First and foremost, we are asking that you pray and seek God on what He is asking of you. Prepare your heart to hear from Him, and then listen to what He says. Engage in a Life Group during this season if you haven’t already done so (we have multiple Open Group options specifically for this season!). Engage in personal reflection with God in the Accelerate Guide you will be receiving as you track along with the Accelerate message series. Talk with your group, your spouse, your family, friends, or others about what this commitment will mean for this next exciting season of your life.

We are asking that you make a commitment to the discipleship of generosity – generosity that helps the movement of God in our county. Follow His leading.

Finally, prepare to be amazed. We anticipate that God will move in huge ways as we seek an unprecedented result from our collective Accelerate commitments – something only God can do.

During this two-year period, every contribution to God through The Avenue is a contribution to our Accelerate generosity initiative. Every aspect of the vision God is calling us towards for the next two years will be funded through Accelerate. There will not be separate funds for the general fund, building fund, or other special projects. Every gift made will go into the same fund and will go towards our Accelerate initiative priorities. Both of our current campus locations have ministry priorities, and as a church we together have ministry priorities for this next season, and all of these will be funded, God willing, through our Accelerate giving.

Be creative as you explore ways you and your family can give towards Accelerate. You might have some stocks, real estate, or other items of personal property that you wish to give. Or you may have other types of stored resources that God has blessed you with in the past that He might be calling you to give out of during this time. If you have questions regarding how to make these types of gifts, please contact the Finance Team at finance@theavenuechurch.com and we would be honored to help.

In November 2023, we asked that everyone make a two-year commitment. The fulfillment period for the commitments will be from December 2023 - December 2025. At the midpoint of the journey, we ask that everyone either make a 12-month commitment if you haven't already, affirm your original commitment to finish strong, or even increase your commitment because of how God is growing your faith.

First of all, know that we serve a God of grace. Second, know that we serve a God who provides. Accelerate is about your total, prioritized, faithful generosity to God’s mission at The Avenue. We believe God calls us to action in times of hardship just as much as He does in times of abundance, and that looks different for every person. Accelerate is about a heart surrender - one that is only accomplished by seeking the Lord and responding to His call and His Word. So, that may mean you are being challenged to sell things, pick up odd jobs, or even trust God in faith by making a commitment you don't quite know how to fulfill right now. But, you believe God will provide as you seek ways to sacrifice and work towards that commitment. We would love 100% of us to be a part of Accelerate so we can all be supporting, loving, encouraging, and praying for one another through this spiritually-stretching season at The Avenue.

If you are currently seeking to make payments to pay off debt right now, we commend you for making progress on that. And you should continue to do so. We would be happy to help you in this journey and/or to recommend a budgeting class that might work well for you. Please contact us at info@theavenuechurch.com for opportunities in this regard. Being in debt does not, however, make someone "excused" from giving. Giving isn't about what God wants from you; rather, it's about what God wants for you. It should be our joy and privilege to give at all times, regardless of the amount or percentage. Please contact us if you need assistance with this or if you would like to speak with a financial coach, and we would be honored to help.

Accelerate was crafted specifically with you in mind. Accelerate is a "one fund" generosity initiative, meaning that it is different from a traditional capital campaign where you are called to give an extra gift above and beyond your normal giving - thus creating two steps for people who aren't yet giving. Accelerate is a call to surrendered, Jesus-driven generosity for absolutely everyone at The Avenue. If you have never given before, this is your chance to get involved with committed generosity. We really hope you will.

Accelerate is about the vision for our church and our personal discipleship in giving as followers of Jesus. We believe that the local church is one of the most compelling missions to give towards, and we would really love for you to make The Avenue your home and join us in Accelerate. If you are ready for it, this is a perfect time for you to put a stake in the ground and make this your church. We need you on the team!

Great question. People take different spiritual steps at different times. Some people begin praying before they begin attending church. Others begin going to a Life Group before they begin talking to God in prayer. Giving is a spiritual discipline, and it is embraced at different times for different people along their faith journey. One thing is for sure, however. God is calling ALL of us to give. And just like other spiritual disciplines, giving draws us closer to God. Jesus says, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19) Whether you have taken the spiritual step of baptism or whether you haven't yet, we would encourage you to still join us in this Accelerate initiative. We firmly believe that it will draw you closer to God and hopefully to a place where you are ready to make the decision to become baptized and to surrender your life to Jesus.