R1 Submits Alternative Mission Statement
Posted by: Dean Huber
Church: Hepburn Gospel Church Hepburn, Sask
Date: April 30th, 2011
Alternative Draft for the MISSION STATEMENT
“We strive to be a community of believers marveling at God’s amazing grace as shown to us in Christ Jesus, living in obedience to the Word of God and urging people everywhere to repent and be reconciled to God.”
Last year in September at a General Council meeting in Winnipeg we were first introduced to a process of establishing a new “Mission Statement” that would define and direct the work of EMMC and it’s new GoMission initiative. This has been further debated on the GoMission webpage involving a limited number of “bloggers.” Other less public discussions have continued and as Region 1 appointed new reps the discussion has continued, with a consensus that the existing wording did not adequately express our understanding of a “Mission Statement” in the language that was easily understood at the grass roots level in our region.
Therefore we are proposing the following statement for consideration: We strive to be a community of believers marveling at God’s amazing grace as shown to us in Christ Jesus, living in obedience to the Word of God and urging people everywhere to repent and be reconciled to God.
Below is also a short glossary of listing some of the key words and thoughts behind choosing this wording.
Commentary:
“strive” cp. Psalm 63:1 “…earnestly I seek you…”
“community” cp. Eph. 3:6 “…members together of one body…”
“believers” cp. 1 John 3:23, 24 “ …this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love another as he commanded us. Those who obey his commands live in him..”
“marveling” cp. 2 Thess. 1:10, “on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed.”
“obedience” cp. Mt. 7:21 “ Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
“Word of God” cp. 2 Tim. 3:16 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work”
“repent” cp. Luke 13:3 “But unless you repent, you too will all perish”
“urge , reconcile” cp. 2 Cor. 5:20b “We implore you on Christ’s behalf:
‘Be reconciled to God’ ”.
We recognize the importance of a “Mission Statement” that clearly states our purpose and one that will guide staff and councils in be faithful in giving leadership to the EMMC churches.
Region 1 Chair
Dean Huber
Is the mission statement for staff, council or for us as a family of churches?
What do we do with the discerning process that is taking place with the original one that Council put forth? (Note – The report book prepared for the Gathering already contained draft #2 and draft #3 of that one – pg. 6.)
This may sound crazy, but would it be possible to allow each region to craft their own mission statement? These could be affirmed by the Council and then posted on each Region’s page. This would be an interesting way to allow diversity, which still requiring a central body to affirm. I can easily affirm the statement above. It uses biblical language and hits the major points. Recognizing how important context is to language, and how the Gospel speaks to us in every context literally in different languages (don’t bother mailing me in Hebrew but I could work with Greek or English) — why not find a way to affirm this? Even the reality that there are at least four major views of the atonement in the NT hints at the many “voices” in Scripture.
As I recall the early initiative to “corporately” discover a concise mission statement, was that it would reflect our passion to disciple and equip churches for the work of proclaiming the message of hope to a dying world. The reason Region 1 drafted an “example” alternative statement was not to suggest every region should do the same, but as a suggestion that would, as Dean Huber wrote, “adequately express our understanding of a “Mission Statement” in the language that was easily understood at the grass roots level.” Typically blogging is not where many of us congregate, but we would anticipate that over the next few months that each region will contribute to the final wording of a Mission Statement. So it would seem prudent to utilize our newly formed network of 25 Regional Reps, who in turn would get feedback from their congregations. It is our prayer that by the time they meet in November this picture will begin to take focus.
Len, in the last sentence of your entry you make a kind of searching, probing statements that begs for a response — regarding “four major views of atonement in the NT.” To be sure it is important to recognize that there are several interpretations of the “atonement.” However, I believe it would also be important to point out that in the last two years of “Rethink Your Conference”, “GoMission” initiative, “Core Values,” etc., as conference staff we have consistently informed our churches that we move forward under the guidance of our existing Confession of Faith. In fact at both the 2009 Altona Gathering and the recent Belize Gathering the delegates and reps reaffirmed this Confession of Faith. Therefore, a careful look at items 3) Sin; 5) Jesus Christ; and 6) Salvation; you will note they all use the language that very closely supports only one doctrine (of four) regarding atonement — and that is often referred to as “penal substitution.”
And so, as in every new initiative that we as a conference of churches put forward, it must also line up and be consistent with this Confession of Faith. I agree with you Len, there are many areas where we allow diversity, even celebrate it, but in areas of doctrine it is paramount that we strive for consistency with our Confession of Faith. It is with this in mind that Region 1 proposed the “alternate” mission statement for all of our churches to examine and work through.
Again, a little wordy but the 4 main point are great. I would restate it more simply “We seek to LIVE in Community, LOVE God, LEARN from God’s Word and LEAD people everywhere to repent and be reconciled with God.”
Or even more simply; “Loving God, Living in Community, Learning from God’s Word and Leading people everywhere to repentance and reconciliation.”
Allen, appreciate your thoughts here! It is easy to affirm our statement of faith – it is simple and biblical. But no confession can embrace everything the Bible has to say on a subject – confessions are summaries that pull from many sources in Scripture. My suggestion then, is that drawing more widely from the Scripture may offer us additional resources to work with the diversity that exists among us.
Stephen, I hear a sermon outline in there
Allen, one more thought. SInce one of the tasks these days we need to be about is doing theology, we have to work out how our confession relates to the larger corpus of Scripture. For me I see it as Field and sub-set. The Field is Scripture. The narrower sub-set is our confession. When I am preaching and teaching, I am working from the wider field. Otherwise, I have little guidance as to how to approach a text like Eph 4. The single mention of apostles, for example, occurs in our confession in the section on the Word of God – not much to go on for the preacher, or for the one thinking about governance in relation to gifting or in relation to the mission. Yet both these latter categories are suddenly very critical for the wider church.
I’m puzzled because I looked online at section 5 and under “Work for Us” it states that “the pwer of Satan, sin and death are broken in God’s victory of raising Jesus from the dead.” So this classic Anabaptist atonement position “Christus Victor” is well supported. Also, I don’t see the phrase “penal substitution” anywhere in the document? It almost loooks like the confession writers did not want to limit us to one view?
David, thanks, I noticed that after some more reading. Yes, the Confession has been wisely left without closer theological definition. And good point re: Anabaptist perspective. Scripture doesn’t change but theological trends do, just as in recent years we are rediscovering the Trinity. I’d like to see the “Christus Victor” theme more pronounced. In my experience as a pastor it is a very practical them around issues of healing.
Just a few thoughts that came to my mind as I was reading the above postings. How much does our confession of faith or our mission statement direct us in what we will do in life? I believe we all agree that the Bible is more important than our confession of faith and our mission statement. So if we live and obey the Word of God, we are children of God and we are brothers and sisters.
I wanted to continue, but pressed enter by mistake.
Jesus says there is no command greater than to LOVE GOD and LOVE our NEIGHBOR, which could also be our mission statement, and that would include all the rest as well. Also Matthew 28 says we should make disciples and teaching them to obey the Word of God. That means we know God and we make Him known. My encouragement would be, not to argue about wording, but be united to have a biblical mission statement, and live out the Bible.
I believe the conference needs to have a mission statement that will help us live out the Bible. And if that is the case than we should be able to embrace the same mission statement in all regions.
Walter, I hear your heart here. Interesting your choice of Mark 12:29-31 (or the parallel in Luke) – it connects us with the heart of God in both OT and NT. I just finished a book with a friend using the great commandment as the basis of mission and spiritual life. (To be released by IVP in September). Maybe in the end we all need two mission statements: a personal one, and one that also pulls us together as a people on a shared journey in diverse places.
We should keep our mission statement simple. I like Stephans suggested mission statement. It seems to cover the basics, it is concise, and covers what we are trying to do as a conference as well as individually.
I agree Walter. The great commandment is the heart of everything we do – the great commission unfolds and directs that commnadment. I like your suggestion: “To Know God and Make Him Known”, it has a nice ring to it. Knowing God (which involves worship, fellowship and discipleship) and making Him Known (which involves mission). Very clean and to the point.
My understanding of this forum is that it is a place for iron to sharpen iron. I believe this happens when we take an issue and ‘roll it around’ so that we can see it from all sides and through the eyes of others. It is certainly not my intention to argue about the wording for the sake of argument. The goal is not to pass my particular agenda but rather to offer an opinion from my limited experience and perspective.