Building for Tomorrow Giving Campaign – First Baptist Church of Garden City, GA – Loving God, Loving People, Lighting the Way
In order to prepare us to cooperate with God in maintaining, upgrading,
Dear FBC Family,
God continues to show Himself at work in and through our church! Over 80+ years, hundreds of people have begun following Jesus, thousands have grown as disciples, and countless others have been influenced through the ministry of First Baptist Church of Garden City.
As we see God working in our midst again, so we want to prepare to maximize our church’s facilities to cooperate with Him and His plans for the future.
As we aim to live out our church’s vision of “loving God, loving people, and lighting the way to Jesus,” we want to be faithful stewards of our church’s property and buildings, so we have launched the Building for Tomorrow giving campaign.
Tommy Duke, Senior Pastor
First Baptist Church of Garden City
What is the Building for Tomorrow campaign?
Building for Tomorrow is a 36-month giving campaign that will prepare us financially
to cooperate with God in maintaining, upgrading, and leveraging our facilities for His mission:
reaching people for Jesus and making disciples.
The goal of the Building for Tomorrow campaign is $200,000.
November 2024 Update:
About 20 months into our 36-month campaign, we just over halfway to our three year giving goal. So far, we have already been able to invest in:
- Phase 1 of upgrading our signage to help identify and direct people around our church campus.
- Upgraded audio/visual equipment for all ages in the GC Kids children’s building.
- Fresh paint and decor in the Preschool and Nursery areas of GC Kids.
- New classroom layouts, toys, activities, and designs for the Preschool in GC Kids.
- All of this has been accomplished while upgrading all but one of our old, expensive HVAC units as they have needed replacing.
- Thank you for your continued generosity – we still have great plans in the works!
(Jesus) “…I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.”
– Matthew 16:18
The Four Initiatives of Building for Tomorrow:
1) Position our church to maintain and use our facilities into the future.
After decades of continuous operation (far beyond expectations), we have either already replaced or are in the process of replacing three different HVAC units across three of our buildings. We have been able to move forward with these costly replacements without missing a beat, thanks to this church’s generosity and stewardship up until now.
The first priority of this new giving campaign (and the largest portion of it) is to replenish our church’s savings to ensure that we are prepared for future building and property repairs, replacements, and upgrades. We want to stay on top of maintenance costs so that these temporal issues never hinder our eternal mission of reaching people for Jesus and making disciples.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” – Jeremiah 29:11
2) Upgrade the Children’s Building for the future of GC Kids.
One of the areas that God has positioned our church for growth is our ministry to children and their families, GC Kids. A portion of our Building for Tomorrow giving campaign will go toward upgrading and improving the environments in our Children’s Building.
We will work to add signage and age-appropriate branding so children and families who are new to FBC Garden City will know exactly where to go to experience God’s love and learn about Jesus. We will also be looking to create a dedicated check-in/out area to improve security for every child.
In addition, we will take a fresh look at how the Children’s Building is laid out and which rooms are being used, so that we can make the best and most effective use of the space. And finally, we’ll be looking to revise the paint and décor throughout the building to match the various age groups.
(Jesus) “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” – Matthew 19:14
3) Improve on-campus signage to assist and direct new people.
As we look to make the most of our campus in the days to come, we want to do our part to improve the experience of everyone who attends our church and prepare to better welcome the new people God is sending our way. To that end, a portion of this new giving campaign will go towards adding signs to identify each building and to direct people to the right place at a glance.
We will also conduct a campus-wide evaluation and upgrade of our signage to build excitement and remove anxiety for those who are new to FBC. Ultimately, we want to ensure that every attendee of our church is greeted, treated, directed, and seated in a way that best allows them to encounter the life-changing message of Jesus Christ.
“So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, ‘Come back to God!'” – 2 Corinthians 5:20
4) Explore future options to use facilities to further God’s mission.
As we build for tomorrow, we want to do our part to cooperate with God and the ministry opportunities with which He has surrounded us. Part of what we hope to accomplish with the Building for Tomorrow giving campaign is to prayerfully examine God’s plan for the future of FBC Garden City and consider how we may be able to leverage our physical campus to see lives transformed by Christ.
This may include looking at the possibility of allocating space to minister to K-12 students, Georgia Port Authority workers, and the families that live near the church. As we pray about God’s preferred future for His church, we may also consider possibilities for future campus expansion and/or remodeling. Our goal with this initiative is to prepare to pursue the “open door” ministry opportunities that God puts in our path.
(Jesus) “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” – Matthew 29:18
HOW CAN YOU BE A PART OF THE BUILDING FOR TOMORROW CAMPAIGN?
We are asking everyone who considers First Baptist Church of Garden City their spiritual home to prayerfully considering contributing to the Building for Tomorrow giving campaign, over and above your regular tithes and offerings. To that end, here are three next steps to get you started:
A) PRAY FOR GOD’S DIRECTION
Ask God to give you an idea of how much you can give (over and above your regular giving) to this special giving campaign. Some may be able to give large amounts and others less. The focus isn’t God’s people giving equal gifts, but everyone equally making a generous, sacrificial offering for the cause. Make a pledge to the Lord to give whatever amount He asks you to give.
B) CARRY OUR YOUR FAITH PLEDGE
Commit to give whatever amount the Lord calls you to give to Building for Tomorrow between now and February 28, 2026. Remember, you can give at any time by Clicking Here or by any of our normal methods of giving, listed at the bottom of this page.
C) GIVE A ONE-TIME OR RECURRING GIFT NOW:
Give a one-time or recurring gift toward fulfilling our $200,000 Building for Tomorrow goal. Between now and February 28, 2026, all gifts to the “Building Fund” will go toward our Building for Tomorrow goal.
You can give to Building for Tomorrow in any of the following ways:
1) Give In-Person
You can give by check or cash in the offering as it is collected each Sunday. You are encouraged to use an offering envelope with your contact information on it to be sure that your gift is recorded properly.
You can also drop off your offering at the church during office hours (Monday – Thursday, 10am – 2pm). Mark your envelope or check “Building” to designate your gift to Building for Tomorrow.
2) Give Online Anytime
Click below to make a one-time gift or setup your recurring gift now. The process is quick, easy, and secure. Select “Building & Grounds” to designate your gift to Building for Tomorrow:
3) Give via Text Message
The newest and simplest way to give right now is by text. It is an easy and secure method to give. Select “Building & Grounds” to designate your gift to Building for Tomorrow:
Text any amount you’d like to give to 84321
Then follow the simple instructions to honor God through your giving in moments.
4) Give by Mail
If you’re unable to give in-person or electronically, you can always mail in your gift to the church office. Mark your check “Building & Grounds” to designate your gift to Building for Tomorrow:
First Baptist Church of Garden City
35 Nelson Avenue
Garden City, GA 31408
Thank you in advance for your faithfulness, your generosity, and your willingness to give toward God’s preferred future for His church.
If you have any questions about the Building for Tomorrow campaign, feel free to contact Pastor Tommy Duke. If you have specific questions about your giving, please contact our Financial Administrator (Patsy Ethridge) in the church office.