A Healthy Church
The church’s mission or purpose statement is God’s universal unchanging plan for His church. It is “what” the Church is about and “why” it is doing it. Therefore. our mission statement explains the “what” and “why” of our vision statement of “connect with God, each other and community”.
Our mission statement builds on our vision statement. Our statement focuses on the present and our strategies to reach our vision. While the vision statement serves as the end, the mission acts as the means.
Our mission statement ensures that the decisions we make serve our church’s purpose. It keeps our church’s members in agreement. It also crystallizes our church’s purpose to our members.
When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was Jesus stated ” Mat 22:37-4 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. [38] This is the first and great commandment. [39] And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. [40] On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets”. These two verses emphasize why we need to focus on “connecting with God, each other and community.”
The focus on the community is further emphasized by the Mathew 28:19-20 which states“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: [20] Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” In Acts 1:8 Jesus states we start in our community and then expand outward. Jerusalem was their community!
Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.