I think we need to abandon mission statements. Half of them are recycled from Saddleback, Willow Creek or North Point anyway. But even worse, no one can remember them and they only make sense to the pastor. They sound like they were written by lawyers.
Mission statements are like sand-bags on a hot air balloon. They’re great at keeping the church grounded, but if you want to take off, they don’t contribute very much.
Here’s what I think: we should eliminate mission statements altogether and replace them with mantras. Mantras are one to five, maybe six, words that define the church’s purpose. They’re memorable. They incite passion. And they’re active, not passive. They look great on a shield. If you can’t tattoo it on your forearm, it’s too long.


Recent Comments