EXPANDING GOD'S KINGDOM IN THE EAST VALLEY
God is moving in powerful ways at Victory Lutheran Church, and we sense He is leading us to bold new steps in our mission locally. For nearly 48 years, we have joyfully proclaimed God’s Word, offered traditional worship and historic Lutheran liturgy, and built a loving community where disciples of Jesus can grow and flourish. Three years ago, we captured our vision:
Victory Lutheran Church is a joyful and loving community that transforms and deploys Christ-centered disciples who lead others into God’s mission frontiers, empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Victory Lutheran Church has a history of church planting and now, through the Victory Forward initiative, the church plans to establish new sites in the East Valley and metro Phoenix to reach more people with the Gospel.
By 2030, the goal is to double the number of disciples and have one church in three locations. The first milestone is launching a new site by Victory’s 50th anniversary on April 3, 2027, with a third site planned by 2030. With limited room for growth at the current campus, expansion is essential to continue welcoming and discipling more people. Victory trusts God to lead this vision forward.
Victory Lutheran Church is raising $50,000 before Easter to plan its next church plant. These funds will help answer key questions, bring in expert guidance, and ensure a unified vision. Victory’s Foundation has committed $10,000, and the church invites members to give above regular tithes to support this mission. Pray, discern, and give as we trust God to lead Victory Forward. To God be the glory!
Victory Lutheran Church has a history of church planting and now, through the Victory Forward initiative, the church plans to establish new sites in the East Valley and metro Phoenix to reach more people with the Gospel.
By 2030, the goal is to double the number of disciples and have one church in three locations. The first milestone is launching a new site by Victory’s 50th anniversary on April 3, 2027, with a third site planned by 2030. With limited room for growth at the current campus, expansion is essential to continue welcoming and discipling more people. Victory trusts God to lead this vision forward.
Victory Lutheran Church is raising $50,000 before Easter to plan its next church plant. These funds will help answer key questions, bring in expert guidance, and ensure a unified vision. Victory’s Foundation has committed $10,000, and the church invites members to give above regular tithes to support this mission. Pray, discern, and give as we trust God to lead Victory Forward. To God be the glory!
Your Questions Answered
The Need for Solid Guidance in Local Mission
Vision. It’s a simple word with a powerful meaning. Throughout Scripture, God calls His people to look forward with courage and faith, trusting His leading even when we can’t see the full picture. As we embark on Victory Forward, our campaign to prepare the next new church mission site in the East Valley, I’m reminded of the wisdom of 1 Chronicles 12:32, speaking of the tribe of Issachar: “All these men understood the signs of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take.” In the same way, our first phase of Victory Forward is centered on Vision—on discerning together what God wants to do through us and how we can best serve our community in the years to come.
We recognize that good vision needs good planning. That’s why we will bring in trusted leadership that has successfully planted churches right here in the East Valley. We’ll listen, learn, and apply their insights and experiences. Proverbs 15:22 reminds us, “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed,” and Proverbs 11:14 confirms, “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” These verses reveal God’s heart for collaboration and wisdom. We’re not in this alone—God gathers us as one body so we can hear His leading and step into His future with hope and clarity.
Our goal for this first phase is to raise $50,000, and I’m thrilled to share that we’ve already surpassed $25,000. Praise God for His goodness! With the initial half of our goal already met, we can see God’s hand moving in this campaign. Now, we invite you to prayerfully consider how He might lead you to help us continue building toward the future.
Each gift, no matter the amount, is a tangible expression of our collective faith in what God is doing here at Victory Lutheran Church. We are standing on the threshold of something exciting—a new opportunity to reach more people in the East Valley with the hope and love of Jesus.
I want to invite you personally: Ask the Lord what part He would have you play in this local mission effort. Then, step forward in faith with a gift to Victory Forward above-and-beyond your regular tithe. Your participation matters. Every gift is meaningful. Together, we’ll watch God take our humble offerings and use them to shape lives and transform the East Valley for generations to come.
Let’s join hands and hearts, in prayerful expectation, as we trust God to lead us forward. We have a big vision, but we serve an even bigger God. Thank you for being part of Victory Forward—together, we are stepping into God’s next chapter for our church and our community. May His name be glorified, and may our hearts overflow with joy as we invest in His mission.
Forward together in Christ,
Todd Mathison, Lead Pastor
“Well done, good and faithful servant!”
In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus tells the story of three servants entrusted with their master’s money. Two invest what they’ve received, while one buries his single talent in the ground, too fearful to take a risk. Every time I read that passage, I picture Victory as a two-talent church—at the very least—because God has showered us with resources, gifts, and a burning passion to share the love of Jesus. It might be easier to hold tight to what we have and avoid the unknown, but burying our blessings is not only unwise—it’s unfaithful.
Our initiative, “Victory Forward: Expanding God’s Kingdom in the East Valley,” is an invitation to invest what God has given us. Certainly, there’s risk in stepping out, and it’s far more comfortable to preserve the status quo. Yet we’re called to steward this grace, strength, and vision in ways that reflect real trust in the Lord of the harvest. As your pastor, I consider this work worth giving my very life for—my fullest effort—because I’ve seen God multiply the smallest mustard seeds of faith into a bountiful harvest. This isn’t reckless; it’s responsible, and it’s an obedience shaped by eternal purpose.
Together, we have a unique opportunity to watch God transform every act of generosity and service into a living testimony of His grace. By prayerfully pursuing the launch of a new mission site, we believe we’ll reach more people with the good news of Jesus. As we extend our hearts and hands to the East Valley, we’re not just growing our church; we’re proclaiming hope to neighbors longing for love and community.
This calling is for all of us at Victory Lutheran Church. We are, by the Lord’s kindness, a multi-talent congregation. Even if the journey involves sacrifice, we have the joyful promise that God blesses those who faithfully serve. I long to hear those words from our Lord Jesus, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Don’t you? Let’s be bold, trust His leading, and see how He uses our faithfulness to expand His kingdom where He has planted us.
Gratefully in Christ,
Todd Mathison, Lead Pastor