The Spring 2007 issue (PDF) of Ockenga Connections, put out by Gordon-Conwell Seminary, has a great article on churches and mission statements.
The article describes the problems with mission statements, and it suggests a better way: for the church to seek, "with great intentionality, the character and behavior God has laid out clearly in Scripture, and to bring the qualities of character and behavior to memory through worship, teaching, and personal interaction." The article quotes Eugene Peterson's Working the Angles - always a good thing - and includes some thoughts that need to be repeated every time a church begins a vision process:
Intend that the priority in church life is character and spiritual health - not program and organization. There is not much point in having the latter if the former isn't present...
Think first of the church as the people of God, rather than as an organization defined by programs and goals. Then think of those experiences that are necesssary for the maturing and development of all the people of God, including the children...
Church as a corporation is not a complete expression of the church...Scripture is not clear on the types of organization that should characterize a church. The Scripture is, however, very clear about the character and behavior that should characterize the people of God. This is what must not be lost in any planning process.
This article is a welcome change from what we normally read about churches and mission statements.
Yes, yes, and yes. This is such a helpful corrective, especially for me. It's so much easier to talk about what we need to do rather than who the Spirit is shaping us to be.
It's always good to see Peterson quoted - his writings on being a pastor saved my ministry.
Real simple mission statement--
As you are going, therefore, disciple the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all that Jesus commanded you, and lo, he is with you always.
Never read one that beat that one.
For me, it seems awful pompous of us to think that every organization is so unique and special that each one needs its own unique and special mission statement. It is so pretentious it’s painful to watch. Could you imagine the look on a trail boss’s face if you asked him for his mission statement prior to a trail drive? He might say, “What part of ‘sell these cattle in Omaha’ do you not understand?” I cannot help but laugh when I visualize cowboys sitting around a campfire developing a mission statement.
Everything within an organization evolves. Processes change, customers change, management and leaders change, owners change. How can a mission statement realistically encapsulate all this evolution without being so nebulous as to be worthless?
In case you are wondering, the mission statement on my ranch is this: Make Money / Have Fun. If this is not the mission, then why in the world am I doing it? All of the adjectives and descriptors that could be included in a mission I choose to simply call life. Keep it simple as the Rev. Mike has done. Michael L. Gooch, SPHR Author of Wingtips with Spurs: Cowboy Wisdom for Today’s Business Leaders http://www.michaellgooch.com