Vision 2025

“Christ in His life on earth made no plans for Himself. He accepted God's plans for Him, and day by day the Father unfolded His plans. So should we depend upon God, that our lives may be the simple outworking of His will. As we commit our ways to Him, He will direct our steps.”

E.G. White Ministry of Healing, p. 479.1

Introduction, History & Context

   The Bonners Ferry Seventh-day Adventist church was first organized in the late 1800s but disbanded when key leaders moved away. In the 1930s the church was revived when an evangelistic series was presented in Copeland and Pleasant Valley. The small congregation moved into a building in downtown Bonners Ferry, but repeated flooding led them to move the building up on the south hill in the 1950s. Off and on during the time downtown, the church hosted a small school. By the 1970s the church had outgrown its space so a member gave them a parcel of land north of 3-mile. Lots of volunteer labor and donated materials turned into the A-frame church we meet in today. In the 1990s the church organized a small school in the basement and then in 2002, the congregation built the school we have today.
   Our congregation consists of around 180 members plus some additional spouses and children who are not yet baptized and several friends and visitors who regularly join us for worship. We have a community thrift store, an eight-grade elementary school, and a radio station.
   Our goal is to connect with people more deeply so that they may be drawn to Jesus and the beautiful message of the Bible taught by the Seventh-day Adventist church. We will do this by sharing the wonderful message of God’s love (John 3:16) in the context of the Three Angel’s Message (Revelation 14:6-12) both locally and into all the world.
   As Bonners Ferry Adventist Church journeys in this direction, it is re-positioning itself for a bold future. To facilitate its strategic planning efforts Bonners Ferry Adventist Church seeks to Reset, Redefine, and Realign its vision for the entire congregation.

Reset. We believe that we are divinely called to lives of service in Christ, the one who came to serve (Matt 28:20). Our role as spiritual leaders, educators, and lay people is to first love the Lord our God with all our heart and soul and mind and strength (Matt 22:38). We are also called by God, as a faith community, to “unity of purpose” in fulfilling the Great Commission (Matt 28:19-21), and as individuals, we are commissioned to reflect Christ’s love to all of humanity (Matt 22:39). We must also conduct ourselves with the utmost sense of urgency as we see the day of Christ’s return approaching (Rev 10:24). When we choose to embrace Jesus’ Great Commission to reach the lost, we surrender to the Holy Spirit, our lives are transformed, the world is blessed, and God is glorified.

Redefine. In active preparation for Jesus Christ’s imminent return, Bonners Ferry Adventist church entered a 40 Days of Prayer initiative. Leaders and members then came to a visioning summit where they prayed and examined the current ministries, systems and initiatives of the church asking for God’s guidance for the future. From this group and other leaders in the church, a Dream Team was formed to redefine our vision statement, mission statement, core values, and goals. After completing this process what emerged was a revised and formalized strategic plan.

Realign. The SWOT analysis identified several areas of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The strategic plan is focused on goal areas, priorities, and initiatives now necessary to accomplish what God has called us to do. Our church family is committed to doing its part to amplify Christ’s fame, strengthen lives, and restore communities so that everyone can know the love of Christ.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

John 3:16

“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for al, that those who live should no longer life for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”

2 Corinthians 5:14-15
Mission Vision Motto
We exist to share the good news of Jesus’ love within the context of the Three Angels' Messages (Revelation 14) with Boundary County and the world. We will allow Jesus to work through us. In Service To Others

 

Core Values Core Actions
S Service S Spiritual Revival
E Excellence E Engaging Youth & Young Adults
A Authenticity R Reaching Out to Others
R Relevance V Vibrant Church Revitalization
C Compassion E Excellence in Adventist Education
H Humility    

 

Core Values

We individually and corporately commit to these core values:
S | Service.
We are called to make a difference in the world by following the example of Jesus in serving           God and others in the everyday places of life. Our service grows out of genuine love for the Savior and a deep love and concern for others.  Matthew 20:28; Philippians 2:5-8; and Luke 10:25-37.
E | Excellence
What we do matters to God and to others. We will put our whole hearts into the work of caring more, risking more, and expecting more than we think is possible in our human capacity. Ecclesiastes 9:10; 2 Corinthians 8:7; Philippians 4:8; and Colossians 3:22.
A | Authenticity
As we draw closer to Jesus, we experience the freeing power of grace.  Because we are known completely and loved unconditionally, we love others authentically and treat others as we wish to be treated. Matthew 7:1; Luke 6:37; John 12:47; 1 Corinthians 4:5; and James 4:11,12.
R | Relevance
We will strive to live, teach, and preach the eternal truth of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ in ways that every person we contact will receive and understand. John 10:10; John 14:6; 1 Corinthians 9:22; I Timothy 4:12; and Hebrews 4:12.
C | Compassion
We are willing to genuinely see the suffering of others, to empathize with their pain, and to feel compelled to reduce their suffering. Matthew 14:14; Mark 6:34; 2 Corinthians 5:14,15; and Colossians 3:12,13.
H | Humility
We believe that Jesus is the greatest example of humility and desire to have the same mindset. He did not value His own self-importance or honor but freely gave it up in every situation so that God could be glorified through His life. Micah 6:8; Ephesians 4:2; Philippians 2:3,4; and I Peter 5:6,7.  

Core Actions

We individually and corporately commit to these core actions:
S | Spiritual Revival
To provide resources for Bonners Ferry Adventist church families to participate in prayer, Bible study, and the study of the Spirit of Prophecy that will foster passionate spirituality and commitment to Christ.
E | Engaging Youth & Young Adults
To engage, mentor, and disciple our youth and young adults to become dynamic Christ-followers and Spirit-led leaders in our church, school, and community.  
R | Reaching Out to Others
To proclaim the gospel by serving the needs of others through relevant community engagement and evangelism.
V | Vibrant Church Revitalization
To train, equip, and resource our members to grow spiritually, to engage with and lead out in church mission, and to lead others into a personal saving relationship with Jesus Christ.
E | Excellence in Adventist Education
To pursue excellence in and to advance Adventist Education that will lead our children to love, follow, and live daily as good citizens on this earth and in the heavenly kingdom.

Our Future

   As God continues to bless our church, it is inevitable that new members, leaders, and teams with innovative ministry ideas to reach and serve others in our community will begin to surface, form, grow, and thrive.  It is imperative that we have a clear roadmap for the future to ensure that we are ready to achieve our collective goals, priorities, and initiatives, as well as the opportunities that God will bring our way in the future.  We must continually encourage Christ-centered creativity, empower Bible-based personal ministries, and reward calculated risk-taking for the benefit of seeking and saving lost men, women, boys, and girls.
We must also stay true to our Seventh-day Adventist heritage and teachings.  We will do this by sharing the wonderful message of God’s love in the context of the Three Angels’ Messages (Revelation 14) both locally and into all the world.  As we perform work locally and partner with our sister Adventist churches to reach and serve the world, God will help us accomplish His goals, priorities, and initiatives in both traditional and non-traditional ways.  Although we are a church community of diverse volunteers, we are all agreed that we want to share the good news of the Seventh-day Adventist message far and wide to the very best of our God-given abilities. 
   We live in a world where the use of advanced technologies is a part of everyday life; crisp, concise, and rapid access to information and decentralized ways of working is the new norm.  To remain relevant, it is imperative that we remain flexible enough to accommodate an environment of continuous change and transformation.  We will do so without compromising our Christ-centered, Bible-based, Seventh-day Adventist vision, mission, core values, core actions, and beliefs.
Ultimately, we need our church to remain focused on the spiritual priorities of prayer and Bible Study, the Great Commission of reaching the lost men and women, boys and girls, and preparing for the soon return of the Lord Jesus Christ.  

   As our leaders and church family internalize Bonners Ferry Adventist Church’s vision and share in the work, the more effective we will be in reaching and ministering to people. 
   As we prayerfully consider these ideas and commitments, let’s ask ourselves the following questions:
   How will we remain relevant in the future?
   How can each of us personally further the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) in the context of the Great Commandments (Matthew 22:37-39) and the Three Angels Messages (Revelation 14:6-12)?
   How can we live out our faith together, so that we may bring incredible honor and glory to our great and marvelous God, and help everyone we possibly can to be ready for the soon return of the Lord Jesus Christ?

Strategic Goal Areas

We are called to participate in the Great Commission of leading people to salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. Bonners Ferry Adventist Church leaders and members have prayerfully worked together to identify seven primary strategic goal areas, under which, we can, by God’s grace and through His Holy Spirit, fulfill the Great Commission in Boundary County and beyond.
Our priorities and initiatives will be categorized under the following seven strategic areas of focus: 

  1. Communicating church Mission, Vision, Core Values, and Core Actions
  2. Discipleship and Church Revitalization
  3. Community Engagement & Evangelism
  4. Health and Wellness
  5. Advancing Adventist Education
  6. Ministering to Children, Youth, and Young Adults
  7. Facility Use and Missional Adaptation

   Our desire is to also be totally open to and fully surrendered to God’s miraculous leading as we work alongside Him to grow His kingdom. Therefore, we anticipate His leading us to other significant special initiatives and projects as we journey with Him and follow the leading of His Holy Spirit.
   The resulting goals and initiatives will be pursued alongside other, ongoing areas of service that the Bonners Ferry Adventist church already provides.
These initiatives are S.M.A.R.T.: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely.  They were designed to “H.I.T. the Target” using a Hurdle, Index, and Time accountability model. 
   We will accomplish our initiatives, help finance the work, and demonstrate spiritual faithfulness as we fulfill the mission of the Lord Jesus Christ.

   Hurdle: We will move forward with goals that are aimed at our target.

   Index: We will chart our course, track our progress, and hold each other accountable.

   Time: We will identify dates by which a goal will be achieved and track our level of accomplishment.

Example of a SMART goal:
Complete this Vision 2025 document to be ready for presentation to the church board by January 9, 2023.
 

Communicating church Mission, Vision, Core Values, and Core Actions | Strategic priority 1.0

Any successful spiritual enterprise begins and continues its journey by communicating its mission, vision, core values, and core actions to all its participants and members on a regular and repeated basis.


Initiative 1.1 — To present a summary document to the church and share a sermon to launch the new vision document in March 2023.
Initiative 1.2 — To print posters and a banner with the mission and motto as well as put the new motto on the weekly bulletin by March 2023.
Initiative 1.3 — To review the strategic initiative tracking template twice a year in the church board (spring and fall) and each year in a business meeting (fall).
Initiative 1.4 — To share a “state of the church” sermon in January of 2024 and 2025.
Initiative 1.5 — Tell a story of successes in reaching our goals on a quarterly basis — spring, summer, fall, and winter of 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Initiative 1.6 — To celebrate successes: small successes during monthly potlucks, and big successes in special social events to be planned in the quarter that the goal is reached.
Initiative 1.7 — To explore the integration of significant ministries through shared branding (such as the Cornerstone name) and collaborative initiatives by December 31, 2024.

Discipleship and Church Revitalization | strategic initiative 2.0

Our goal is to have a spiritually and relationally healthy church family involved in personal spiritual growth, discipling others, and gospel mission.


Initiative 2.1 — To have at least six discipleship-oriented small groups operating by May 31, 2023.
Initiative 2.2 — To implement a complete visitor tracking and follow-up system by March 31, 2023.
Initiative 2.3 — To have 60% of church participants read through the Bible by December 31, 2023 indicated with a participatory graphic in the lobby.
Initiative 2.4 — To have a Bible Q&A meeting at the church on a weekly basis starting in January 2023
Initiative 2.5 — To preach through the Bible in 2023
Initiative 2.6 — To establish prayer groups with 60% of church participants or greater by September 1, 2023 indicated with a participatory graphic in the lobby.
Initiative 2.7 — Host a marriage weekend on Feb 10-11, 2023, Feb 9-10, 2024, and Feb 14-15, 2025.

Community Engagement & Evangelism | Strategic initiative 3.0

Our goal is to personally, and collectively, work, minister, and serve alongside God to grow His kingdom through community engagement and evangelism in Boundary County and beyond!


Initiative 3.1 — To survey leaders and people in our community (city, county, hospital, service providers, etc) to understand the needs and ministry opportunities in our area by September 2023.
Initiative 3.2 — To host an evangelistic meeting of at least 15 presentations by October 28, 2024.
Initiative 3.3 — To run a Bible Worker training intensive by March 31, 2024.
Initiative 3.4 — Host yearly “bridging events” that reveal introductory biblical truths on subjects like the state of the dead, the mark of the beast, the sabbath, and health by May 26, 2023, May 31, 2024, and May 30, 2025.
Initiative 3.5 — To host Messiah’s Mansion in Boundary County by November 2025.
Initiative 3.6 — Explore a thrift store expansion and possible new location by December 31, 2024.

Health and wellness | Strategic initiative 4.0

We seek to leverage our collective knowledge and passion for health to minister to people with felt needs and open up avenues for sharing the gospel with them. Our goal is to have regular and repeated interactions with people to minister to their felt needs and to teach them how to live better in every aspect of their health—physical, mental, relational, and spiritual.


Initiative 4.1 — To start a wellness-centered, gospel-focused, medical clinic by June 31, 2023.
Initiative 4.2 — To have a “health expo” at the Boundary County fair promoting health classes and the medical clinic starting fall, 2023.
Initiative 4.3 — To start a local health and wellness radio program by March 2024.
Initiative 4.4 — To implement a multi-point contact intervention system that can begin with the clinical exam and extends to community support groups, small groups, cooking classes, weight loss programs, and other chronic diseases and lifestyle-based programs by June 2024
Initiative 4.5 — To start a monthly dinner with the doctor by June 2025.
Initiative 4.6 — To have a facility for the clinic inside the Bonners Ferry Adventist church by November 18, 2024.
Initiative 4.7 — To have a door-to-door medical mission ministry by June 2025.

Advancing Adventist Education | strategic initiate 5.0

Our goal is to do everything possible to ensure Cornerstone Christian School will not only thrive but be recognized as a leader among private schools in our county and state.

Initiative 5.1 — To establish a yearly teacher appreciation week on the first of every May, beginning May 1 - 5, 2023.
Initiative 5.2 — To raise $5,000 to upgrade recreational equipment and/or repair playground equipment by December 31, 2023.
Initiative 5.3 — To build and begin using an educational greenhouse by August 2024.
Initiative 5.4 — To explore and implement an effective growth strategy for the school that will lead towards expanding to a multi-teacher school by December 1, 2024.


Ministering to Children, Youth, and Young Adults | strategic initiative 6.0, 7.0, 8.0

Our goal is to enhance our ministry to children, youth and young adults.


Children’s ministry (4-12 yo)
Initiative 6.1 — To do a Joshua Jonavel Challenge for the youth, led by the pathfinder department by August 31 of 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Initiative 6.2 — To have four evangelistically focused pathfinder events every year beginning in 2023.
Initiative 6.3 — To learn about different faith communities and do specific outreach efforts to reach those communities in the spring of 2023, 2024, and 2025.

Youth Ministry (13-19 yo)
Initiative 7.1 — For the ministry placement committee to include youth and young adults in the ministry selection process recognizing their giftedness and providing opportunities for them to use and develop their skills by October 1, 2023.
Initiative 7.2 — Have youth help in planning and executing a mission trip by Dec 31, 2024.
Initiative 7.3 — Schedule youth into weekly church services.

Young Adult Ministry (20 - 35 yo)
Initiative 8.1 — To take 10 youth and young adults to the Generation. Youth. Christ. Mission event in Portland, Oregon, December 31, 2023.
Initiative 8.2 — To seek to employ qualified youth and young adults in paid labor for ministry advancement such as design, marketing, secretarial, or whatever opportunities arise, by November 22, 2024.

Facility Use and Missional Adaptation | Strategic Initiative 9.0

Our goal is that our facilities will meet the demands of our ministries and mission and that they are used regularly throughout the week in ways that minister to and support our community.


Initiative 9.1 — To determine the type and scope of a building project by March 5, 2023.

God’s continual leadership | Strategic Initiative 10.0

To be surrendered to the Holy Spirit’s leading in individuals and leaders of the church, prompting us to start new initiatives that have not been planned in this vision document.
Initiative 10.1 —
Initiative 10.2 —
Initiative 10.3 —

 

For additional information, a SWOT analysis, and church statistical information, please see the full Vision 2025 Document below.

 

Join Us

513353 Highway 95
Bonners Ferry, ID 83805-5864

Get directions

Saturdays

9:30am: Bible Study

10:45am: Worship Service

12:30pm: Potluck