About REACH
At Valley Church, we believe God has called us to take the hope of Jesus to our neighbors and to the nations. One of the ways we live out that calling is through REACH, our annual focus on the ministries and partnerships that extend the gospel beyond our weekly gatherings.
REACH supports both Ministry Partners we come alongside and Ministry Projects we lead directly as a church. Together these efforts help us serve people in our community, across the country, and around the world.
In recent years, Valley Church supported many of these efforts by setting aside 10 percent of non-designated giving for outreach and missions. As our church has grown, we sensed an opportunity to help our entire church family become more aware of, engaged in, and invested in the mission God has given us.
REACH is our way of doing that together.
Because this represents a shift in how some of our outreach is funded, we want to be as clear and transparent as possible about what REACH is, why we are doing it, and how it works. The questions below are meant to help explain the vision and answer some of the most common questions people have asked.
How REACH Works
REACH helps our church family invest together in the ministries that extend the hope of Jesus beyond our weekly gatherings.
1. We pray
As a church we seek God’s direction for how we can best serve people and share the gospel locally, nationally, and globally.
2. We give together
REACH invites everyone who calls Valley Church home to prayerfully invest in one unified fund that supports outreach ministries.
3. We support Ministry Partners
These are organizations, missionaries, and ministries outside of Valley Church that we support because of the meaningful work they are doing to serve people and share the gospel.
4. We lead Ministry Projects
These are outreach initiatives led directly by Valley Church where our church family actively serves people and builds relationships in our community.
Together, these efforts help extend the hope of Jesus through ministries we support and ministries we lead.
VALLEY REACH PARTNERS
CLICK BELOW TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR LOCAL, DOMESTIC, AND INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the biblical heart behind REACH?
A: In Luke 10:33–35, Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan. When the Samaritan encountered a wounded man, he stopped to help him, cared for his immediate needs, and then used his own resources to ensure the man would continue to
be cared for even after he had to leave. The Samaritan could not stay indefinitely, but his generosity made it possible for the work of care and healing to continue. In many ways, REACH reflects this same principle. Not everyone can personally be on the front lines of every ministry opportunity. Many of us have responsibilities we must return to, just as the Samaritan did. But through generosity, we can make it possible for ministry to continue through those who are serving every day. When we give to REACH, we help ensure that the work of loving people, serving communities, and sharing the hope of Jesus continues both in our community and beyond.
Q: What is REACH?
A: REACH is Valley Church’s annual opportunity to celebrate and support the ministries that extend the hope of Jesus beyond Sunday services. Through REACH we support both Ministry Partners and Ministry Projects that help us serve people locally, across the United States, and around the world. REACH is more than a weekend event. It is a way for our entire church family to pray, give, and participate together in the mission of God.
Q: What is the difference between Ministry Partners and Ministry Projects?
A: REACH supports two different kinds of mission efforts.Ministry Partners are organizations, missionaries, and ministries outside of Valley Church that we support because we believe in the work they are doing to serve people and share the gospel. Ministry Projects are outreach initiatives that Valley Church leads directly. These are ministries where our church family is personally involved in serving people and building relationships in our community. Simply put: Ministry Partners are ministries we support. Ministry Projects are ministries we lead.
Q: What kinds of ministries does REACH support?
A: REACH supports both Ministry Projects led by Valley Church and Ministry Partners we support.
Examples of Ministry Projects include:
• Vacation Bible School
• Third Saturday community outreaches
• The Valley Church Café
• The Valley Church GIVE FORWARD Building Fund
REACH also supports 19 Ministry Partners serving locally, domestically, and internationally who are helping meet needs and share the gospel. Together these efforts help extend the hope of Jesus through both ministries we lead and ministries we support.
Q: Why is the GIVE FORWARD building fund included in REACH?
A: Space for ministry is part of how the church reaches people. Facilities are not simply buildings. They are places where people gather to worship, build relationships, receive care, and encounter the gospel. As Valley Church continues to grow and reach new people, having adequate space allows ministry to expand. Including the building fund in REACH reflects the reality that creating space for ministry is part of sustaining and expanding outreach.
Q: Why did Valley Church shift from giving 10 percent of non-designated giving to this model?
A: For many years, Valley Church faithfully set aside 10 percent of non-designated giving to support missions and outreach. That model served our church well. REACH shifts outreach funding from something that happened primarily through a budget percentage behind the scenes to something the entire church family can see, celebrate, and participate in together. The heart behind the change is to increase awareness, engagement, and shared ownership of the mission.
Q: If REACH Weekend looks similar to past missions weekends, isn’t this just a fundraiser?
A: It is understandable why it might appear that way. REACH Weekend still includes familiar elements like hearing from ministry partners and celebrating stories of impact. These elements remain because they help us see what God is doing through ministry. What has changed is the way we engage as a church family. REACH is not primarily about raising money. It is about raising awareness, raising prayer, and raising participation in the mission of God.
Q: Was the previous 10 percent model wrong?
A: No. The previous model served Valley Church well for many years and helped support meaningful ministry. The shift to REACH is not about correcting something that was wrong. It is about helping our church family engage more intentionally in the mission of God. Different seasons sometimes call for different approaches, but our commitment to outreach remains the same. For 13 years prior to the Covid years, Valley Community Church’s mission and outreach strategy utilized a model like REACH that we called ATK (Advancing the Kingdom). We are now shifting back to that model in obedience to the vision God has given us.
Q: What is the goal for REACH 2026?
A: Our faith goal for REACH 2026 is $125,000. This goal represents our desire to collectively invest in ministries that help us reach people locally, nationally, and globally with the hope of Jesus.
Q: How can I participate in REACH?
A: You can participate in several ways:
• Pray for the ministries and partners we support
• Learn about the work God is doing through them
• Serve in outreach opportunities
• Give generously to the REACH fund. Our giving envelopes and online giving now include a REACH line item for designating financial gifts to this fund.