SHN Vision & Mission

The following vision for Safe Harbor Network is purely a dream, but at the same time, we can dare to believe that God can do great things in reaching hurting people if he so chooses.

Mission Statement

Safe Harbor Network is an organization for people who have been cast aside and deserted and need a new place of hope, identity, healing, and mission. Our goal is for these good people that were once broken, left for dead by ungodly leaders, and consequently found themselves in the desert to find a place of refuge and vitality once again. The first and primary desire is for hurting people to find the joy of their salvation once again.

What is Safe Harbor Network?

Safe Harbor Network is a gathering of people from all walks of life, race, and background that have had the unfortunate experience of being set aside or outcast from a previous individual, church, or institution that had gone off track. In many cases, these institutions were abusive in their authority, teaching, and treatment of good people. Typically, after appeals were made to leaders for a course correction, these attempts were pushed aside, and many good people were disposed of. In some instances, the error and misguided leadership or institutions were involved in horrific things so grievous it’s hard to mention them all. Things like child molestation cover-ups, misappropriation of funds, lavish lifestyles funded by their constituents, and lording it over people are just a few examples. The results of these leaders’ refusal to make a course correction has been devastating. This has resulted in millions around the world left without hope, disillusioned, alone, afraid, and in the desert. Many have suffered depression, despair, suspicion of any Christian organizations, and anger at God Himself.

Safe Harbor Network is a gathering together of these folks who share similar experiences. Our chief emphasis is to be a home for such disillusioned and hurting people. Our desire at Safe Harbor Network is to be all-inclusive regardless of one’s church background, theology, or experiences. Whether or not someone is Calvinistic or Armenian, Complementarian or Egalitarian, from different church governmental backgrounds, Charismatic or Cessationist, it doesn’t matter. What matters is the gospel. Jesus Christ and Him crucified. There is no prerequisite to being a part of Safe Harbor Network. This includes those who have fallen away, been divorced, struggled with addiction, or battled mental illness, to name a few. Who knows what the Holy Spirit will do? Maybe He is guiding them to our Network because one of us will have the pleasure of being an instrument in God’s hands for healing.

All of you have a story to tell. Your own unique experiences can not only help others but give them hope that there is such a place of refuge and rest. You may have a network of hurting people as well. Once you find your way to a place of hope, healing, and mission again, your story will be a powerful force! The Holy Spirit will use your story of God’s grace as a life ring being tossed to another who is drowning and going under the sea of despair. When people in your network ask: “Can I once again be brought back to life as a vessel in His Kingdom?” Yes, you can! Just ask them to look at where you have come from and what you’re doing now. Tell them if the Lord can do it for you, he will surely bring them back to life too!

The Vision for Safe Harbor Network (God Willing)

Clarity in Terminology

We do not use certain terms at Safe Harbor Network to describe an overseer’s function on any level of responsibility within SHN. We also avoid terms that describe various gathering sizes on a small, metropolitan, regional, or national scale. Examples of the terminology we do not incorporate are: “church,” “pastor,” “leadership,” or “accountability,” to name a few. Most of the folks we are trying to reach now have a different reference point to the true meanings of these words. These “hot button” terms trigger an immediate, strong distaste for good people who have been abused or cast aside from their previous experiences. You might refer to it as PTSD.

It’s not that we think these terms aren’t biblical because they clearly are. But unfortunately, because of so many abuses by people who have served in these roles or used these terms in the past, good people may associate Safe Harbor Network with these memories. Or even worse, God himself. These are the very people to whom we are hoping to make our appeal. We at Safe Harbor Network want to dissociate ourselves from these potential strong emotions. We want to help people overcome their trauma and find the joy of their salvation once again. Therefore, the following terminology will be instituted for helpful identification of roles and responsibilities within our organization:

Note: Some people who read these terms may have an initial reaction that this is a little “corny.” The first impulse may be that these people just need to get over it. This is not the compassionate understanding we want to put forth. Maybe you haven’t been through the wringer as some other folks may have experienced. We can tell you from firsthand experience, that terms like these being used in and of themselves can cause hurting people trauma.

Definition of Terms

Dock - a small local gathering

Dock Coordinator - the person that facilitates Dock meetings and supports folks comprising a Dock

Base - two or more Docks in a metro area

Base Manager - The individual who supports the constituents of a Base

Battle Group – a geographic region of multiple Bases

Battle Group Supervisor – the person who coordinates and assists regional Battle Groups

Councilmembers - individuals with dual roles: 1) provide support to regional Battle Groups and their Supervisors and 2) appointed to The Harbor Council.

Not all Supervisors are Councilmembers. All Councilmembers are Supervisors. Thus, at some point in the growth of our network, there may be many more Supervisors than Councilmembers.

The Harbor Pilot - the overall resident watchman of Safe Harbor Network, giving direction to the Harbor Council

Safe Harbor Council – Directed by the Harbor Pilot and comprised of designated Councilmembers, the Harbor Council is charged with setting our course and plotting a battle plan for Safe Harbor Network.

Note: The term “designated’ was inserted because these individuals will be appointed and requested by the Harbor Pilot in the origination of this organization. Afterward, Councilmembers will be appointed by the Harbor Council.

Universal

SHN Universal meetings are conducted and disseminated primarily via the internet. Each Sunday there will be a “muster” and “bugle call.” This is an occasion for the Harbor Pilot, or another designated “Shipmate” to communicate a pertinent message to the entirety of Safe Harbor Network. People who identify Safe Harbor Network as a source of life-giving encouragement tune in right from their own homes. We muster from all over the world. The bugle call can be a message from the Bible, a testimony, or a call to action.

Different help and services will also be offered and communicated via the internet. All of our Network will have these available either as individuals, Docks, or Bases. Services may be offered from time to time or on an ongoing basis. Examples may be counseling, support groups, classes, or practical living tips to name a few. Practical living may include aerobics, gardening, or whatever we may have the resources to offer.

Other internet-based tools that will be utilized are a website, podcast, Facebook, Twitter, Zoom, etc. Our corporate meeting will be broadcast anywhere to those who have internet access. Daily thoughts from the Harbor Council may also be broadcast through any of the various mediums mentioned.

Local

On the local level, individuals, Docks, and Bases gather. These gatherings may be a designated night of the week or another set date on the calendar that is consistent. Gatherings may also be somewhat less frequent and intermittent depending on what the constituents of a Dock or Base decide. The Base Manager, along with the Dock Coordinators, determines how this practice will play out. The main point to be made here is that Safe Harbor Network will not attempt to dictate universally how and when the smaller geographic areas operate. The Harbor Council will make suggestions and hope their influence helps each Dock and Base. But each area may look a little different or a pattern may evolve to what seems to be generally helpful to most in their perspective Dock or Base. The goal of these local gatherings is to provide practical, emotional, and spiritual support for each other through the challenges of life as we seek to live worthy of the gospel.

Base Managers and Dock Coordinators can take a primary role for setting the flavor for each geographical area. These folks may consult with Councilmembers if they should so desire to get help or feedback. The Harbor Pilot or Councilmembers of Safe Harbor Network will never require, insist, impose or assume that their involvement is wanted unless they are asked to help in some way.

Organizational Summary

Safe Harbor Network is a worldwide extra-local and local organization. The Network is comprised of individuals in small local gatherings which we call Docks. Larger gatherings in a geographical area are called a Base. A Base is comprised of two or more Docks. When there are multiple Bases in a regional area, we call this a Battle Group. Battle Groups fall under the larger umbrella of Safe Harbor Network. Therefore, Safe Harbor Network is the parent giving birth to the Battle Groups. Battle Groups in turn help the Bases, a Base assists the Docks, then Docks support individuals and families. In some cases, there will be individuals or families who want to associate with Safe Harbor Network but there is not presently a Dock or Base close enough for them to participate locally. In these cases, they will glean and add to the larger umbrella of Safe Harbor Network which may be considered as the facilitator or nucleus of the entire organization. An individual may seek others in their geographical area who have associated with SHN and possibly form a Dock. This is primarily how Docks are formed.

Financial Concepts

People who find this ministry to be their primary source of life-giving fellowship and instruction can give their tithes and offerings to SHN. The Harbor Council will prayerfully consider and disperse those funds as the Lord directs, eventually into five categories. The general categories are: support for former church leaders in need, the network at large, Base and Dock needs, administrative costs, and Harbor Council. Initially, no one on the Harbor Council will be financially renumerated. However, if and when the time comes when any given member of the Council is spending so much time assisting those in our network that they cannot maintain their current level of vocation, this will necessarily change.

Regarding “support for former church leaders in need,” by this we mean temporary financial support disbursed to former pastors who have recently been unjustly disposed of by their former church. Not only would this be a huge blessing to those recipients, but it would give the opportunity to our constituents to get in touch with those hurting former pastors.

Worship

SHN corporate will have a worship service each Sunday followed by a pertinent message. Our worship can be joined by each member in their own home. While ministering to individuals, our worship will be interactive via live chat with our worship leader. We desire that we not only worship God in his holiness, but also that we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us in who he wants to minister as well. There may be a focus on those who are experiencing depression, or maybe there is a small portion of you that need help with an addiction. Whatever the focus, you can participate by joining us in prayer for people, sharing a word of encouragement, or giving a Bible reading. Although planning will go into each worship service, these plans will not supersede what the Spirit wants to do. Worship is not just a rote exercise before a message; it is vital to experiencing God’s presence and preparing to be an instrument in God’s hands to minister to others. This is the foundation and philosophy of SHN worship.