Fear and finances take their toll on a church’s creativity and initiative. Bishop Robert Schnase offers tips on staying focused.
Bishop Robert Schnase commends churches that adopt purpose statements that are widely known and frequently repeated, such as “Connected with God, Growing in Faith, Serving with Love.” He says such mission statements express common practices, communicate priorities, reinforce identity, and provide focus. “Mission statements give direction to staff and volunteers about what matters most.”
But Schnase goes one to say that “many congregations operate with unspoken shadow missions that actually drive behaviors or limit alternatives more than the stated mission and adopted values.” Shadow statements are about maintenance not mission.
Last Updated on January 17, 2017