This post has been removed. It is now part of my new e-book entitled:
a fresh look at critical thinking
This post has been removed. It is now part of my new e-book entitled:
A few months ago I introduced the five step “Strategic Process” through a series of posts which have become quite popular. The post series was entitled, “Guest Experience“. I even provided a worksheet to help you get started utilizing the process in everyday challenges you face. Since that time I have been in communication with the author of the book “Being Strategic“, Erika Andersen. She has graciously given me permission to provide her version of the “Strategic Process Worksheet” to my readers. I’ve discovered I like hers better than mine.
Feel free to download and use this worksheet as often as you like. It will be of great assistance to you in strategic planning and critical thinking.
One sentence. That shouldn’t be too hard to write, right? It’s just a handful of words. If you are reading this right now, it’s likely you could be writing a sentence. So I have a challenge for you. Some of you will probably read this challenge and think it’s an interesting idea – but not do it. You are busy and although this is a good idea (perhaps even a great one), it’ll save for a rainy day when you have the time. We all know when that day will come. So try this out, right now if possible.
The Challenge: Write out your job description in one sentence.
I think you should be able to do that. If you can’t, then I respectfully suggest that you are very likely busy doing a lot of things that may not be touching the most important thing. Remember Jesus’ words to Martha?
“‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed – or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken from her.’” Luke 10:41-42
How many things are you ‘doing’ that aren’t really needed? How would you know? One of the best ways is to write out your primary purpose in the ministry context you find yourself in (whether you are a pastor, elder or usher). You should do it in one sentence though. It needs to be short, clear, and concise.
You’ll need to think about it a lot first. You’ll probably start with a paragraph (or maybe a page); but don’t break the rule – one sentence only.
Here’s what I think you’ll discover about yourself and your ministry, perhaps even your calling...
A lot you didn’t realize. I think you’ll discover that you are doing many things you shouldn’t. I think you’ll find out that the things that are really important for you to do are sitting on the shelf to get done, ‘someday’. Here’s a scary thought: you might actually find out that you really don’t know what your supposed to be doing.
Try it. If you succeed, please either post your sentence here or email it to me at transformingleader@elimgospel.org. I would love to read it and celebrate with you.
Note: Andy Stanley talks about this very idea in his podcast entitled, “High Performance Teams“. Good stuff.
When I was a teenager I was drafted by my dad to mop the kitchen floor. He handed me one of those mops professionals use with the long strings at the end. I started swiping the floor back and forth with the wet mop head. This went on for a few minutes until he walked into the room and saw what I was doing. He kindly notified me that the proper way to mop was like “this”. In about two minutes I was mopping the floor like a pro. I was also pretty sure my dad knew what he was talking about as he was the Facility Director at the local hospital.
The thing is, I have very rarely seen anyone mop the floor this way. Sure, I’ve seen some pro’s do it, but rarely have I seen the average janitor at local schools or churches use this kind of mop properly. This shocks me almost every time because it’s actually easier and more effective to mop the floor the right way rather than the wrong way. Since I learned what to do so long ago, I just assumed everyone knew how to do it.
The same is true for drafting a mission statement. It can seem intimidating and hard at first, but once you’ve walked through the process most people discover it wasn’t as difficult as they thought it would be. Don’t misunderstand, it’s still work (so is mopping the floor), but it doesn’t have to be an ineffective use of your time.
How to Draft a Mission Statement
![]() |
| Why are we doing this? |
When I was in High School I got hired to pick rock. It was an inglorious job. Hard labor. Long hours. Sore back. One day after finishing picking rock in a field, the farmer asked me and a buddy to start picking rock in a neighboring field that looked like it never had, nor ever would be, used to grow anything. It was not only full of stones and rocks, it was very uneven. To this day I really don’t know if he had some plan to eventually do something with that land, or if he knew I had an hour left on the clock and was trying to keep me busy. I remember talking to my buddy and asking the question in exasperation, “Why are we doing this?” It was hard work and I wasn’t motivated at all to do the job. At least when I was picking rock in the other fields I had a halfway good idea of ‘why’ I was doing it. Suffice it to say, I didn’t really enjoy the job.
Question. Is your church guilty of that as well? Are there activities, events, perhaps even messages on Sunday’s that aren’t really connected to the mission of your church?
I would like to suggest that if you haven’t taken the time to draft a mission statement, you really don’t know the answer to that. If you DO have a mission statement, but personally don’t know it off the top of your head, then I would also suggest you really don’t know the answer. If you can quote the mission statement, but none of your elders or leaders can, then I still hold that you likely don’t really know if your church regularly or sometimes departs from its God-given purpose.
Defining, refining, and incorporating your church’s mission into the daily life of your church can be one of the most healthy and inspiring things you’ve done in a decade. Really. I’m not just talking about talking. I already talked about that right here. I’m talking about rebuilding your culture around your mission.
Aubrey Malphurs did a great job expressing the benefits to a church mission in her book, Advanced Strategic Planning. Here are a few of them for you to consider:
Have you ever had a volunteer, employee, or friend tell you she would do something, and then totally bomb out and not do it – even to the point of not TELLING you she wasn’t going to do it? Have you ever done that yourself? When that happens, trust is broken. Trust should be an extremely important and well-guarded part of your church and ministry. If you don’t have it, then I respectfully submit that your ministry is in a very dangerous place.
Jesus highlighted how important it is that we be in honest and open communication when he said in Matthew 5, “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” Jesus is expressing here that the broken trust in this relationship is critical to fix, right away. Stop what you are doing (even worship) and go reconcile.
I listened to Andy Stanley talk about this yesterday and felt the need to encourage you to listen to it as well. Please consider taking 25 minutes out of your day today (before you forget and get too busy) to listen to this podcast by Andy entitled, “Trust vs Suspicion”.
Click Here to Listen to “Trust vs Suspicion” by Andy Stanley.
If you are interested in subscribing to Andy Stanley’s Leadership podcast you may do so right here.
![]() |
| “Make it so.” |
Back in the day I was a big fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation. If you watched the series at all you will remember Captain Picard’s famous line, “Make it so.” Leadership gurus all around have gotten tons of mileage out of that little line. Let’s get it done. Do what you need to. Let’s stop talking and start doing.
Here’s the thing. In the church world, we like to talk . . . a lot. Probably too much. This is especially true when it comes to mission, vision, and values. In my last post I wrote a quick and informal definition for each of these three concepts. Here’s what I said,
“Your mission can help you and your congregation clarify WHO YOU ARE. It can play a huge role in focusing your leadership on your church being the church the way God designed you to be. Your vision can become an expression of what you believe that will look like one day. It is your hope for the future. Your values can act as your guide, or the guardrails, as you walk down the path from where you are to where you are going.”
Please note the word, “can” in each of those sentences. That was intentional. I really, really wanted to say, “will”. That wouldn’t be realistic. When you finish figuring out your ministry’s mission, vision, and values you are hardly done. In fact, you’ve reached ground zero.
Now you’re ready to create a culture that revolves around your mission. You’re ready to begin the strategic process to see your vision fulfilled. You’re ready to roll-out to your leadership your ministry philosophy in such a way that it becomes part of your language throughout the week, on Sunday mornings, and even in the homes of your church attendees. Now it’s time to, “Make it so.”
How about you? As Andy Stanley has said, “Is the statement on your wall happening down the hall?”