What is the ultimate purpose of the Dream God's Dreams campaign?
Transformed lives! It's our vision... "To see All of Oklahoma, the Heartland, and the home of the Red Man Saved and Transformed!". Also, God has promised us 50,000 men, women, boys and girls. (Neh 7:66, Prophetic Words) It's time to take it to the next level of preparing for what He's promised... transformed lives!
How much will each family be expected to give?
The only expectation is to pray and seek God’s direction for what He would have you give. The amounts will be different for everyone. However, our prayer is that everyone will give generously and sacrificially. As a church family working together, the goal is: Not equal gifts, but equal sacrifice.
Will my giving commitment be made public?
No, your commitments and giving will not be made public. Only aggregate amounts for the entire congregation will be announced during the campaign.
How long will the campaign last?
The campaign will last exactly three years - 6/8/08 - 6/7/11. It starts and ends on Pentecost. Pentecost represents the outpouring of the Holy Spirit we are praying for.
How much will the next phase cost?
We will not know for certain the costs until we recieve a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) after the bids come in and the contract to construct is awarded. However, in collaboration with our architects, we have established cost estimates for the options we are considering. Please click here for details.
Isn't three years a long time to commit?
Every day, thousands of people commit to 30 year mortgages for their own house. What about God's house? (Haggai 1:4)
How will we pay for the next building phase?
The first portion of the costs will be funded through the donations that have already been received. As of June 8, 2008, our building fund balance is $2,125,095. After that, the funds will come from Dream God's Dreams offerings. If more funds are needed, a loan may be considered. (see next question)
Will we prayerfully consider borrowing some of the money for the construction if we do not have the entire amount in cash?
Yes. There is a principle in scripture that "the borrower is servant to the lender". This principle is amplified with loans that have no investment tied to them and lessened when the loan is used to purchase a valuable investment. Certainly, credit card debt is different than a real estate mortgage.
Borrowing money is not always a sin. If it were, then God's promise to bless us as lenders would result in us being accomplices to sin. A church borrowing money for a new sanctuary is no more sin than someone taking out a mortgage to buy a home. However, as the recent mortgage crisis has shown, even loans linked to real estate (which normally appreciates) should not be taken lightly. The bottom line is that we will ask God and we will not move forward into anything that is financially irresponsible. It is not God's will for His people or His church to be burdened by debt. We never want to be in a position where the ministries of the church serve the debt, rather than serving God and people!
Can I still make a commitment, even though the campaign has already been underway?
Absolutely! We plan to receive new commitments until the final month of the campaign in June 2011. So, whether you are new to the church or whatever the reason, we welcome and appreciate your generosity towards Dream God's Dreams. Your commitment will be the amount you intend to give from the date you sign the commitment form until June 7, 2011.
What is the timeline and when are we planning to build?
As of June 8th, we have completed the "Schematic Design" stage of the next building phase. Schematic Design requires more time than any other stage, except construction.
We are several weeks into the "Design Development" stage, which is scheduled to be completed on July 18th. After that "Construction Documents" will be developed and the project is scheduled to go out to bid in late October, with contracts being signed in late November if funds and campaign commitments allow. This would allow construction to begin during December 2008, assuming adequate funds and no significant delays in permitting. It cannot be overemphasized that there are many factors that can impact the timing of building projects - architectural and engineering delays, city permitting time, bank loan underwriting, the fulfillment of giving commitments, weather, etc.
May I give publicly traded stock to the building fund?
Yes. You may also give bonds, precious metals, land, homes, cars, valuable jewelry, coin collections, etc. In fact, there can be very attractive tax advantages to giving appreciated assets, particularly stock.
If you have any questions concerning ways to give or would like to arrange a non-cash donation, please contact the church office at (405) 943-2484.
Should I include my tithe in my campaign commitment?
No. Tithes support the day to day expenses, ministries, and giving of the church. Campaign commitments are offerings "over and above".
Are building plans subject to change?
Yes. However, your contributions to the building fund will never be used for any purpose other than land, buildings, and facility related expenditures (and possibly to tithe on building fund income, although to date we have tithed on building fund income through the general fund).
What if I have a question not addressed here?
If you have additional questions, please e-mail us at info@cotr.tv or call the church office at 943-2484.