For the Church and Community -
a 50-Day Journey

WHAT is the Made to Count Journey?
The Made to Count Journey is a 50-Day Journey for all ages, covering eight Sundays and answering the question, "Am I living a life that matters?"

The eight Made to Count Principles:

1. God prepared a unique plan and calling for your life even before you were born.
2. God calls you to a life-changing relationship with Him through Jesus Christ.
3. God calls you to partner with Him in a mission that is bigger than you are.
4. God calls you to be on mission with Him right where you are--starting now.
5. God reveals His mission through His Word, His Spirit, wise counsel, and His work in circumstances around you.
6. God repeatedly brings you to a crossroads of choice as He forges you for His mission.
7. God guides and provides for your mission one step at a time.
8. When you answer God's call, you experience His pleasure and change your world.

WHO can participate in The Journey?
The Journey is for everyone in your church and your community. Adults, students and children (3-5th grades) can experience this 50-Day Journey.

I know what you're saying, "Not another PROGRAM!" We agree! This is not a program but an encounter. Webster defines encounter this way;

En•coun•/ter:
    to come upon face-to-face
    to come upon especially unexpectedly

The purpose of The Journey is to bring people face-to-face with the God who created them and to recognize and embrace their purpose and potential.

WHY is The Journey needed?
    Jesus told us, in Matthew 9:37-38, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

Often, the answer to that prayer is sitting in our churches untapped and untouched! God called each one of us to minister in the church through our giftedness, and to be a missionary to the arena in which he planted us; whether in the home, at work, at school in the neighborhood or community.

While the average church member may understand that God wants to have a personal relationship w/ them, most feel inadequate and frustrated that God couldn't use their lives to make a difference in the world. In fact, many members believe that those in vocational ministry are the only "true called" of God. Additionally, many express that they secretly believe that to be truly obedient to God, they must find a way to either go full-time to the mission field, or be on a church staff. This leads to many people believing that the pastor and staff are those who are "hired" to do the real work of the Kingdom. The result? Exhausted ministers and pastors, and unfulfilled lay people.

There are also many people in our communities who are not part of any church home-but who desperately want to know their life matters. The Journey gives them a unique opportunity to explore a relationship with God and mission alongside God in an atmosphere fully focused on the answers-from Sunday messages to the small group time.

WHAT will the Made to Count Journey do for our church?
The principles of MTC will equip, inspire, and energize both church members and vocational ministry leaders to live out the mission to which God has called them, right where they are starting now! Those who have gone through the journey say that it is the perfect follow-up for the Purpose Driven Life.

The first three principles focus on an individual's relationship with God. For many in your community, this is the first time they will hear God loves them and created them uniquely to be on mission alongside Him. They will embrace this truth and begin looking to your church as their spiritual home.

Here is what we have heard time and time again,
"I feel like I have been set free to live out God's call on my life!"

Churches are growing in size and commitment during The Journey!
"Our Sunday School enrollment went from 45 to 113 - and that's in a town of 1,000!"

What are The Journey components for each area of my church?

Worship Service/Pastor

• 3- one-minute promotional video spots to use in the weeks leading up to the Journey
• 8 sermon outlines,(one for each principle)
• Professional Power-Point presentations for all 8 weeks
• Commissioning Ceremony Guide and Certificate on Day 50 when your church can commission those who accept God's call to be "On Mission" right where they are - starting now!
• Graphics for use in your worship guide

Adult Sunday School or small group leaders and teachers

• 8- thirty-minute DVD's (audio available as well) of actual classes being taught by the authors. Use for preparation or during class time if you prefer.
• Fill-in the blank outlines coinciding with the thirty-minute lessons
• Power-Points to accompany teaching points if the leader wishes to teach the lesson using this medium.
• Lesson Plans
• Reading schedule
• The Made to Count Life Planner workbook - for in-depth teacher prep
• As an alternative: We offer 8-minute (DVD) conversation starters presented in a coffee house setting for those group leaders who prefer a small video segment and more discussion during small group time.

Adult participants

• Made to Count book
• Provides teaching of the 8 principles plus real life stories of people living them out. Chapter questions also included.
• Free online personality profile to help each person understand their own unique design
• Made to Count Devotional Guide
• 50 daily devotionals (about 15 minutes each) to accompany each participant's reading

Student Curriculum

• Large group lesson with Power-Point
• Small group discussions sheets based on the group time and highlighting a young person who is living life "Made to Count."
• Weekly 5-day devotional guides for students
• For students wishing to supplement their experience, the book, Live Your Passion, Tell Your Story, Change Your World is available and will enhance their grasp of the message.
• Permission to make unlimited copies for your church is given.

Kid's Curriculum - Christ Seekers Investigate! (CSI!)

• Kid's weekly lessons for grades 3-5
• Weekly Leader's guide and lesson plans
• Permission to make unlimited copies for your church is given.

Keys to a life-changing Made to Count Journey
Through the experiences of the churches and school that have been part of the Made to Count Journey Pilot, we've discovered that

• the most significant approach for both individuals and churches includes utilizing ALL of the Journey components.
• Adults benefit from having the book and the 50-Day Devotional Guide
• the most significant predictor of impact level is the Pastor's involvement and full focus for the 50 days.
• There is an increased vision, excitement and focus if the leadership team already went through the book and Made to Count Life Planner.
• the most significant challenge for continued life-change after the 50-days is to challenge each small group to begin a small group of their own at work or in their neighborhood. This challenge is best made during weeks 4-5 and will radically impact all of their lives as they live out their mission and see God work in and through them.

What additional helps can I get for my church and also to impact my community?
The Made to Count Journey team is pleased to announce its partnership with Outreach, Inc. Their mission is to empower Christian churches to reach their communities for Jesus Christ.

Outreach, Inc. provides a variety of quality pieces to promote The Journey inside your church as well as use The Journey as an outreach opportunity to your community.
At: www.outreach.com , you can order:

• Banners
• signs
• bulletin inserts
• postcards
• invitations
• and door hangers
• Promotional videos

Outreach, Inc. can also provide personalization of these products and assist in organizing a direct mail campaign to your community.

Where can I get more information?
Contact:
Jim Huntington, church liaison
Jim@madetocount.com
(678) 493-6948 home office
(678) 977-5791 mobile
You can also call our main office at 770/380-0423

When can I begin?
We have found that beginning the Journey at the key times noted provides for the maximum impact: Immediately after Labor Day, 3rd week in January, or immediately following Easter.

Is there Help?
We are happy to help brainstorm ways to make this most effective for your faith-family. We have trained staff to come alongside your church or small group--either in person or via a conference call. We are here to help.

Will this be affordable for my church?
Yes! Book pricing is discounted off the retail price and the Starter Kit pricing is extremely competitive.