Is the Purpose Statement Comprehensive?

A congregational mission statement is an important tool for at least one reason: it helps church members keep in mind what they are supposed to be about. One has only to access recently past issues of the "Christian Chronicle" to see the number of folks who believe the Church has lost its identity. Keeping your identity is a lot easier when you remember your mission. The statement must be short and memorable enough to stick in the minds of members. For purposes of this article, our working congregational purpose statement is as follows:

“The mission of the Church is to be Jesus on the earth, and bring the world to join us.”

Another mission statement I've run across is this one: "Knowing God. Making Him known." I've liked this one. It's short, catchy, and memorable. But in my view, it is not comprehensive enough. Biblically, there may be no difference between "knowing God" and living a holy life, but in the minds of 21st century people, there's a lot of practical difference. One may be biblically literate but spiritually bankrupt. One may teach the message of the Bible, but with an air (expressed or implied) of "do as I say, not as I do." The statement really doesn't cut it.

Still another mission statement suggested to me as the "only mission of the Church" (by an Elder about 15 years ago) is the "same as the mission statement of Jesus: 'To seek and save the lost'." While certainly biblical, this statement is likewise far from comprehensive. Jesus also said he came that believers might have life and "have it to the full" (John 10:10). He said he came to "bring a sword" (Matthew 10:34). Jesus didn't have just one mission.

But when we say our mission is to be Jesus on the earth, we not only make all of Christ's mission our own, but we commit ourselves to accomplishing it Jesus' way. At every stage of any effort, we must continue to ask ourselves: "Is this something Jesus would do? Is this the way he would do it? Is this the way he would behave? Is this what he would say?"

There is a second part to our proposed mission statement: “The mission of the Church is to be Jesus on the earth, and bring the world to join us.” It is significant that the "Great Commission" in Matthew 28:16-20 is the last command of Jesus mentioned in that book -- as if that's where Matthew was heading all the time in his account of Jesus' life.

The tendency in Christendom is to become so involved in worthwhile projects that exhibit the love and mercy of Jesus that we forget we are supposed to make disciples of those we help. Food pantries, Bible studies, clothes closets, clinics, and schools etc. are all useful tools in being and showing Jesus. But if in the conduct of these efforts we forget to make disciples of the beneficiaries of our efforts, all we've become is a glorified human services organization and we've failed in the mission Christ set out before us.

Jesus did not condition his help on discipleship, but neither would he be diverted from his mission to make disciples by getting lost in humanitarian efforts. Remember in the Gospel of Mark, after a particularly fruitful healing ministry in Capernaum, people came from far and near to be healed by the Lord. Jesus, on the other hand, left a great while before day to pray. When his disciples found him, they castigated him for his absence saying: "Everyone is looking for you." Jesus replied: "Let's go somewhere else so I can preach there also; for that is why I have come" (Mark 1:38).

Everything we do as Christians -- as the Church -- we must do with the view of making disciples. After all, the very doing of our religion is to set the example for others and who do that if we do not expect them to see our example and follow it?

We must cover both areas of our purpose. Many years ago, a brother told me: "We need to be preaching the gospel. Lots of religious groups help people. But they won't preach. We have to do what they won't." But it cannot be one or the other. It must be both.