Our Vision

Governing Principles and Considerations

Throughout the 20/20 Focus, the following principles and considerations will help guide and influence our planning and decision making:

A. God's Provision: We trust and believe that God will do immeasurably more in the Greater Suncoast and the Northern Tampa regions than we could ever ask or imagine. Our commitment is to put our trust and faith in God working with Him to continue the process of planning and strategizing for each level of progress that He directs.

B. Our Purpose: The church should always be winning the lost. In all of our planning and programming, we will stay focused on our core purpose to lead people into a loving and growing relationship with Jesus Christ and enfold them into the family of God. Additionally, we will strive to help all of our people at Lakewood to value and appreciate the importance of church growth, and to experience first hand, the excitement of seeing God at work doing miraculous things. Lakewood will be a Church that targets lost people young and old as well as misplaced people who love God but for one reason or another are wandering without a clear direction concerning their church family. Our Purpose Statement is as follows:

We exist to:  
  1. Win the Lost
  2. Train Disciples &
  3. Make Jesus Famous (Lift Up Jesus)

C. Our Values: Our values (see section VII) define what is important to us. Our values shape who we are, what we do, and how we act. In all things, we will strive to model and live our values.

D. Faith: A new church growth strategy challenges us to step out in faith beyond our current comfort levels. We believe that God's blessing and provision in the early stages of the 20/20 Focus Growth Strategy will be abundant. We recognize God's blessing on Lakewood and we will strive to be faithful with the abundance He has and will pour out on us.

E. Prayer: Prayer is active communication with God. We recognize the power and absolute necessity of seeking God's direction as it pertains to every stage of Lakewood's progress. We realize that there is a business side to the ministry and that side of the ministry needs to be bathed in constant prayer. We are committed to integrity in our business practices and prayer will help guide our course. Ecclesiastes 5:3 says that a dream comes through the multitude of business.

F. Relationships: Establishing, building and nurturing relationships with God, with one another, and with the Community will be one of the top priorities in all we do.

G. Excellence: We will strive for EXCELLENCE in all that we do. Excellence honors God. We desire to eliminate barriers between Christ and the unsaved. Our commitment to, and demonstration of excellence, will draw unsaved people to be more receptive to hearing and considering the good news of Jesus Christ. We believe that ministry should be both anointed and professional.

H. Planning: He who fails to plan... plans to fail. We will always seek first to be lead by God without being constrained by our plans. We will use planning as a tool to help us join God in what He is doing and to accomplish what He is calling us to do. Planning will help us coordinate our limited resources to move us from where we are to where God wants us to be. Our plans will serve as a guide to help focus our efforts and will be updated frequently to reflect where we are and help us go where God is leading us.