UCM Texas State is guided by a five-year strategic plan developed by the Board of Directors. The plan has four strategic goals the UCM Texas State believes is important to achieving our mission and ministry purpose:

• Student Engagement

• Ministry Funding

• Faithful Connections

• Life-Long Impact

Each strategic goal has an objective with a measurable outcome, strategies to describe ways to achieve the objective, and initiatives for how we put the goals into ministry practice.

Strategic Goal 1:
Student Engagement

OBJECTIVE
Connect with 500 students in ministry each year

STRATEGIES

• Develop a relational-based ministry approach fostering direct connections with individual students while building a community based in core values and ministry practices.

• Nurture a student ministry team who will provide leadership with their peers and provide relevant, scalable ministry to students.

INITIATIVES

• The student engagement strategic goal is the one most aligned with our purpose and mission. We have spent the most time on this goal and made the most progress

• In 2017, we had one student participating in the ministry. As of Spring 2024, we have more than 1,700 followers on Instagram, connected with 479 students who receive weekly text updates about ministry events, and more than 140 'participating' students (attend three or more ministry events)

• Our ministry team has grown to 16 students which specific ministry roles. We have grown from one pastor-led bible study to five student-led community groups

Strategic Goal 2:
Ministry Funding

OBJECTIVE
Fund ministry growth at 1.5 times the current operations cost

STRATEGIES

• Develop robust relational-based giving campaigns to build diverse and dependable source of annual funding

• Explore innovative ways to fund ministry through assets such as property

INITIATIVES

• This has been our second most important goal. We need to fuel our ministry's growing operations in sustainable ways

• Developed a budget through 2029 to guide strategic funding plans

• Implemented new donor management system that has increased and diversified fundraising.

• Welcoming Lutherans (ELCA) as denominational partner bringing aligned people and resources to grow UCM

• Launching process to redevelop property as source of ministry income

Strategic Goal 3:
Faithful connections

OBJECTIVE
Every board members and active church partner develop encouraging relationships with two students  

STRATEGIES

• Offer multigenerational ministry events and programs with chance for students and supporters to meet

INITIATIVES

• This is goal where we are making emerging progress. During the pandemic it has been hard to connect people in meaningful ways so we look forward to the coming years as ways to build connections.

• We have seen emerging success connecting students and sponsors over meals, have restarted our free Monday Lunch ministry, and launched a ‘sponsor a college student’ program to help families connect directly with students.

• We are excited about connecting with partner churches in volunteering events, including a successful model with First Presbyterian Church and Kids Rock, and other ways we can connect churches, college students, and our larger community.

Strategic Goal 4:
Life-Long Impact 

OBJECTIVE
Nurture a life-long faithful impact in young adult lives to continue their involvement through local churches beyond Texas State

STRATEGIES
Help students discover God's calling and empower them to respond

INITIATIVES

• This is a new strategic goal that emerged in 2023 as we noticed students failing to connect with churches after completing Texas State

• The Apostolos Cohort is key in helping students understand and articulate God's call in their lives and how they want to respond

• As our ministry grows, we need to help students into ministry leadership opportunities during college. Young adult formation will expand our impact among college students, activate young adults in ministry, and help us grow without adding more paid staff.