High Pointe 2022 Proposed Budget Theme: Equipping the Saints for Ministry

“And he gave...the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,...to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ, so that...speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body...when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:11-16).

Our mission statement states, “We exist to see all people become wholehearted followers of Jesus Christ.” We understand our mission as a church to be rooted in the commission Jesus gave to his disciples: “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age’” (Matthew 28:18-20).

In addition to reaching unbelievers with the gospel of Jesus Christ and gathering worshipers, we seek to fulfill our mission by making disciples, which includes “teaching them to observe all that I (Christ) have commanded you.”

As Paul explained in Ephesians 4:11-16, the role of the pastors is to “equip the saints for the work of ministry.” Should the pastors be doing the work of ministry? Absolutely! But Paul helps us to understand that pastors should also be equipping the members of the church so that all of us are doing the work of ministry. The pastors’ job is to equip the saints, and all of us are involved in the work of ministry.

To highlight this ministry emphasis, the theme of this year’s budget is Equipping the Saints for Ministry. Copies of the budget are now available for you in the foyer and the nursery. You may also come to the church office during our regular hours and get your copy (Monday-Thursday, 8:30am – 4:30 pm).

By God’s grace, we have already had a variety of avenues by which the saints are being equipped at High Pointe. This includes the regular preaching of God’s Word, Life Classes on Sunday mornings, the High Pointe Institute on Wednesday nights, Women’s Bible studies, T2G’s, our Sunday night prayer services, biblical counseling training, youth ministry, and various other ministries in the life of our church.

As we look forward to 2022, we have sought to strengthen our efforts to equip the saints in a number of ways. We introduced a bookstore this year, and we hope to add to it in 2022 so that members can easily purchase good books at a low cost. Of course, this is in addition to the books we regularly give away on Sunday nights. We are excited to begin an internship program in the Fall to prepare men for pastoral ministry and/or missions, and we are looking forward to launching a new Summer Children’s Program that we pray will encourage our children and families, as well as allow us the opportunity to engage our community. We also hope to equip the saints by providing discipleship seminars intended to equip the church in areas like marriage and parenting. And because your pastors and staff need equipping as well, we are also planning further equipping through pastoral staff planning days, conferences, and an elders’ retreat.

As you can see, most of these ministries are designed in one way or another with the goal in mind of equipping the saints for the work of ministry. Would you join us in praying and asking the Lord to help us in 2022 as we seek to equip the saints for the work of ministry? And would you commit to finding opportunities to be equipped and to disciple others the Lord brings into your life? And finally, would you join us in asking, “How can I serve; how can I contribute to the building up of the body of Christ at High Pointe Baptist Church?”

God has been very kind in allowing us to see our giving continue to grow in 2021. As of Oct 31, 2021, our giving is $107,338 ahead of where we were at this point in 2020. That’s a 9% increase from 2020. And in 2020 we saw a 9% increase in giving compared to 2019. Praise God for how he has graciously provided this year! Putting all of this together, the elders are proposing a 2022 budget of $1,661,000, which is a 10.7% increase over 2021.

With the increased budget for 2022, we ask that you let it challenge you. Ask yourself if you give joyfully, sacrificially, and generously. If you do, we praise God for your generosity. May the Lord remind us that our giving reflects our hearts, and may our hearts be filled with a passion for Christ and for building up his church. Let’s make it our aim for 2022 to equip the saints for the work of ministry so that the whole body builds itself up in love.

If after getting a copy of the budget you have questions, we invite you to our budget Q&A on December 12, at 3:45pm. But you don’t have to wait for that time to ask your questions. Pastor Davey Davis or any of our elders who serve on the financial team are happy to answer your questions at any time. The reason we encourage asking questions in advance is that it allows us to research your questions to ensure we provide an adequate response or make the appropriate changes. Having answered all your questions beforehand, at our members’ meeting on Sunday night, December 12, the elders will present the budget for a simple vote. May our Lord continue to be glorified by your generosity.

Grace and peace,
HPBC Elders