EXPAND THE DREAM

In the ten years from 1999-2009, God resurrected a dying church and breathed new life into ORBC!  God touched hundreds of lives in our first 10 years together.

Our church no longer had to struggle to survive.  We didn’t worry weekly over whether we could pay the electric bill or the rent.  We were finally over the hump.

But with that new phase came a new danger.  Churches and Christians can be easily lulled into a comfortable faith that no longer stretches; no longer risks and no longer sacrifices.  We can easily buy the lie that God blessed us for our own enjoyment.

In 2009, I spent time seeking God’s will for our church and asking Him, “What’s next?” After a year of talking with God He showed me our next chapter.

Our 10 year vision is to MULTIPLY the mission by multiplying new LEADERS and new LOCATIONS.

Specifically, the ORBC D.R.E.A.M. is to:

D – Develop the Salisbury campus

R – Reach our community for Christ by baptizing 2,500 new believers

E – Expand to 10 locations

A – Activate 1,000 new leaders

M – Mobilize 1,000 missionaries

In March, 2010, I shared this vision with our church family and called upon our members to give sacrificially so we could Expand the DREAM and our people stepped up! 312 families pledged $3.9M over a three period!

Fast forward three years later, we have received a little over $3.5M of the pledged amount.  That’s pretty incredible considering we are in one of the worst economies of this nation’s history!

The “D” in D.R.E.A.M.

Phase 1 of the ten year DREAM is to build a new worship facility to accommodate up to 5,000 weekly worshipers. To do this we planned to sell off 1/2 of the shopping center and combine the proceeds of the sale with our sacrificial gifts and then later renovate our current worship building to become a Family Ministries Center!

STEP 1 – sell the west half of the shopping center.

From 2010 through 2013 we went through not one, not two, but THREE excruciatingly painful disappointments of a potential sale that fell through at the last minute .  It was heart wrenching to say the least. Last year I went through a season of prayer and fasting, asking God what He wanted us to do while we wait.

In December, 2012 He clearly said, “Press pause on the “D” and press play on the “E”!”

Soooo, we began working feverishly on our first Multi-site campus launch: SEAFORD!

We obeyed God and now the campus is ready to open on October 20th!!!

And then, out of nowhere came a new buyer for the shopping center.  After tons of negotiations we finally settled on terms and SIGNED A CONTRACT at the Volunteer Rally!  God is GOOD!

As all of you homeowners know, a signed contract is good but not money in the bank.  The buyer now has 90 days to close.  So keep those prayers rolling as we look forward to sealing the deal by year end.

I am SO EXCITED to see all God is about to do!  How about you?

Love you guys!

Pastor Brian