VISION FAQs
What is the goal for the Love You Des Moines ministry expansion?
Valley’s vision is “Changing our lives. Changing
our world. All through Christ.” The
goal of the Love You Des Moines ministry expansion is to launch new ministries
and locations to pursue our vision of changing our lives and our world through
Christ. With both the Community Center and City Center, Valley will have
facilities to better serve and love the people of greater Des Moines and
beyond. Both facilities are only tools we can use to launch expanded ministry.
The focus is always on loving people.
How does the plan for ministry expansion align with our vision?
The ministry expansion plan is rooted in the big rocks of
our church’s vision:
- Healthy Families and Relationships
- Community Bridges
- Life-Changing Conversations
The Community Center and City Center each provide a unique
location where each of these three rocks can be expanded in ways that
complement the work God is already doing through our main church facility.
Why is now the time for this ministry expansion?
Nearly seven years ago, God enabled us to purchase the 35
acres across the street from our current facility. We have sought God
diligently and believe that now is the time to begin the ministry expansion. We
feel there are a number of markers that indicate now is the time for ministry
expansion. We are:
- Aligned
with the overall vision/mission of the church
- Confirmed
by spiritual markers in prayer, the Word, and experience
- Supported
by a healthy atmosphere in the church family
- Motivated
by a current and compelling vision
- Readied
by a holy discontent of the status quo
- Stirred
by a spirit of sacrificial generosity
- Informed
by an understanding of the church family
- Guided
by visionary and wise financial steps
What ministries do we see expanding through the Community and City Centers?
There are four primary areas
where we see ministry expanding.
COMMUNITY
Bless the community
We desire to serve and love the greater Des Moines community. We desire to
expand our ministries to the people of greater Des Moines for positive
community betterment. We desire to work with community groups to serve the
people of greater Des Moines in a wide variety of activities and events. We
also desire to share the facilities with partners in Christian ministry to
advance common Christ-centered goals.
COMPASSION
Show authentic compassion
We desire to greatly expand our compassion ministries. We plan to expand
our ministry to the disability community, serving greater numbers of people
with special needs and disabilities and their families and friends. We desire
to serve economically disadvantaged people, internationals, and others in
transition through human services, practical life-skills training, mentoring,
and real-life acts of good works done in the name of Christ.
OUTREACH
Connect through outreach
We desire to expand our outreach of good works and good news through…
- Sports outreach, including Upward Sports
and many other community-oriented sports, recreation, health, and fitness
outreach programs.
- Gatherings for community groups, support
groups, marriage and family enrichment, explorer groups, Bible studies, prayer
groups, arts, music, theater, mom’s groups, play groups, conferences, worship
venues, and more.
- Ministries that are designed to reach out
to people of diverse backgrounds, ethnicity, socio-economic status, language,
disability, and nationality.
GENERATIONS
Love all generations
We desire to provide a gathering place for all generations to experience
healthy relationships, community bridges, and life-changing conversations. Both
facilities provide the opportunity to host a variety of ministries, events, and
programs for:
Children and their parents, young adults (single and married), people who
are single or single again, boomers entering their “encore” season, junior and
senior high students, married couples, grandparents, and seniors.
What makes the Love You Des Moines ministry expansion a spiritual step of faith?
God gave our church the vision to reach our growing
community for Christ by beginning Valley Church over 20 years ago. We continue
to step out in faith for His provision every day. It took major steps of faith
to plan, fund and build our current church facility and purchase the 35 acres
of land on the South Campus. It took major steps of faith for the individuals
and families of Valley Church to give sacrificially toward the vision of
reaching more of our community for Christ. We look forward to another
successful ministry expansion when the people of Valley will have the
opportunity to help fulfill the vision of the Community and City Centers to meet
the needs of our community.
What are the major components of the project?
The primary components of the project will be the donation and renovation of
the City Center property, site development on the south campus land, and
construction of the Community Center on the south campus. The development of these facilities will
then enable us to launch a great expansion of outreach and ministry. But our
focus is not on buildings, it's on loving Des Moines. We also see connections between all three locations,
including our current building.
They are not mutually exclusive.
They all feed on each other and are mutually beneficial. They actually
multiply one another. Each one
helps the other. They don't
compete. They enhance one another,
multiply impact, and reach and love more people in Des Moines.
What does the ministry expansion process look like?
First, Valley Church attendees will make commitments to
prayerfully support and financially fund the projects. Upon God’s provision financially,
specific construction plans will be finalized, site development will begin on
the south campus land, and construction of the Community Center will be
completed on the south campus. Prioritized throughout the process will also be
plans and construction for renovation of the City Center facility. The
development of these facilities will then enable us to launch a great expansion
of outreach and ministry.
What is the timeline for completion?
Timelines will be set more firmly after the results of
the financial commitments are known.
If the Lord is willing and provides adequate funding, we hope to begin
development in late 2011 and begin utilizing the new facilities sometime in
2012.
I have some ideas, questions and/or feedback. How do I share those?
First, we plan to have
opportunities for Life Groups and other groups of people to visit the south
campus property on future Sundays.
At these meetings, we will share more information about the vision and
give opportunities for ideas, questions and feedback.
Second, we are taking several
months to share the vision and answer questions. So, there will be ample time to share with leaders. Elders will be available in the church
atrium to discuss and answer questions.
Third, you can send a specific
question to loveyoudesmoines@valley-church.com
or write the question on your community card during church.
How will this expansion affect the use of our current facility?
The current facility will benefit
from the additional space and ministries available at the new facilities. The Community Center opens
opportunities for an expansion of ministry and outreach, and may offer
opportunities to expand Sunday morning activities into an additional location,
freeing up space in the current facility.
The City Center property will offer a similar ability for a satellite
location at some point in the future.
However, we do not anticipate either facility modifying the core
purposes of our current facility in the immediate future.
Does this ministry expansion fill our need for more meeting space?
The Community Center will have the capability to support
programming on Sunday mornings, including Life Groups, men’s, women’s, student
ministry, and worship venues.
However, operating at an additional location presents some logistical
challenges that will need to be overcome as the site is developed.
What were the milestones along the way that led you to believe that God was providing this opportunity to Valley Church?
- 1992 – The Lord led us to our current location
and we were able to purchase 5 acres.
- 1994 – The Lord enabled us to purchase an
additional 5 acres adjacent to our original property.
- 1997 – Valley Church with about 600 attendees
launched a $7 million campaign for the construction of our current facility.
- 2000 – We moved into our current facility.
- 2004 – Process begins to acquire 35 acre south
campus
- 2007 – Valley Church completed final payment on
35 acre south campus, and the ministry expansion vision was affirmed to pursue
to the construction of a Community Center as the first phase of the south
campus.
- 2008 – Construction completed on North Point
addition.
- May 2010 – After much prayer and extensive
input, God clearly led the church to not pursue acquisition of the Evanvale
property, while confirming the overall vision for ministry expansion.
- Dec 2010 – The owners of the City Center
property approached Valley about donating the facility to Valley Church,
complementing the existing plans for expansion on the south campus property.
- Feb 2011 – The ministry expansion is launched
with a vision to expand Valley’s ministry to love and serve the people of
greater Des Moines and beyond.