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Chinese Christian Church of New JerseyStrategic Planning Committee’s

FINAL REPORT

February 28, 2009

I. Introduction

II. CCCNJ Assessment

III. Guiding Principles

IV. Member Feedback by Church Segments

V. CCCNJ Vision

VI. Strategic Recommendations

VII. Next Steps

An outcome of the 2008 CCCNJ Joint Board Retreat was to form a 10-member Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) to facilitate the following tasks for the church leadership:

1. Conduct a comprehensive assessment of our church needs, strengths and opportunities.

2. Develop a set of Guiding Principles on which to base church planning and strategic decisions.

3. Attain member feedback from all segments of the church, crossing our different language congregations, fellowship and age groups, with regards to our church vision and priorities.

Based upon our church assessment and valuable member feedback that we got, the SPC then went on to accomplish the following tasks, working in conjunction with members of the CCCNJ Joint Board:

4. Defined what makes CCCNJ unique and articulated our Church Vision Statement.

5. Developed a set of Strategic Recommendations encompassing Church Planting, Building Expansion and Staffing Plan.

This final SPC Report compiles all of the previous documents that we presented to the Joint Board in “pieces” (to ensure we got buy-in before we proceeded to the next step) for easy and regular reference guidance.

1. Dedicated and Gifted Coworkers 委身並有恩賜的同工

2. Strong financial resources 奉獻與財務

3. Good church facilities and location 教堂設備和地點

4. Strong Bible teaching and CE programs 宗教教育和主日學

5. Family-oriented ministries and fellowships 家庭式的事工和團契

6. Strong Youth Ministry 青少年事工

DICTATORSHIP BLESSED GROWTH

INACTIVITY CHAOS

Empowerment

授權式

Alignment制度化

High

Low

Low High

1. Common Vision and Strategy for Church Growth 共同異象和策略

2. Transform to a Missions/Evangelical church 成為宣道的教會

3. Discipleship Training to foster spiritual growth 作門徒而促進屬靈 成長

4. Facilities Improvement & Expansion 設備的改善與擴建

5. Increase Pastoral Staff 增加牧者團隊

6. Member Care & Retention 會員關懷與增長

Congregation 2005 2006 Change 2007 Change

Mandarin

國語300 307 + 7 301 -6

English - Adults

英文成人94 99 + 5 90 -9

English - Youth

青少年110 115 +5 110 -5

Taiwanese

台語104 103 -1 102 -1

Children

兒童91 95 +4 92 -3

Total 總共 CCCNJ

699 719 +20 695 -24

1. English Young Adults choosing alternative churches 英文堂年輕成人 去別的教會

2. Baby boom in our church and in community 新生代增加

3. Aging Mandarin congregation members 年長的國語堂人數增加

4. Growing need for more cell / small groups 團契小組的需要增加

5. Internet and Web technology for communications 需要網路資訊系統

FRUSTRATION FRUITION

FORGOTTEN FUTILITY

Efforts

工夫

Needs需要

High

Low

Low High

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1. We should have a Vision Statement for each church ministry before we start developing the programs and allocating valuable resources. (Prov. 29:18)

1. 教會的每一項事工在發展設計和分配資源之前必須聲明其異象及遠景。 ( 箴 29:18)

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2. We will prioritize the allocation of our resources against what our church elders consider as our greatest needs. (Acts 6:1-4)

2. 我們應依照長老團所擬定為教會需要的優先次序來分配教會資源。 ( 徒 6:1-4)

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High / Low High / High

Low / Low Low / High

Efforts工夫

Needs需要

3. We need to first recruit Leaders for any new ministry before we can expect Followers. (Matt. 4:19).

3. 我們必須先招募到事工的領導者，才能期盼跟隨者的加入。 ( 太 4:19)

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4. The church leaders’ role is to equip the believers to do good works; not just to give them fish but to teach them how to fish. (II Tim. 3:17; Matt. 4:19).

4. 教會領袖的角色乃是要裝備信徒行各樣的善事，是要教導他們如何得魚而不是給他們魚。 ( 提後 3:17; 太 4:19)

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5. Our church programs need to go beyond our four walls and have outreach into the immediate community, and then to missions. (Acts 1:8).

5. 教會的事工必須超越我們教堂的邊界，延伸至周圍的社區，最終達到遠方宣教。 ( 徒 1:8)

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6. We believe that God ordained different churches within the same geography to serve different needs and people groups… thus we will not consider other churches as “competitors” but as “collaborators” in building God’s kingdom. (Acts 15)

6. 我們深信 神在同一地理區域設立不同的教會是為了服事不同的族群及供應不同的需要，因此我們與其他的教會之間不是競爭而是合作，一同建立 神的國度。 ( 徒 15)

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7. We need to be a River that channels the various financial and human resources that God has bestowed up with, and not a Reservoir to accumulate for the future. (Acts 20:35)

7. 我們必須像是一條河流以便疏導 神所賜的各樣財經與人材資源，而不是像一聚水庫只為儲蓄資源。 ( 徒 20:35)

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8. We will focus on a strategy that will help each individual become a disciple of Jesus Christ; a strategy where programs exist to help individuals rather than a strategy where individuals exist to serve programs (Colossians 1:28).

8. 我們的策略將著重在幫助每一個信徒成為 主耶穌的門徒 - 教會事工之存在乃是為了幫助造就信徒，而不是為了要信徒來服事各項事工。 ( 西 1:28)

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9. We will create opportunities that will bring parents and their children together as often as possible, where parents will be encouraged to role model and disciple their children (Deuteronomy 11:19-20) and where the older generation can mentor the younger generation in our church (I Timothy 5:1-2).

9. 我們將盡可能地製造機會使子女與父母一同聚會，鼓勵父母成為子女的榜樣並且訓練子女成為 主的門徒 (申 11:19-20) ，同時教會中年長的一代也成為年青一代的良師指導。 ( 提前 5:1-2)

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10. We recognize that People are more important than Ministries. Jesus’ Great Commission is our Mission (what to do) and Jesus’ Great Commandments of Loving God and Loving our Neighbors will be our Manner (how we do). (Matthew 22:37-39)

10. 我們公認造就人比完成事工更為重要。主耶穌的大使命是我們的使命 ( 決定我們做什麼 ?) 主耶穌“愛神與愛人”的大誡命是我們做事的態度 ( 決定我們如何做 ?) ( 太 22:37-39)

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Our mission is to teach our congregants to follow the biblical command to love God and people, and to disciple and mobilize our members in fulfilling the Great Commission of Jesus Christ.

我們的使命是教導會眾遵循聖經的命令 - 愛神並愛人，同時裝備並動員眾聖徒完成耶稣基督所賦予我們的大使命。

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Children

Youth College StudentsCareer Singles

Married Couples

Parents with Teens Empty Nesters

Seniors / Retirees

We are a family oriented church that provides worship, Bible teaching, fellowship, discipleship, missions and community service ministries for all age groups.

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Where you will find like-minded fellow believers in Christ.

Where you will feel comfortable in bringing other members of your family here.

Where you will find love, caring and unconditional acceptance within a small group fellowship.

Where you will be challenged and equipped to grow in your spiritual walk as a Christian.

Where you will find opportunities to serve in ministries where you are gifted and have a passion for.

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Livingstone Church - 2000 Direct Plant-Out to Livingston with Elder C. C. Wu and ten

families. Church now has 120 Sunday worshippers.

Church of Living Grace - 2001 On-Site Cantonese congregation for many years before

Pastor Calvin Tran planted out in East Hanover as a separate church.

Church members grew from 100 to 200.

Mandarin 2nd Worship Service - 2004 Saturday worship service to alleviate space issue and also

as a possible on-site planting group. Did not work out due to resource allocation issues and no

clear vision and ownership by church leadership.

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A successful church planting effort must have:

1. A clear vision for the church plant-out.

2. A full-time Pastor or Elder in charge of the plant-out.

3. A core group of committed coworkers ready to leave the home church and to go serve with the plant-out.

4. A plant-out plan developed by the leader in charge and bought in by the key coworkers.

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1. CCCNJ should continue with our plan to plant a church in the Randolph/Flanders area.

There are many Chinese in this area. We already have strong fellowship groups in this area. Outreach work can begin prior to actual plant-out. Allows for exponential growth of new believers not

constrained by building and parking space limitations.

2. Form a Church Planting Pastor Search Committee in January of 2009.

3. Elder Board may identify an Interim Leader until the Plant-Out Pastor is recruited to start planning work, such as church location search.

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75 Additional Parking Spaces. 45 Additional Seating Capacity in the Sanctuary. 6 Additional Classrooms. A Multi-Purpose room in the basement.

$ 2 Million estimate from 3 years ago.

This plan is still pending an environmental assessment before it can be submitted to the Parsippany Planning Board for approval.

Daniel Voo has been the Chairman of the Building Expansion Committee but there has been no committee meetings in the last 3 years.

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1. Explore renting use of the field across from the church on Sundays for parking.

2. See if Township will allow us to replace the Grange with a new 3-story multi-purpose building instead of current extension to the Sanctuary.

3. Assessed establishing a Day Care Center at our church -> not worth the time and costs as there are enough day care facilities currently in Parsippany, some running out of budget.

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1. Form a new Building Committee in January of 2009 to be comprised of:

1 Trustee Board rep, 1 Deacon Board rep, 1 Elder Board rep.

3 Member reps (one from each congregation), preferably with engineering / construction experience.

Daniel Voo.

2. The new building committee to explore all options as well as ensure accountability in meeting current building project milestones.

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Ministry Attendance Staff Elder

Mandarin 310 1 1.5

Taiwanese 100 1 1

English Adult 90 1 .5

College / Career 13 1

Youth – HS 50 1 .5

Youth – MS 50 1

Children 70 1 .5

Total 683 7 4

Staff Ratio 62 to 1

Staff Additions: 2 Youth Pastors 1 Mandarin Pastor

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Ministry Attendance Staff Elder

Mandarin 325 1+1 1.5

Taiwanese 105 1 1-1

English Adult 95 1 .5

College / Career 17 1

Youth – HS 55 1 .5

Youth – MS 55 1

Children 73 1 .5

Total 725 7 3

Staff Ratio 66 to 1

Staff Changes: Lose 1 Elder Add 1 Asst. Pastor

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Ministry Attendance Staff Elder

Mandarin 350 2+1 1.5+1.5

Taiwanese 110 1 + 1

English Adult 100 1 .5+.5

College / Career 22 1

Youth – HS 60 1 .5

Youth – MS 60 1

Children 78 1 .5

Total 780 9 6

Staff Ratio 52 to 1

Staff Additions: 3 new Elders 1 new Pastor

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Ministry Attendance Staff Elder

Mandarin 385 3 3

Taiwanese 115 1 1

English Adult 110 1 1

College / Career 27 1

Youth – HS 66 1 .5

Youth – MS 66 1

Children 86 1 .5

Other +2

Total 855 11 6

Staff Ratio 50 to 1

Staff Additions: 1 new Senior Pastor

1 Ministry Director

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1. Form a Pastor Search Committee in January of 2009 comprised of:

1 Pastor, 1 Elder, 1 Deacon, 1 Trustee, 2 Mandarin members, 1 English member and 1 Taiwanese member representatives.

SC Members must be committed to serve at least 2 years.

Goal is to search for 1 Mandarin Assistant Pastor, 1 Church Plant-Out Pastor and 1 Senior Pastor.

2. Form an Elder Nomination Committee in January of 2009 comprised of:

1 Pastor, 1 Elder, 1 Deacon, 1 Trustee and 5 Member representatives.

Goal is to recruit 1 Taiwanese Elder, 1 English Elder and 1 Church Plant-out Elder.

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1. We have learned from past experience that any long term committee need to have constant reporting accountability to one of the church governing boards.

2. Since we have 4 task oriented committees as a result of our Strategic Plan recommendation, we recommend the following division of oversight responsibilities by CCCNJ boards:

3. 1. The Elder Board to oversee the Elder Nomination Committee and the Church Planting Committee.

4. 2. The Trustee Board to oversee the Building Expansion Committee.

5. 3. The Deacon Board to oversee the Pastoral Search Committee.

Pastor - Pastor Andy Pigott 畢國安牧師

Elder - Elder Peter Lu 陸寧馨長老

Trustee - Ching-Song Wei 魏清松弟兄

Deacons - Paul Shen 沈保羅弟 (SPC Chairman)

& James Fu 傅建榮弟兄

Ministry Director - Janas Caruncho 堅那士弟兄

Mandarin Congregation Representatives:

- Marlene Chen 張怡姊妹 & Alan Fang 方貺弟兄

English Congregation Representative:

- Jean Lee 陳瑾華姊妹

Taiwanese Congregation Representative:

- John Lee 李約翰弟兄