Back to the Basics to Figure Out What's Wrong

Have you ever had the pleasure (or pain) that accompanies setting Mission, Vision, and Values for an organization? I have done this many times, both for churches and for businesses. For those of you who don’t know anything about these terms, let me briefly explain:

Mission: Mission answers the big “Why?” question. “Why do we exist?” It’s sometimes called “purpose,” especially outside the church. If you’re a business, it might state something about your product or service. While your mission will never change, you might express it in different ways during different seasons thru clever, catchy slogans. But slogans should never be confused with your mission. Mission is your reason for existing; slogans are to help people remember your mission so they will stay on track. For the church, our mission comes from the Great Commission.

Vision: Vision is often confused with mission, but it is very different. While your mission answers the “Why?” question, vision answers the “What if?” question. “If we successfully accomplish our mission, what will be different?” Vision is the level where you motivate people toward partnering with you in your mission. And casting vision is not the same as setting goals. Vision should be qualitative, not quantitative. And vision should be recast periodically. Vision changes to reflect the times.

Values: Core values answer the “How?” question. “How will we function (what will the characteristics of our organization be) as we accomplish our mission?” While churches do a fairly consistent job of identifying values, their values are not culture-creating. “The Bible” should not be a core value. I know, that sounds heretical because we do value the Bible. But a better core value, one which reflects our value of the Bible, might be “Obedience.” See what I mean? If not, read on and then let’s talk….

Let’s take a look at our mission. The Great Commission is found in several places in the Scriptures (Mark 16:16-18; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21-23; Acts 1:8) but most widely recognized in Matthew 28:18-20:

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Some drop v.18, but that may be part of the problem we are having being faithful. Right before commissioning His church, Jesus establishes His absolute authority in this act. This is not a proclamation to be ignored. The word we translate “go” sounds like an imperative command, but is actually an attendant circumstance participle, better translated “while you are going…” to indicate that this has very little to do with mission trips and everything to do with living a missional life. I won’t go into “all nations” with all its implications except to say that it means “everyone.” And we are told that we are to make disciples. There is our imperative command: “Make disciples!” Notice, it doesn’t say to sponsor events or attract a crowd or preach. But it does tell us what discipleship is about.

We are to immerse them (baptizing) into the Name. This speaks of something other than getting someone wet. We baptize as a symbol of our commitment to the discipleship journey. Sadly, most of our churches have retained the symbol, but lost the substance. The Name is the very identity of our God. It’s not a word, like your name or mine. It is who He is. And we are to help people to become fully immersed in God. The word we transliterate “baptize” was used of ships that were sunk at sea, consumed by the waters. It was also used of cloth that was being immersed into a dye only to emerge changed to take on its appearance. This is why we exist, to immerse one another in our Lord. But don’t miss the next part. As they say, “Proof is in the pudding” and our pudding has the flavor of obedience. Disciples of the Lord obey. Isn’t that obvious, since He has already established His absolute authority?

Is that what the church looks like? Or have we exchanged symbol for substance? Have we redefined the mission of the church and in the process lost our way? Perhaps we have ignored the goal, obedience. And in doing all of that, haven’t we in essence told Jesus that He is not Lord of the church, but we are.

Ask yourself which is more important, orthodoxy (right doctrine) or orthopraxy (right actions). Don’t hear me wrongly. I believe that our doctrinal beliefs have to be as accurate as our Fall-corrupted minds can handle. And actions that do not flow from faith in God are useless. But the Sovereign Lord says “Obey” not systematize and divide over secondary or even tertiary concepts. It’s a relationship. It’s relational. It’s obedience.