of faith in their giving rather than simply asking everyone for one “big” gift. We’re also putting everything – our operating costs, our coffee budget, or kids’ programs, our church planting residency, our building repairs, and our next venue plans – all in one big bucket.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE “5 VENUES IN 5 YEARS” PLAN?

A couple years ago, we began to talk about planting five new venues in five years. Our REO Town Venue took significantly longer to plant (and cost significantly more) than we anticipated. We are thrilled with how things are going at REO Town and want to wisely move forward with our next venues.

WHY MORE VENUES?

When we started the multi-venue vision, we wanted to be able to bring the gospel and the church to the people rather than build a mega campus out in Holt. We have already seen this work well. Each time we launch a new venue, it frees up seats in Holt that slowly fill back in as we invite more friends to join us.

WHY CHANGE THE MISSION STATEMENT?

Our old mission statement (“Riverview exists to make sacrificial followers of Jesus who grow, serve, and go”) has served us well and we continue to love the concept of becoming sacrificial followers of Jesus.  However, this statement may inadvertently place the focus on our effort instead of Jesus’, implying we are in charge of “making followers.”  Our new mission statement (“Riverview exists to proclaim the liberating power of the Gospel as we grow, serve, and go”) puts our focus on what Jesus has done, not what we are doing.  Additionally, we added two important words: “as we.”  The proclamation of the Gospel is something we do during our weekend services, but it’s also something we all do in our daily lives.  Each one of us proclaims the power of the Gospel as we grow (in our faith), serve (one another), and go (into our community, living Questionable Lives).

I’VE NEVER GIVEN FINANCIALLY. HOW DOES THIS FIT FOR ME?

We all have different background with our giving. All we’re asking is for each person to look at their giving and consider what the next step may be. For you, it’s simple: start giving! It will be a stretch, but everything new is. Over time you will find it’s just part of who you are.