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The NEXT Initiative
We are experiencing great days at WLCC! To ensure we are prepared for what God has in store for us NEXT, we believe now is the time to join together to advance the mission God has set before us.
A Message from Pastor Billy Byler
After Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and victory over death, His first interaction with His gathered disciples was to bring peace, mission and the Holy Spirit (John 20:21-22). These are essential gifts, and God has been faithful ever since to provide His followers with all that is needed to fulfill His mission.
For 89 years, Woodland Lakes Community Church has answered God’s call. Recently we’ve enjoyed a season of growth, celebrating every new face, changed heart, baptism and addition to God’s kingdom. But the mission is not complete. As the Holy Spirit continues to stir in the hearts of people all over Wichita, we want to be ready to join the Lord in His work.
This is why our church leaders have been earnestly seeking the Lord’s will for what is next for our church. We want to fully focus on God’s mission while following in the footsteps of past generations who have faithfully committed to seeing the lost and hurting find new life in Christ. We want to address the barriers to future growth, personalize God’s mission for each of us and step out in faith obediently, sacrificially and generously.
To reach those who don’t yet know Jesus, we have some big goals in mind. We won’t see this to completion without the leadership of the Spirit and the willing participation of every person in our church. Woodland Lakes Community Church has been blessed to be a blessing, and I’m asking you to join us as we prepare for the future, honor the past and prayerfully seek the Lord’s will. What part does He want you to play in this NEXT Initiative? Let’s find out together.
What is the NEXT Initiative?
In May of 1937 a pastor on a street corner near downtown Wichita put up a tent and started church meetings. After 18 days, Beulah Church of the Nazarene was organized with 25 charter members. This is the origin story of Woodland Lakes Community Church, and God has remained faithful ever since.
Throughout the life of our church, we have ambitiously and wisely adapted to changing ministry needs in order to faithfully tell others of the good news of Jesus. At every step, the lost were drawn by the Lord to a church family known for its welcoming hospitality and loving embrace of those who needed Jesus.
Our church is more than bricks or budgets; it’s about lives being transformed. In the past few years we have seen more and more people join us on Sunday mornings in worship. Those who are new to our church report similar experiences: we are a loving, welcoming church, and that joy is contagious!
We are also growing younger by planting seeds for future generations with more emphasis on children’s ministry and discipleship. The Lord is at work as we see altars full of people seeking the Lord, baptisms, new members, and even calls to ministry and a growing number of people engaged in relational discipleship through life groups.
As we rejoice in this growth of the church, we imagine a church facility that is perfectly poised to reflect the warmth and hospitality that we want to embody. We imagine having the extra margin in our budget to be able to meet the needs of our community. We imagine the additional care and support our leaders and volunteers would have when our budgets are not tied down by repairing an aging facility and managing debt. We don’t want to delay in fulfilling the mission God has given us. We want to press on for what God has NEXT.
This is about more than debt and repairs. This is about the NEXT step in God’s mission at Woodland Lakes Community Church. It is about investing in a vision the Lord has given us. And it is about seeing God at work and willingly accepting the opportunity to lead others to Jesus.
Will you partner with us as we join those who came before us to sacrifice for our friends, neighbors, children, and grandchildren as we plant seeds and step out in faith for what God has for us NEXT?
A legacy of faith; a future of impact
Projects
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COMPASSION PROJECT
First, because we value caring for those in our community, we will partner with Sleep in Heavenly Peace, a ministry that provides beds to local children in need. Along with our monetary donation, we will schedule a work day to build the beds!
ROOF REPLACEMENT
Our metal roof leaks, and we have been putting bandages on a problem that needs a more complete solution. We will be addressing our leaking roof by replacing it entirely. While it may not sound exciting, addressing our roof will prevent us from requiring long-term repairs inside our building.
SANCTUARY UPDATES
We will be updating some needed components of our sanctuary. While we may have become accustomed to it, parts of the sanctuary walls are chipping paint, and our room is showing the normal wear and tear of a used facility. We want to make sure that our facilities reflect the warmth and hospitality that we intend.
IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR KIDS MINISTRY FACILITIES
We want to refresh our kids ministry area, where future generations of the church are first introduced to Jesus. Improvements we have planned include sound absorbers in the clubhouse, painting, new carpet in the nursery, renovating the preschool bathroom, and new preschool rugs.
SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION OF OUR DEBT LOAD
There remains a balance of approximately $750,000 on our mortgage. We want to reduce our number of debt-laden years, advancing the timeline of a debt-free celebration. Freeing up valuable ministry dollars will allow us to provide for the needs of those around us and invest fully in the mission God has given us.
Be a part of what is
As a church, we are asking you to make TWO specific commitments as part of the NEXT Initiative.
1. Identify and commit to your “one.”
If you don’t yet have this person identified, commit to prayer as you ask God who this person is. Once you know, begin building your relationship as your pray for this person. Reaching our community won’t happen just through weekend services and programming - it will happen through our personal, intentional relationships.
2. Make a financial commitment
Commit to give sacrificially to resource our church projects by making a 2-year commitment, over and above your regular giving to Woodland Lakes Community Church. As you discern what your part in this may be, join us in praying, “Father, show me what step of faith I can take in order to join with others to meet this need.”
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770 S Greenwich Rd Wichita, KS 67207 | wlcc@woodlandlakescc.com | Tel: 316-682-9522
Hours: Mon - Thurs: 9am-5pm, Sunday: 9am-12pm
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