Members of First Baptist DC voted Sunday, June 4, to approve leadership and spending for the coming year and to invest in a consulting partnership intended to solidify the church's vitality for many years.
The consulting firm, Ministry Architects, and its founder, Mark Devries, are scheduled to begin an 18-month partnership with First Baptist in August.
The congregation asked that Ministry Architects help the church meet these objectives:
Create a unique and clear mission, vision, values and footprint for First Baptist Church of Washington, DC, to provide the reason WHY behind all we do.
Define the community beyond the walls of the church so that we can know, serve and engage it in FBC's mission, vision, values and footprint.
Maintain and grow FBC's congregation size and involvement, to deepen community with one another and with God.
Streamline FBC's governance structure, staffing plan, financial processes, and administrative systems to ensure efficiency, understanding, empowerment and effectiveness for decision-making now and in the future.
After initial assessments of the church's operations, including financial systems, consultants will be on site in September to meet with pastors, lay leaders and congregants.
Most of the lay leaders, including Moderator Rod Coates and other officers, who served in the 2022-2023 church year were re-elected Sunday to one-year terms.
The spending plan approved Sunday for 2023-2024 includes money for two new strategic investments: the first 11 months of work with Ministry Architects and operating reserves. Estimated income for the new fiscal year was adjusted downward, reflecting a year-to-year decline of 8 percent, or $27,000, in contributions to the church's operating budget. As a result, projected spending in several areas was trimmed to reflect these changes.
To review materials from the June 4 called meeting, see the church email sent on June 1, 2023.