KING’S HEROES
The King’s Heroes are the youth department of the Fountain of Life Churches International committed to empowering her members through wholesome development to offer their unique gifts in service. During the past three years we held a series of discussions to assess where we are today and to develop a shared vision of where we want to go and what we want our department to be. The result was a vision statement and set of commitments to realize that vision.
The assessment and the vision statement can be viewed as the end posts of a road marking a journey that the ministry is beginning to take. Having defined the start and the finish, it is necessary to define the best road to take us to the destination. This strategic plan accomplishes that purpose by defining goals and objectives that are consistent with our vision and our commitments, assigning responsibility for their accomplishment, and establishing a process for identifying milestone and dates for their completion. Overall, we wish to establish a well-structured youth department keen in performing the work of ministry.
1.1 Background
The King’s Heroes is a department of youth within the Fountain of Life Churches International. The membership is drawn from ages 13 years to 30 years, youth of all ethnic backgrounds and nationalities within the local churches of Fountain of Life Churches International.
1.1.1 Membership Qualification
1. Shall be registered members of a local church under Fountain of Life Churches International.
2. Shall be youth of the age bracket between 13 - 35 years
3. Shall regularly attend all youth meetings as required
4. Shall respect the leadership of this department and the church at large
5. Shall participate in all activities and programs of this department as required
6. Shall obey all rules and regulations laid down by the department
7. Shall be willing and ready to support the department in furtherance of its aims and objectives
1.2 Doctrinal statement
As members of the universal body of CHRIST, this group shall accept, stand by, act upon, and adhere to the fundamental beliefs as outlined hereunder. These fundamental truths, to which every member of the King’s Heroes shall subscribe, and contrary to which no teaching or preaching shall be permitted in the group, are and shall be as follows:
a. We believe in one GOD, eternally existing in three persons, GOD the FATHER, GOD the SON, and GOD the HOLY SPIRIT
b. We believe in the deity of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His atoning death, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the FATHER, in His personal future return to this earth in power and glory
c. We believe in the gifting, manifestation and working of the Holy Spirit in convicting the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment
d. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the life everlasting, and the blessed hope and the rapture of the Church at CHRIST’s coming
e. We believe that the Bible is the inspired and only infallible and authoritative written WORD of GOD
f. We believe that the only means of being cleansed from sin is through repentance and faith in the precious blood of CHRIST
g. We believe in the resurrection of the saved and the lost, the one to everlasting life and the other to everlasting damnation.
1.3 Department Administration
1. Director of Youth Ministry
2. National committee
3. Regional Committee
4. Diocesan Committee
5. Presbytery Committee
6. Local church Committee
1.3.2 Local Church Committee
The King’s Heroes shall be composed of the following appointed officials:
1. Chairperson.
2. Vice chairperson.
3. Secretary.
4. Vice Secretary.
5. Treasurer.
6. Committee members (not more than 4 in number)
A person appointed by the Pastor-in-charge, and who is an elder (married man or woman) of impeccable integrity will be responsible for the affairs of this department as a patron.
1.3.3 Presbytery Committee
The presbytery shall be run by committee chosen by the presbyter and pastors of the presbytery in conjunction with youth leaders of the local churches. The leaders can be drawn from youthful pastors and youth leaders. The committee shall comprise a chairperson, secretary, and treasurer to run the affairs of youth ministries.
1.3.4 Diocesan Committee
The diocese shall be run by committee chosen by the diocesan bishop and presbyters of the diocese in conjunction with presbytery’s youth leaders. The leaders can be drawn from youthful pastors and youth leaders. The committee shall comprise a chairperson, secretary, and treasurer to run the affairs of youth ministries.
1.3.5 Regional Committee
The diocese shall be run by committee chosen by the diocesan bishop and presbyters of the diocese in conjunction with presbytery’s youth leaders. The leaders can be drawn from youthful pastors and youth leaders. The committee shall comprise a chairperson, secretary, and treasurer to run the affairs of youth ministries.
1.3.6 National Committee
The national committee shall comprise the National Director of Youth Ministry as chairperson, a secretary and a treasurer drawn from the regional leaders. The regional leaders shall form the committee that runs the affairs of the national youth ministry. The leaders can be drawn from youthful pastors and youth leaders.
1.3.7 Duties and Responsibilities
1. To organize youth meeting including prayers, seminars, conferences, fellowships, retreats among others
2. To participate in welfare activities such as visiting the sick and the needy in the church
3. To initiate activities including income-generating projects, and programs for the youth
4. To participate and get actively involved in the support of missions and evangelism
5. To formulate and develop a youth working policy
6. To support and stand with the vision of the FOLCI
7. Any other duties and responsibilities that may be relevant to the furtherance of the goals of the department and the church in general
1.4 Review of programs
Currently the King’s Heroes have different programs and ministry expeditions – national youth day, national youth conference, regional conferences, seminars, retreats, camps, keshas. The Youth are given the freedom to exercise their gifting and graces within their local churches, presbyteries, regions and nationally. Other programs in the group include evangelism and outreach, discipleship, and High School ministry.
1.5 Problem analysis
The department being new does not have structures that guide the youth ministry. The department lacks leadership structure to guide in execution of the vision, financial structure to ensure remittance of youth fund to finance the ministry and there is lack of cohesion among the youth in the various churches within the fellowship. The group has realized that some members do not attend joint meetings which impede cohesion and united growth towards achieving the goals. Since the department started holding national conferences members from some regions have never attended without logical convincing reasons. Some local churches, presbyteries, regions and the national churches do not have youth leaders who can carry the burden and the vision. The issues facing the department, and which this strategic plan seeks to address, fall under the following broad categories.
1. Leadership (lack of leadership structure)
2. Discipleship and Mentorship- (poor discipleship)
3. Diversity in spiritual gifts, talents, abilities, knowledge, and skills (underutilization)
4. Economic Stewardship (need for proper management of resources; limited financial and human resources)
5. Training (limited capacity of members in Christian ministry)
6. Fellowships and Membership (low level of commitment and participation of members)
Our organizing, processes and procedures are maturing. We are looking into formalizing processes, revisiting structures of committees, extending ministries, understanding inter-dependencies across functions, and developing evaluation and improvement mechanisms for our ministries, operations and programs. We intend to continue having an annual assessment survey, guided by the leaders.
This assessment is based on constant feedback and responses from the youth during and after events/ministry programs. The feedback has been helpful in recognizing the loopholes to be fixed and to be aware of the needs of the youths in general.
1.6 Major issues
We have identified critical issues that must be addressed during the strategic planning process. These include Personal relationship with God; Discipleship; Mentorship; Diversity in spiritual gifts, talents, abilities, knowledge, and skills; Training; Outreach and in-reach; Evangelism; Fellowships; Membership growth and Administration, Finance, Resource utilization and budgeting. These are related to our challenges and environment as well as our mission.
1.7 Planning parameters
The broad framework within which we will plan will be those in our mission, vision and purpose statement which include wholesome development through wholesome teaching, service and ministry to the youth with an aim to changing lives and growth to spiritual maturity. They will also be defined by the problems identified as stated above. Our stakeholders are FOLCI youth members, pastors, bishops and FOLCI at large. Our values are based on Biblical principles and are accepted and well understood by youth members. In the planning process our assumption is that the external environment will remain relatively stable as the government continues to emphasize freedom of worship and that we shall continue to receive support from the surrounding entire FOLCI churches.