Everyone needs a mission for his or her ministry. Mission is, and can be, the driving force behind our actions and decisions. Mission is the force, the foundation of what we do.
Some years ago, following a speaking engagement in a rural church, I noticed a small sign located at the edge of the church driveway. As people exited they read: “You are now entering the mission field.”
I thought, “What a reminder.” Attending worship or simply going through the motions of some weekly routine is not to be the product of our lives. Rather, it is in our interaction with others, our ability and willingness to bring Christ close to others that should define our intentions.
On another occasion, during a church staff retreat, our presenter challenged us all to create a personal mission statement—a one sentence mission statement that could capture the essence of our lives. This is never a bad idea for ministry, and our ability to articulate our mission is important in achieving those ends.
What is your mission? What is the defining aspect(s) of your youth ministry? What are those aims—those bright stars—that you are moving toward?
Take a few minutes this week to create a mission statement if you don’t have one. Through it you can begin to create a new direction for where you want to go.
