Sample Ministry Proposal: Associational Resort Program

Sam and Betty Anne Schlegel

The following three pages are adapted from the proposal presented to the St. Johns River Baptist Association executive committee for the first resort and leisure missions program to be conducted in the St. Augustine, Fla. This association is made up of a wide variety of churches, from large, relatively cosmopolitan, congregations on the coast to small, rural, churches inland. This proposal sought to explain why and how the ministry would be done in as clear and simple a way as possible. It was readily received and approved, and an updated version is included in this manual as an example of how a resort and leisure ministry might get underway.-Editors

FIRST COAST RESORT MINISTRY
St. Johns River Baptist Association Resort and Leisure Ministries

DEFINITIONS
First Coast Resort Ministry is the name under which the resort and leisure ministry activities of the St. Johns River Baptist Association are conducted and marketed in the community-at-large. This name was selected to establish an identity as a local ministry focusing on the resort and tourism areas in and near St. Augustine. As such, it has helped open doors and reduce suspicion when offering our resort and leisure ministry programs and activities to people in commercial and government settings.

First Coast Resort Ministry (FCRM) is primarily concerned with sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with all people in secular resort settings and locations, rather than the promotion of those doctrines and beliefs that are uniquely Baptist. Therefore, a specific denominational identity does not appear in the name so that opportunities for ministry will not be prematurely or unnecessarily closed. However, sponsorship of FCRM is clearly expressed in all contacts and promotional materials as a cooperative effort of all of the Southern Baptist churches in St. Johns, Putnam, and Flagler counties who are members of the St. Johns River Baptist Association.

Resort and leisure ministries communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ through mission ministry approaches to people involved in resort settings or leisure lifestyles. The purpose of these ministries is to express the love of God and the care of His churches to people who visit the resort settings and to those people, both seasonal and permanent residents, who work in the resort and leisure industries, activities, and special events of such areas.

PURPOSES
To involve churches and individuals in the St. Johns River Baptist Association and other mission volunteers in Christian outreach and ministry in the tourism and leisure areas of the association, particularly in St. Augustine and the beaches where more people are engaged in leisure pursuits.

To provide opportunities for worship, Bible study, and Christian counseling among tourists, campers, owners and employees of resort and leisure businesses, boaters, people at special events, and those in other resort or leisure settings.

To provide day camping, recreation, creative arts, and special programs and performances for people in resort and leisure areas in an effort to minister to their needs and to share the gospel in appropriate and meaningful ways.

To coordinate the efforts of other Southern Baptists and Christians who desire to be involved in cooperative resort and leisure ministry in this area.

PROPOSED POSITION DESCRIPTION
Director, First Coast Resort Ministry
(Volunteer position)

1. Coordinates the planning and programming for the associational resort and leisure missions program.
2. Is accountable for the expenditures that are related to the program budget.
3. Trains and supervises all volunteers and staff, including student summer missionaries and others assigned to the program by the Florida Baptist Convention, the North American Mission Board, and other approved sources of personnel.
4. Encourages the churches in the association to actively support the program and to involve their members in its activities.
5. Coordinates the training and activities of individuals or groups who have been invited or approved to assist with the ministry.
6. Report to the Associational Missions Development Council and the director of missions on a regular basis.

PROPOSED POSITION DESCRIPTION
Ministry Associates, First Coast Resort Ministry
(Student summer missionaries)

1. Is actively involved in the resort and leisure ministries program of the St. Johns River Baptist Association for the nine-week assignment period, under the supervision of the director of First Coast Resort Ministry.
2. Shares his or her Christian faith with people in resort and leisure settings, as well as with the church volunteers who work with them.
3. Serves in an informal chaplaincy role with owners and employees of resort and leisure businesses and events.
4. Conducts or assists with such programs as day camping, recreational evangelism, worship, Bible study, as approved by their supervisor. Supervises the work of volunteers serving with them on projects.
5. Helps recruit volunteers from among the churches and channels them into programs and activities in which they can be trained for service.
6. Serves as part-time volunteers in the Anastasia State Recreation Area, in selected community events, and in other settings, in an effort to minister to others and to help open avenues for future ministry endeavors.
7. Helps coordinate special performances and programs in resort and leisure ministry settings and special events.
8. Helps identify Christians in resort and leisure settings and encourages them to be supportive of each other and their personal ministries in their marketplaces.
9. Is available to speak to church youth and missions groups about their mission work and their personal call into missions.
10. Makes regular, necessary reports to their supervisor, the Florida Baptist Convention, the North American Mission Board, and their state student ministries programs.
11. Accepts responsibility for other related tasks as assigned by their supervisor.

Adapted from material prepared by Sam & Betty Anne Schlegel. Used by permission.