What if…

With your help, Surprise Church will truly leave the building by our 10th birthday in 2024 to reach thousands with the surprising love of God.  We have an exciting vision and can’t wait for you to be a part of it.
 

God has called Surprise to pursue two priorities:

 
1) Bismarck Kindness Initiative
 
We believe that God is calling Surprise to multiply our already-strong Kindness ministry, which currently reaches 250 children and their families through Camp Kindness. God is opening our eyes to a year-round initiative that could more fully support local families and schools.
 
Imagine the possibilities:
  • A thriving partnership with Bismarck Public Schools
  • A kindness chapter in every school
  • Advisors and coaches to support each school’s activities
  • Mentoring and volunteer opportunities for older students and adults
  • Creating “Kindness content”  for schools, teachers, and counselors 
  • Meaningful activities and initiatives for families
  • Providing multiple Camp Kindness weeks to reach new families
  • Re-branding Surprise Kids as Club Kindness
 
2) Digital Ministry Platform
 
We already create fantastic content to help people grow in their faith. Now, we’re planning to create a digital space where our material can be enjoyed by anyone, anywhere. We could reach millions of people with our message and create a revenue stream to help multiply our mission. 
 
Imagine the possibilities:
  • A college student in Minnesota taking our Spiritual Growth Assessment
  • A couple in Florida attending our annual Marriage Retreat
  • A church in Rapid City using our Faces of Easter scripts
  • A rural church without a pastor playing our sermon videos in worship
  • A church in Oklahoma using our Camp Kindness curriculum
  • A group of Jamestown families using our materials to grow spiritually
 
Surprise is already being asked by other churches to share our content, and a dynamic platform will ensure that it’s easily accessible to anyone. 
 
How much will this cost?
 
Consider the costs of traditional expansion:
  • Retrofit an existing building for worship, kids, and classrooms ($1 million+)
  • Building a small worship facility ($2 million+)
  • Utilities, maintenance, and staff for a permanent facility ($200,000+ annually)
 
Traditional facility expansion can cost over $200,000 per year, in addition to the significant costs of purchasing, building, and remodeling.
 
God may call Surprise to invest in physical property someday, but today, He calls us to invest in the following to pursue Vision 2024:
  • A Full-time Kindness Initiative Director
  • A Full-time Communications Director
  • A Full-time Administrative Support Person
  • Digital tools and physical supplies 
 
Total annual cost: $250,000 (minus revenue generated)
 
Revenue projections:
Unlike facility expansion, Vision 2024 initiatives would generate revenue from camp fees and digital subscriptions, along with any community and corporate donations to support our Kindness Initiative. This means that our net costs should be under $250,000 once those programs are under way. 
 
 
How can I help?
 
1) Pray daily for Vision 2024.
Ask God to provide everything we need to accomplish Vision 2024, and to show you how you can help!
 
2) Participate.
Ask questions, get involved, and encourage others to join this exciting movement! 
 
3) Estimate Your Giving. 
After praying for God’s direction, you can pledge your next year of giving to the Surprise mission, which is a meaningful step of spiritual growth and a blessing for our church budget. Use the free resources on our Generosity Party page before submitting your Estimate of Giving.
 
4) Give.
 Set up an automatic monthly gift to support our Surprise mission. You can also give a lump sum to help make Vision 2024 a reality.