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mission crafting vision casting

DO WE REALLY NEED A MISSION STATEMENT?

What is the purpose of having a mission statement?

The mission statement of a church seeks to answer, on the basis of God’s Word:

“WHAT DOES OUR LORD WANT US TO BE DOING WITH OUR TIME, TALENTS, AND

TREASURES UNTIL HE RETURNS AGAIN IN GLORY?”

It declares simply the reason a group of Christians exists in a given place and time. But, the mission statement isn’t just something we place on our church’s metaphorical mantle, or swaddle in the back pages of our bulletin. The mission statement is a tool; an instrument for evaluating every plan we propose and every activity or organization we foster. The mission statement defines who we are to those who don’t know us, and is a constant reminder to our church family why we are here.

IT COULD BE SAID THAT, THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING A MISSION STATEMENT, IS AS IMPORTANT AS THE PRODUCT—THE MISSION STATEMENT—ITSELF. THE KEY TO

DEVELOPING A GOOD CHRISTIAN MISSION STATEMENT IS THE INPUT OF A DIVERSE GROUP

OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ROOTED DEEPLY IN GOD’S WORD.

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What does a mission statement do?

The mission statement is a congregation’s attempt to concisely encapsulate why they exist. The mission statement in and of itself doesn’t do anything, but it serves as a reminder of the congregation’s purpose to the people who created the mission statement and to those who have assented to it. A mission statement is not meant to force people to behave in a certain way, but it’s a way of directing our efforts in a single direction.

A SINGLE MISSION STATEMENT FOSTERS CHRIST-LIKE UNITY AND MAKES SURE THAT WE ARE

ALL PULLING IN THE SAME DIRECTION.

How does a church create a mission statement?

As with everything we do as the body of Christ, we find our direction and our motivation in the Word of God.

OUR MISSION STATEMENT MUST CLEARLY DELINEATE BETWEEN THE THINGS GOD HAS

ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED, AND THE TASKS HE CHARGES TO US UNTIL HIS RETURN. WE

RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FINAL PRODUCT, BUT ONLY FOR THE

FAITHFULNESS WITH WHICH WE SERVE OUR GOD.

EXAMINING GOD’S WORD TO FIND OUR MISSION

What does our Savior tells us is “Our Mission”?

Matthew 28:16–20

The Great Commission

16

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them

to go. 17

When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18

Then Jesus came

to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

19

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the

Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20

and teaching them to obey everything I

have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Mark 16:14–20

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14

Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their

lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had

risen.

15

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be

condemned. 17

And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will

drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18

they will pick up snakes with their

hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place

their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

19

After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at

the right hand of God. 20

Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the

Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

Who witnessed the Christ’s ascension?

The eleven disciples. This was Jesus inner circle of followers who needed further instruction.

How do we know that this wasn’t just an assignment for the inner circle?

The people that he was speaking to were his inner circle, in every account we have the 11 disciples, being led just outside of Galilee to the area of Bethany, to see their LORD ascend into heaven. But we also need to remember who these men were for the early Christian church. They were the pillars of the NT church. They were the ones who had walked and talked with Jesus, they knew what he had accomplished for them. There was no written account of the Gospels or the Epistles. Paul, in writing to the Christians in Rome assures us this isn’t just a task for the inner circle, but for the whole church. At this point in the history of the NT church, Jesus could address the Eleven and they would be able to share that message with everyone else who needed to hear it. Paul puts it well in the 10th chapter of his epistle to the Romans.

Romans 10:14–15

14

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they

believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without

someone preaching to them? 15

And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is

written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

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What is the main verbal concept in verse 19?

Go—this isn’t something that will be given to you right where you are. You cannot simply sit on your spiritual hands and expect the LORD to pour out his blessings on your congregation. We must go. The LORD takes care of the rest.

By whose authority are we to do this?

By the authority of Christ, who has all authority in heaven and on earth.

What promise does he give us as we do this?

He will be with us and bless our efforts, until he returns again in glory to judge the world.

What things has the LORD done so that we might ‘go’?

We need to recognize that the mission of rescuing mankind is the mission of the Triune God. As we continue to dig deeply into Scriptures we see this is what he is all about.

WE NEED TO STUDY THE SIMPLE MESSAGE OF SIN AND GRACE OURSELVES, BEFORE WE

CAN SHARE IT WITH OTHERS.

Sin and grace, reminds us that we are nothing but miserable sinners, who can do nothing up to God’s standards.1 Examining our own sinful condition awards us humility as we minister to the lost in our community. This humility adds to the transparency of our ministry. A broken sinner cannot look at another broken sinner and smile arrogantly and think, “I thank God like I am not like other men…”2 Professor Valleskey sums up the need of mankind well:

“SINCE THE FALL…EVERY HUMAN BEING IS BORN IN SIN AND BY NATURE IS DESTINED FOR

AN ETERNITY OF SEPARATION FROM GOD IN HELL. MANKIND’S GREATEST NEED, THEREFORE, IS THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS AND RECONCILIATION WITH GOD.”3

When we understand mankind’s greatest need firsthand, it becomes much easier to share the Gospel. We don’t feel like we are preaching at them. But we are nothing more than beggars who are showing another beggar a good spot.

THE MISSION OF UNIVERSAL RECONCILIATION BELONGS TO OUR TRIUNE GOD, BECAUSE GOD THE FATHER CREATED IT JESUS, HIS SON, ACCOMPLISHED IT, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT

PROCLAIMS IT CLEARLY IN THE WORD.

1

Isaiah 64:5-7; Isaiah 59:2; Romans 3:23; Romans 8:7

2

Luke 18.11—The Parable of the Pharisee & the Tax Collector

3

Valleskey, David J. A Biblical, Lutheran Theology of Missions p. 1

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Our loving and gracious God, held as his mission the universal reconciliation of the world to himself, through the life, suffering and death of his Son, Jesus the Christ. This mission statement belongs to our merciful Father in heaven.

NO ONE PERSON CAN ENHANCE AN ALREADY PERFECT RECONCILIATION BETWEEN GOD

AND MAN. JESUS ACHIEVED THAT ALREADY. THAT WAS HIS MISSION.

Rescuing mankind is God’s mission since the beginning.

2 Corinthians 5:19— God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting

men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

Though the mission of reconciliation is complete in the work of Christ, the mission and work of God is not finished. He is still active in our world and his Word is powerful.4 Earlier we mentioned that the mission of reconciliation is completely the Triune God’s. This true, because the Holy Spirit is the one who does the work of drawing people to believe—creating faith in their hearts—to trust that their sins have been paid for in full by the meritorious work of the Savior. We do not.

WE CANNOT CREATE FAITH. WE CAN ONLY PROCLAIM THE MESSAGE OF RECONCILIATION.

Faith—knowledge, assent, and confidence—is the work of the Holy Spirit. We might think we can create knowledge, but we cannot.

THE KNOWLEDGE WE PROCLAIM, THE WISDOM WE REVERE FROM SCRIPTURE IS FOOLISHNESS TO THE MIND LOOKING FOR WISDOM, AND A STUMBLING BLOCK TO THOSE

LOOKING FOR A POWERFUL, MIGHTY GOD.

1 Corinthians 1:18–31

Christ the Wisdom and Power of God

18

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who

are being saved it is the power of God. 19

For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;

the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”

20

Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has

not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21

For since in the wisdom of God the

world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of

what was preached to save those who believe.

4

Hebrews 4:12

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22

Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23

but we preach Christ

crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24

but to those whom

God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of

God. 25

For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God

is stronger than man’s strength.

26

Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by

human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27

But God

chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of

the world to shame the strong. 28

He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised

things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29

so that no one may

boast before him. 30

It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for

us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31

Therefore,

as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

The Holy Spirit, preserves the teachings about the Christ—“everything I have commanded you”—and works in the hearts of dead, blind unbelievers to gain assent and confidence, so that those who were once spiritually dead, now trust in the LORD with all their heart and no longer lean on their own understanding.5

FAITH= KNOWLEDGE + ASSENT + TRUST

It is this work of the Holy Spirit—the gaining of knowledge—that the believer is equipped to participate, never improve upon or enhance, until our LORD returns again. Paul reminds us of this in his first inspired letter to his spiritual son, Timothy:

1 Timothy 2:1–7

Instructions on Worship

2 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be

made for everyone— 2

for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful

and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3

This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4

who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5

For there is

one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6

who gave

himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. 7

And for this

purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not

lying—and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles.

5

Psalm 146:8— the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord

loves the righteous.

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What things will the LORD do when we ‘go’?

It is important for the Christian to recognize how Jesus frames this—‘all authority on heaven and earth has been given to me’—and then he tells us to go. If he wanted to just make disciples of all nations and get them baptized without us, he certainly could. Jesus says that when we go that he will make disciples of all nations, when we baptize them it will be in his name and when we teach them—it will be according to the things he commanded to be taught.

WE ARE HERALDS, CARRYING THE MESSAGE AND TRUSTING THAT THE MESSAGE WILL

ACCOMPLISH WHAT GOD DESIRES IT TO—KNOWING HE PROMISES IT WILL.6 THIS IS THE

COMFORT THAT WE HAVE AS WE ‘GO’.

Acts 1:6–11

6

So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore

the kingdom to Israel?”

7

He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his

own authority. 8

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you

will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the

earth.”

9

After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from

their sight.

10

They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men

dressed in white stood beside them. 11

“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand

here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven,

will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

What did the disciples think was going to happen?

They thought Jesus was still going to restore the kingdom to Israel, to restore the nations to physical and political prominence. They wanted to know a schedule of what was going to happen with them and this world.

6

Isaiah 55:10–11 (NIV84)—As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it

without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread

for the eater, 11

so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty,

but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

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What direction did Jesus give them?

Jesus told them that it wasn’t his mission to restore the nation of Israel to political prominence. This wasn’t the job of the Messiah, or the plan of God. Christ’s mission was to reconcile the world to God; he paid the price of the sins of the whole world. He wanted them to go out to the world and preach the message of salvation, teaching (the world) everything that they had been taught

What are we called to be in this world?

Witness of his glory.

Where is our ‘Jerusalem’?...our ‘Judea’/‘Samaria’?…our ‘ends of the earth’?

We are to spread the Gospel to those who have not yet heard it. First we begin right where we are. As we continue to spread that message to a given area, we expand. In Northeastern Wisconsin, we may butt up against another WELS church. This is a blessing. When we find members of local area churches we want to encourage them in their public use of the means of grace. A WELS member will be excited and gladdened to hear what it is you are doing.

PERHAPS SOME OF OUR MISSION ZEAL WILL ENCOURAGE THEM TO CARRY OUT GOD’S GREAT COMMISSION IN THEIR COMMUNITY, IN THEIR CONGREGATION, TO THE ENDS OF

THEIR WORLD. PAUL OFFERS US A GOOD OVERVIEW OF CHRIST’S MISSION AND HOW IT

IMPACTS OUR MISSION.

2 Corinthians 5:14–21

14

For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and

therefore all died. 15

And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for

themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

16

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once

regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a

new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18

All this is from God, who

reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19

that

God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them.

And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20

We are therefore Christ’s

ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on

Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us,

so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

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Recall how Saul became Paul.7 How can he say Christ’s love compels us?

When we read the Great Commission it may strike as us as something we need to do for God. The Old Adam always bristles under these types of commands, or tries to twist them into achieving some kind of righteousness. The sinful nature always acts forced to do these things, but the sinful nature is incapable of doing anything righteous in the eyes of God. He cannot be forced to comply, because he is incapable. The work that we are compelled to do by the love of Christ is only the work of the New Man. This is a gift of the Holy Spirit. When we do this work, we recognize that we are not contributing to the salvation of ourselves or anyone else for that matter. Paul makes it very clear we can neither add anything to our salvation, nor gain special favor in the eyes of God with what we do. Yet, we are still motivated to serve God. We are compelled to proclaim this message because it’s not just meant for us.

The world says “look out for #1”. Scripture says something different. Whom does Paul say we live for?

We no longer live for ourselves but for him who died for the world and was raised again.

The love of Christ changes our relationship with others. How?

We don’t see them as the world sees them. Those who are in Christ are a completely new creation, the old way of evaluating them has gone away. The world might evaluate people based on their skills, their talents or their treasures.

FROM THE BEGINNING, THE MISSION OF GOD WAS NEVER ANYTHING LESS THAN

UNIVERSAL AND THEREFORE CROSS-CULTURAL.

The first proclamation of the gospel was to comfort the “world” of the descendants of Adam and Eve (Ge 3:15). God promised Abraham that “all peoples on earth” would be blessed through him (Ge 12:3). Solomon wanted God to answer the prayers of foreigner temple visitors "so that all peoples of the earth may know your name" (1 Kings 8:43). David often prayed in his psalms that God’s mercy and salvation would be known among “all nations” (65-67). Israel was to be “a light for the Gentiles” (Is 42:6). In the genealogy offered by Matthew (1:5), we see that non-Jewish blood flowed through the veins of the world’s only Savior who came first for the Jews but not only for the Jews. The ministry of this Savior included moments of mercy for many Gentiles. Finally, when the Savior had accomplished reconciliation for the entire world, he directed his church to proclaim the message of reconciliation to and make disciples of “all nations” (Mt 28:19).

7

Acts 9

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Why do we do mission work?

We do mission work because God loves us. By his will and his work, he did all the work of reconciling mankind to himself, declaring the world to be innocent of all sin, in Christ. This love that God has for us is what compels us to declare his glory and share his saving love with all the people of our community and support those who carry this message or reconciliation to the ends of the earth.

Why do we Christians do mission work? Because we can! We are able to be God’s agents of grace because:

1. GOD IN CHRIST RECONCILED EVERY PERSON IN THE WORLD (JN 3:16);

2. GOD PREDESTINED, RANSOMED, AND SEALED HIS ELECT (EPH 1:3-14) WHOM

GOD WILL GATHER THROUGH OUR PREACHING AND PRESERVE UNTIL HIS

COMING;

3. HE COMMISSIONED US TO DO MISSION WORK (MT 28:18-20);

4. HE CHANGED US SO WE NOW LIVE FOR JESUS (2 COR 5:15) AND SHARE THE

RECONCILING HEART OF JESUS (THE PARABLES IN LK 15) AND HAVE BEEN GIVEN

THE RESTLESS FEET OF JESUS SO WE TRAVEL TO TELL EVER MORE (MK 1:38) THE

GOOD NEWS;

5. HE EQUIPPED US BY GIVING US THE KEYS (JN 20:22-23), THE MESSAGE OF

RECONCILIATION (2 COR 5:18), BAPTISM AND HIS TEACHING (MT 29:18-20), THE

LAW AND GOSPEL, THE “REPENT” AND “BELIEVE” SO THAT WE HAVE ALL THE

TOOLS WE NEED TO CARRY OUT WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN US TO DO;

6. “CHRIST’S LOVE COMPELS US” (2 COR 5:14);

7. THE SPIRIT MAKES US BOLD TO USE THE TOOLS ENTRUSTED TO US: “I BELIEVED; THEREFORE I HAVE SPOKEN” (2 COR 4:13).

Why do Christians do mission work?

WE DO MISSION WORK BECAUSE GOD LOVES US. WE DO MISSION WORK BECAUSE

GOD HAS LED US TO LOVE HIM. AND WE DO MISSION WORK BECAUSE WE LOVE—THOUGH IMPERFECTLY—OUR NEIGHBOR.

It is impossible to please God without faith (He 11:6). But how can the world believe if they have not heard the message of reconciliation, how can the world hear unless someone preaches that message, and how can someone preach unless they are sent and go (Ro 10:14-15)? Christians are delighted to be safe in God’s kingdom of believers. We thank God that we are safe. But God has given us his heart that seeks reconciliation. We want

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others to enjoy the present and eternal security of God’s kingdom as well. We pray “thy kingdom come” because we want our neighbors to escape the condemnation of unbelief. And we know that our neighbor is anyone in the world who is in need of the mercy of hearing the message that fills our heart (Lk 10:37).

Will our mission efforts be successful?

Of course this depends on how we determine & define success. If success is only number based, we will find ourselves chasing after goals that we have set, not things that God has promised.

When a pastor faithfully proclaims God’s message of reconciliation, and trains his members to implore the world around them to be reconciled to Christ, the congregation they serve may very well enjoy a vibrant worship, a balanced budget, and all the workers necessary to staff a Sunday School and maintain the grounds. These are possible and very probable benefits that accrue to a family of believers who reaches out to their neighbors with the good news.

We must distinguish between possible benefits of proclaiming the mission of God and the purpose for proclaiming the mission of God.

In moments of weakness, the church of Jesus confuses the benefits of faithful proclamation with the purpose of proclamation.

WE DO MISSION WORK BECAUSE IT BRINGS GLORY TO GOD. WE DO MISSION WORK

BECAUSE GOD LOVES US. WE DO MISSION WORK BECAUSE GOD HAS PRODUCED IN

US—THOUGH IMPERFECT—A SINCERE LOVE FOR GOD.

Also imperfect but still working in us is a love for our neighbors near and far. This is why there is need to strengthen and equip the saints of the Church Militant at Saving Grace. This is why we preach the gospel and strive to carry out God’s mission. This is our purpose.

Though it is important to distinguish between the possible benefits of preaching Christ and proper reasons and motivations to preach Christ, let’s be careful not to despise the blessings God may lavish upon his church.

PREACH AND PROCLAIM; IMPLORE AND ENCOURAGE. GOD’S WORD IS POWERFUL. HIS

LOVE IS COMPELLING. GOD WILL ANSWER OUR PRAYER AND OUR EFFORTS TO MAKE HIS

KINGDOM GROW. HOW CAN WE NOT CARRY OUT OUR PURPOSE WITHOUT FULLY

EXPECTING GOD’S BLESSING?

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What if the blessings of a growing church, a vibrant worship, and an optimistic budget do not follow?

Ours is only to plant the seed. God alone makes that seed grow (Mk 4:26-29). Those who plant the seed have no control over the life of the seed. God alone creates faith.

AS AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST, WE BY PREACHING THE GOOD NEWS ARE THE AROMA OF

CHRIST TO GOD REGARDLESS OF OUR AUDIENCE’S RESPONSE (2 COR 2:14-17). GOD

DOES NOT COMMISSION US TO CONVERT SINNERS. HE COMMISSIONS US TO IMPLORE

ON HIS BEHALF: “BE RECONCILED TO GOD” (2 COR 5:20).

The church preaches and prays for converts. We then we are directed to be still and wait upon God who will accomplish his purpose through our preaching (Is 55:11).

Do not let God’s control over the conversion of sinners become an excuse for us to not invite sinners. We are not in control of the outcome of preaching the gospel. But we are in control of proclaiming the gospel. These questions are for us to consider: How can the world hear without someone preaching to them? How can they preach unless they are sent? We are sent. God sends us to participate with him in his mission. Christ’s love compels us to go. We will go with the gospel. God will bless it as he alone determines. So go!

We know the God’s mission. His work has been accomplished. The world is reconciled to God in Christ. Let’s put our mission into words.

On the basis of this study, write a MISSION STATEMENT for your church (as briefly and concisely as possible). Try to state it with a memorable summary theme. Write out two to four objectives which flow out of that statement and which sum up the mission of your church.

... that there is only one true God. He has made himself known as the Triune God, one God in three persons. This is evident from Jesus' command to his disciples to baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. (John 17:3; Matthew 28:19)

...that God has made us and all creatures and that we have failed to live up to those things which God wants and requires of us. (Colossians 1:16; Romans 3:23)

...that God is a merciful and gracious God, who does not desire that any should perish. (1 Timothy 2:4)

...that, therefore, he sent his Son Jesus into the world to live a holy life and to die an innocent death for us. (John 3:16)

...that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is the only Savior from sin, death, and the power of the devil, and that

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through him we are reconciled to our heavenly Father and become his dear children. (Acts 4:12; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21)

...that through faith in Jesus Christ, as promised to us in the Bible, a man is justified without the deeds of the Law and that this faith is a living force within a believer which produces works that are pleasing to God. (Romans 3:28; John 15:5)

...that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. We reject any thought that makes only part of Scripture God's Word, or that allows for the possibility of factual error in Scripture, and also in so-called non-religious matters, e.g. historical, geographical, etc. (2 Timothy 3:16)

...that we receive through his Spirit the power to live new and changed lives devoted to him and his glory. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

...that when this life is over, an eternal home is awaiting us in heaven. (John 14:2-3)

WHAT IS OUR FOUNDATIONAL MESSAGE?

WHOM ARE WE HERE TO SERVE?

WHAT ARE WE HERE TO DO?

HOW WILL WE PREPARE FOR OUR LORD’S 2ND COMING?

WHAT WILL WE NEED?

Now that we have a mission statement, what now?

The mission statement needs in front of the people of the congregation regularly. They need to see it, hear it, inwardly digest and reflect on it. This statement should be regularly reviewed by each subcommittee to determine whether or not their work is included in it. It also should be examined by the leaders of the congregation in order to reaffirm that it does clearly express God’s will, and that it is an accurate reflection of the culture of the congregation—it is guiding the goal-setting and planning the congregation does for its future.

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appendix sample mission statements

1. The New Mission Church of Messiah exists to glorify God and to spread the message of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ in our community and world by nurturing, strengthening, and equipping Christians through Word and Sacrament.

2. The New Mission Church of Messiah exists to glorify God through meaningful worship and relevant study, and to spread the message of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ in our community and world by nurturing, strengthening, and equipping Christians through Word and Sacrament.

3. As Christians built upon the foundation of Word and Sacrament, we exist to glorify God through meaningful worship and relevant study, while seeking to nurture, strengthen, and equip Christians to spread the message of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ to the lost in our community and world.

4. To live our lives full of thankfulness and praise to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and to reflect the love He has shown us.

5. This love we will use as a guide to direct our own way of life, to dedicate ourselves in doing God's will and to share Christ's message with the world.

6. Grace Ev. Lutheran Church is dedicated to the pure preaching and teaching of God's word. Our faith rests on the truth that Jesus Christ, God's son, has fully paid for all sin by His suffering and death on the cross and that "whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

7. We the members of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church affirm our continuing mission to work at bringing all people to the knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus

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Christ. To gather in joyful worship of God, to be witnesses to the truth of God’s salvation among ourselves that we may encourage each other to grow in faith and to witness to the hope of eternal life that is within us to our community and to the world.

8. Abiding Word Evangelical Lutheran Church is men, women and children united in faith and worship for the purpose of reaching out with the Gospel to win the lost for Christ and nurture believers for lives of Christian service, all to the glory of God.

9. The continuing purpose of this congregation, as a gathering of Christians, is to serve all people in God's world with the gospel of Jesus Christ on the basis of the Holy Scriptures (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15).

10. The primary objective of this congregation shall be to proclaim the law and the gospel in our congregation, community, and the world (2 Timothy 4:2), so that through the means of grace the Holy Spirit might:

a. lead sinners to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ for life and salvation (Luke 24:46-48).

b. strengthen believers in faith and sanctification (Romans 10:17).

c. equip believers as disciples, stewards, witnesses, and servants to share the gospel and live their faith (Ephesians 4:11,12; Matthew 5:16).

11. "As men, women, and children united in faith and worship by the Word of God, Mount Olive exists to make disciples throughout the world for time and eternity, using the Gospel to win the lost for Christ and to nurture believers for lives of Christian service, all to the glory of God."

12. We are a family united by the abiding grace of Jesus and our purpose, as Abiding Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, is to:

a. Worship in the Word

b. Walk by the Word

c. Witness with the Word

13. Growing together in faith and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with all people.

14. Our mission is to glory God through the Word and Sacrament by spreading the message of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ with our community and world by teaching and worshipping the true Gospel of our LORD & Savior Jesus Christ.

15. Mission Statement of the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church. STRENGTHEN! SEEK! SERVE!

a. STRENGTHEN God's people with God's Word!

b. SEEK the lost with God's Word!

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c. SERVE God and our neighbor with the love of Christ!

16. To the glory of our Triune God, we the members of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, following the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18-20), exist to make disciples through the Means of Grace God has entrusted to us. To accomplish this purpose we want to:

a. continue to build one another's faith through regular worship, study and the use of the Word and Sacraments (nurture)

b. equip our members with the knowledge to seek out the lost and carry God's message to them (outreach)

c. support synodical mission efforts to carry the Gospel into all the world (mission)

d. provide a variety of opportunities for Christian fellowship and mutual support (fellowship)

17. St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, a Christian congregation gathered around the Word of God and his Sacraments, resolves to:

a. proclaim the clear Word of Life, the Gospel: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16)

b. teach that Jesus Christ alone is "the Way and the Truth and the Life" (John 14:6)

c. "love one another" even as God "first loved us" (1 John 4)

d. worship God who is "worthy to receive honor and glory and praise" (Revelation 5)

e. reach out with the Gospel to "every tribe and language and people and nation" (Revelation 7)