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Background

Sure Passage was formed on May 1, 2002, to guide people through transitions (i.e. periods of change throughout life).  As a 501(c)3 Nonprofit Corporation, the organization is currently in the start-up phase of developing products and services that will assist individuals and groups to successfully navigate (i.e. make a “sure passage”) through critical transition points.  The need to help people in transition is staggering.  Our culture has ceased to be a place where commitments are long-term and convictions are unchanging.  People of all ages live without purpose.  Teens are confused. Marriages are disposable.  Careers are uncertain.  Organizations are unfocused.  Churches are irrelevant.  Businesses are inefficient.  World economics are unstable.  Life is more transitional than ever before.  Put simply, people are not transitioning well.  However, Sure Passage’s unique and creative approach (based on the Purpose-Matrix described below) will provide practical assistance to those who are in transition.

As a Christian faith based ministry, Sure Passage is committed to the principles of the Bible and an individual’s personal relationship with God.  [Read our Statement of Faith.] The ministry relies on charitable donations, from people and organizations who wish to address the potential spiritual and social damage of constant change, to fund the development and delivery of solutions for those who may not otherwise have the means to access resources needed to assist them through a transition.  The present and future activities of the ministry are as follows:

Gatherings

Most people receiving assistance from Sure Passage will attend Hosted Gatherings.  These will follow a workshop/seminar type format, generally meeting weekly over 2-3 months.   Gatherings are transition-point specific.  For instance, a Passage to Manhood Gathering will be offered in Colorado Springs several times throughout the year.  It is specifically for boys entering adolescence and their fathers.  There will be Purpose-Matrix-based teaching and activities, with a concluding ceremony where the families acknowledge the transition the boy is making to adulthood.  Sure Passage passionately believes that truly successful transitions can only occur within the context of a relationship with Jesus Christ.  Gatherings will be facilitated by Sure Passage staff and volunteers and will be open to the public.  Advertising will primarily be through local churches.  Location would be determined based on group size and available space, but will primarily be held in rented spaces in schools, churches or conference centers.  Most gatherings will be offered for free and it is assumed that there will be enough income from sponsoring donations to cover expenses.  Obviously, the goal is to expand the number of gatherings to other geographic areas and to broaden the subject base to include such offerings as girls transitioning to adulthood; high school seniors leaving home, the empty nester left at home, the newly married or divorced, the grieving, etc. [back to programs]

Coaching

Sure Passage will assist groups and organizations in transition through On-site Coaching.  A group may request assistance for Sure Passage staff and volunteers to conduct a specific workshop or Purpose-Matrix-based session at their organization’s facility.  By example, the leadership from Main Street Church would request that SP staff come to advise them through the transition period as their pastor has resigned and they are beginning the process of hiring a new pastor.  Or perhaps a new pastor is in place and they want to re-organize their ministry in view of new leadership.   Or perhaps Teen Outreach USA is changing to Teen Outreach International.  They would be in an exciting yet delicate transition and it would be a great help to them to have someone on board to assist them through the change.  This activity would be as in-depth as the organization requests; it could range from a weekend of meeting with the leadership to several weeks of on-going interaction at various levels of their organization. All coaching would be Purpose-Matrix based.  Initially this would be Mr. Gardner’s assignment but as the staff grows other people may specialize in helping organizations through transition.   Some coaching may be through tele-conferencing and electronic communication but it will primarily be on-site at the organization’s headquarters.  Organizations with the means and vision to partner with our cause will be encouraged to make charitable donations to Sure Passage so that other organizations can access our coaching services for no charge instead of seeking help from high-priced commercial firms. [back to programs]

Resources

Sure Passage plans to produce Resources based on the Purpose-Matrix, which individuals may access without or in addition to attending gatherings. These materials include handbooks, magazine articles, books, computer-based systems and or web sites.  Initial versions will be created by Mr. Gardner, but future ministry and training staff members will also help produce these resources as Sure Passage gains experience and exposure.  We will be open to the use of any media that can further people’s exposure to the concepts and practical application of the Purpose-Matrix.  For someone such as a newly divorced mother of small children, it is often too intimidating to attend a gathering and too overwhelming to read a 200-page book on starting over. However, a short, practical and attractive brochure that she can slip off the counter of her local church lobby without attracting attention is the kind of help she is willing to receive.  These materials will clearly present transitional questions, help people identify where they are, where they want to be and pitfalls to avoid during the journey.  We will offer these resources free to anyone who cannot afford to pay.  For others, we may ask a suggested donation.  Again, our hope is that sponsoring donations will cover all resource expenses so that we can offer them for no charge. [back to programs]

Research

Sure Passage plans to utilize a unique model (the “Purpose-Matrix”) as the foundational reference upon which other activities are based.  (Note that chronologically we must put the priority on the definition of the Purpose-Matrix itself.)  The model was conceived by and is being refined by the Founder and President of Sure Passage, Mr. Gentry Gardner.  It defines a generic method by which a set of questions is asked, answered are plotted and transitional steps are mapped.  Mr. Gardner’s past experience in corporate change management led him to define this concept, to form the ministry and to begin to apply the model to people in transition.

The initial research was documented and the first gathering was “piloted” in the first part of 2002.  Further refinement of the concept is currently underway as follows.  First, the Purpose-Matrix template will be documented.  (Currently in process.)  Next, the template will be tailored or retargeted for specific people groups, i.e. adolescents, newly married, those in career changes, retirees, etc.  This tailoring process will result in Purpose-Matrices that allow Sure Passage to:   a) identify specific goals for a person or group at a particular transition point (their purpose),     b) assess if their current thinking and behavior is consistent with their purpose (alignment), and c) define a plan that will help them make the changes necessary to successfully complete the transition by effectively accomplishing their purpose (fulfillment).  This structured, quantifiable method is important because our staff will use this model in other activities.  Our Christian values will guide each application of the Purpose-Matrix.