The Entrusted Vision

In Matthew 25:14-30 Jesus told a motivating and convicting story. The Master of the house entrusts three servants with various amounts of His wealth. Those servants who take what was entrusted to them, put it to work, and return an increase to the Master are lauded with, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” Those words motivate because we want to hear them from God, the Master. They convict because we know God does not want us to bury what He has given but put it to work. Expectation Church has been entrusted with much over the years and God continues to entrust us with more.

Our mission, values, and God’s blessings inform what is next for our church. We are calling this the Entrusted Vision: to develop a missions cadence, plant new churches leveraging a multisite strategy, and initiate our next building phase to increase our ministry capacity on Braddock Road - all to reach people far from God so they will experience faith in Christ.

What is the Entrusted Vision?

Missions Cadence

God has entrusted our church with people eager for missions and the resources to regularly support 37 missionaries and church plants around the world. We are establishing an annual missions cadence to prayerfully, financially, and physically support these efforts through local, domestic, and international projects.

This rhythm also helps people discern and step into God’s calling, choosing passion over comfort. It is an outward-focused approach to reach more people who are far from God so they can experience faith in Christ.

Preaching in English service
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Local Church Planting

God has entrusted us with growth and a calling to make disciples. We are putting to work the lessons, resources, and people He continues to provide to start new churches. These will begin as Expectation Church campuses for a season and become independent churches, allowing us to expand our reach so more people who are far from God experience faith in Christ.

We anticipate this church planting strategy will require about $1 million over three years (approximately 10% of our annual budget). This can be covered through savings and operations if 50 people who are not currently giving regularly begin giving consistently each month.

building
Property Expansion

God has entrusted us with a building and property on Braddock Road with significant unrealized potential. We currently steward a 56,000 sq. ft. facility along with 125,600 sq. ft. of undeveloped land. Community groups use our space most days of the week, and we regularly shuttle volunteers from off-site parking due to limited capacity.

We are developing a multi-phase site plan, beginning with a new ministry building and expanded parking. The proposed addition includes 20,000 sq. ft. of ministry space (a 36% increase), designed with a focus on student and community ministry, along with 126 additional parking spaces (a 31% increase). These improvements position us to better serve both our church and the surrounding community.

Entrusted Vision Timeline

JULY 2026

MISSIONS CADENCE
  • 5 people traveled to Tanzania on July 13, 2026
  • Partnered with Amazing Grace Church for Praise in the City outreach event
PROPERTY EXPANSION
  • Submitted final Statement of Justification and supporting documents 10 Jul 26 with county feedback
  • Public Hearing is scheduled for September 23rd.
MULTI-SITE CHURCH PLANTING
  • Discussions happening; no updates.

JUNE 2026

MISSIONS CADENCE
  • 5 people traveling to Tanzania in July 2026
  • Michelle Price visited from the UK the first weekend of July 
  • Working on partner project with Amazing Grace Church DC
PROPERTY EXPANSION
  • Updated renderings of the new spaces
    • Youth center space – foyer and worship spaces
  • Re-submission deadline – 10 Jul 26 with county feedback
  • Traffic team drafted memo with County Staff feedback – back and forth
  • Drafting a brochure for Entrusted Vision meeting – capital, prayer, and volunteer campaign.  “FAITH.FULL.”  
    • Aim is to be distributed in Sep.
    • Three-year campaign
  • Board of Zoning Appeals Public Hearing rescheduled for Sept. 23, 2026
  • Held Neighbor Open House at Expectation Church on June 4th.
  • Received a rough contractor estimate for the project.
MULTI-SITE CHURCH PLANTING
  • Discussions happening; no updates.

MARCH 2026

MISSIONS CADENCE
  • The Greece missions trip is coming together, with leaders and teams continuing preparation.
  • The team identifies a strong resource to help navigate tax implications related to missions trips.
  • March 27 – April 6: The Spain Missions Team serves in Madrid and Ligonde, managing and maintaining a hostel along the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage.
  • March 29: Regina Chacha from HopeCo visits and speaks to the church, sharing vision for the Tanzania missions trip and meeting with the team to provide deeper context, history, and insight.
  • The Feed Fairfax 5K registration is now open, inviting the church into local outreach opportunities.
PROPERTY EXPANSION
  • The church prepares to notify all entities within 500 feet of the property following SPA submission.
  • The Platt Consolidation Application, along with the Special Permit and Amendment are officially submitted and enter the county review process.
  • The current building plan is expected to take approximately 12 months for approval, meaning any revisions can only be submitted after the initial plan is approved.
  • The team walks and prays throughout the surrounding neighborhood and nearby churches, asking for favor and unity.
  • A 3D rendering of the future building reveals a design centered on natural light and next-generation space.
LOCAL CHURCH PLANTING
  • Leadership teams actively define criteria and data points for selecting a future church plant location.
  • Research efforts expand across Northern Virginia, including:
    • Stonebridge → Ashburn
    • Ashburn → Sterling
    • Dale City → Lorton
  • Team travels from Arcola to Ashburn to Sterling to visit and assess communities firsthand, exploring opportunities to meet in:
    • Local schools
    • Movie theaters
    • Community spaces
    • (Not many churches in that area.)
  • Research highlights Woodbridge and Potomac Mills as areas with high immigrant populations and strong openness to the gospel.
  • Auxano consultant recommends:
    • Launching in January or late summer (Aug/Sept)
    • Securing the location first, then determining the facility strategy

FEBRUARY 2026

  • Vision Sunday formally launches The Entrusted Vision
  • The church approves additional funding and savings strategy to support long-term vision
MISSIONS CADENCE
  • Short Term Missions eGroup begins meeting to start training people for upcoming trips and get insight to effective International Missions.
  • Jamie Petrik is designated as the leader for the Tanzania Missions trip
  • The Spain trip serves as a testing ground for refining systems and processes.
  • Keith Nystrom and Danielle Nystrom lead preparation for the Greece missions trip.
  • The church continues preparing for the Feed Fairfax 5K outreach.
  • A partner church plant we support in Pittsburgh requests support for a key ministry event (i.e., their Vision Night), prompting evaluation and collaboration.
PROPERTY EXPANSION
  • The property consolidation proposal is submitted, marking a major milestone.
  • The Special Permit Amendment (SPA) includes a comprehensive 11-page justification document outlining the full plan. The submission reflects input from multiple contributors across teams involved in the process, ensuring alignment and thoroughness. Pastor Christian and Pastor Bill help refine and finalize the submission materials. The approval timeline is expected to take up to one year, with ongoing prayer for favor throughout the process.
  • An archaeological study confirms no gravesite on the property, clearing a potential obstacle. The study also documents the history of the land and its ownership dating back to 1840.
LOCAL CHURCH PLANTING

Auxano provides a strategic framework built around seven priorities:

  1. Timeline (Define clear milestones before launching)
  2. Environment (Create a compelling and intentional context)
  3. Staffing (Identify and develop a high-capacity church planter)
  4. Vision & Leadership Structure (Build a strong partnership between visionary and integrator)
  5. Core Team Development (Gather and develop a resilient, mission-minded launch team)
  6. Process & Operations (Establish systems that maximize focus and expand impact)
  7. Communication Strategy (Consistently and clearly reinforce the vision)

JANUARY 2026

  • Missions opportunities finalized (Spain, Greece, Tanzania)
  • The Missions Interest Form launches church-wide, inviting participation

DECEMBER 2025

  • A team of volunteers from NextGen and key pastors/staff members meets with the architectural design team to provide input on the new building, which will primarily be for NextGen use. 

OCTOBER 2025

  • Pastor Roy and Tracey Dowdy take an exploration trip to Kenya to evaluate mission opportunities with long-term partners, Hope Co.

JULY 2025

  • Pastor Roy and Tracey Dowdy take exploratory trips to Spain and Greece to discern global missions opportunities.

JUNE 2025

  • A small team of volunteers and staff begins meeting with Auxano consultants to bring more clarity to the Entrusted Vision.
  • A finance team of volunteers and pastors meet with Auxano consultants to discuss options for upcoming capital projects and raising funding from the church. 

MARCH 2025

  • Teaching from Pastor Chris Richards of Steel City Church emphasizes the significance of becoming a sending and supporting church

FEBRUARY 2025

  • Church approves initial funds toward The Entrusted Vision
  • Vision Sunday - Pastor Christian introduces The Entrusted Vision to the church.
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It has to be about Jesus.

Fundraising, buildings, missions trips, and leading teams all matter, but they are not the focus. We can become distracted by the details and lose sight of what matters most.

At the center of this vision is Jesus.

The Entrusted Vision is not about what we can accomplish on our own. It is about surrendering to God as a means for fulfilling our mission - so that people far from God will experience faith in Christ.