My Jerry McGuire Moment
Mission. Quite frankly I’ve been thinking a lot about mission the last several weeks. I just had a Jerry McGuire moment as I wrote my mission statement this last weekend. I didn’t stay up all night in a ritzy hotel, and I didn’t run down to Kinkos in the rain to copy it; I sat at a quiet camp site and nestled down with my dog Rookie and laid in my new hammock (thanks Car) and banged out my mission and vision statement.
I will admit to being a bit concerned about what I might end up with. What if this statement means that my current direction is off course? What if I get it wrong? What if it sounds so…so stupid? All these questions have kept me from thinking through this very important errand…it seemed like Mission Impossible to me. I have been in ministry for 10 years now, without a “mission statement”. Gulp…
Why did I finally buckle down and write a mission statement? I had to; it was due on Monday for a class I just finished up at George Fox Seminary. The result? Clarity in what God wants me to accomplish today. Why have I put this off for so long? Simple...drifting is like lying in a hammock sometimes...lulled to sleep by the soft breeze of complacency.
As I, with Jerry like passion, shared my mission statement to an audience around a smoky campfire I realized that until recently mission is a word that few besides the military really get. I mean being missional is a term that is finding acceptance and is now embraced by all of us who have neglected to be “on mission.” The word itself, missional, comes up on my document now as a spelling mistake, and the computer has not a clue what to do with it…it has no idea what the word means.
It is unheard of, ill-advised, dangerous, and downright stupid for an army to go on a campaign without a clear mission. So why have I not been willing to listen to God’s call? His call is to be missional…there’s that red line again…The Great Commission: Go, disciple, baptize…
I think the enemy has infiltrated the ranks (no I’m not looking under every rock for a spy) and convinced us that someone else will fulfill this one mission we as followers of Christ were given. Somehow we, or at least I, have changed the Great Commission to be more acceptable, more tame, more safe. I know that it might cost something if I head into battle…I’ve heard the stories from my brother…but I got chills tonight as I watched Narnia once again when Peter turns to some man-horse guy and asks “Are you with me?” His answer, “To the death.” Peter with renewed passion, courage and mission shouts the battle cry, “For Narnia and for Aslan!” as he charges into the battle with an uncertain outcome.
Mission takes courage. Mission takes faith. Mission takes knowing one who is not safe, but is good. Mission takes a focus on Jesus. Mission means recognizing that you only find your true self when you stare into the eyes of Jesus and know He is with you.
So hear it is; with trepidation…my Jerry McGuire moment…hopefully it won’t be me and the fish on the elevator:
“My mission is to explore, encourage, and communicate a life of surrender, adventure, and reflection through a life of discipleship to Jesus Christ.”
I will admit to being a bit concerned about what I might end up with. What if this statement means that my current direction is off course? What if I get it wrong? What if it sounds so…so stupid? All these questions have kept me from thinking through this very important errand…it seemed like Mission Impossible to me. I have been in ministry for 10 years now, without a “mission statement”. Gulp…
Why did I finally buckle down and write a mission statement? I had to; it was due on Monday for a class I just finished up at George Fox Seminary. The result? Clarity in what God wants me to accomplish today. Why have I put this off for so long? Simple...drifting is like lying in a hammock sometimes...lulled to sleep by the soft breeze of complacency.
As I, with Jerry like passion, shared my mission statement to an audience around a smoky campfire I realized that until recently mission is a word that few besides the military really get. I mean being missional is a term that is finding acceptance and is now embraced by all of us who have neglected to be “on mission.” The word itself, missional, comes up on my document now as a spelling mistake, and the computer has not a clue what to do with it…it has no idea what the word means.
It is unheard of, ill-advised, dangerous, and downright stupid for an army to go on a campaign without a clear mission. So why have I not been willing to listen to God’s call? His call is to be missional…there’s that red line again…The Great Commission: Go, disciple, baptize…
I think the enemy has infiltrated the ranks (no I’m not looking under every rock for a spy) and convinced us that someone else will fulfill this one mission we as followers of Christ were given. Somehow we, or at least I, have changed the Great Commission to be more acceptable, more tame, more safe. I know that it might cost something if I head into battle…I’ve heard the stories from my brother…but I got chills tonight as I watched Narnia once again when Peter turns to some man-horse guy and asks “Are you with me?” His answer, “To the death.” Peter with renewed passion, courage and mission shouts the battle cry, “For Narnia and for Aslan!” as he charges into the battle with an uncertain outcome.
Mission takes courage. Mission takes faith. Mission takes knowing one who is not safe, but is good. Mission takes a focus on Jesus. Mission means recognizing that you only find your true self when you stare into the eyes of Jesus and know He is with you.
So hear it is; with trepidation…my Jerry McGuire moment…hopefully it won’t be me and the fish on the elevator:
“My mission is to explore, encourage, and communicate a life of surrender, adventure, and reflection through a life of discipleship to Jesus Christ.”
posted by Steve at 9:40 PM
4 Comments:
Right on Steve. I think most of us get to mission on our spare time (which we have little of), rather than the defining aspect of our lives (as with the military as you bring out).
Good thoughts.
Great statement Steve. I believe living such a life will cause others to investigate, discover, and hopefully follow after Jesus.
Loved your Jerry McGuire Moment! Thank you for sharing your heart so deeply.
Awesome! Love your thoughts. I'm trying to remember what my mission statement was that I turned in for the same class about 7 years ago. How sad that I've forgotten it. I do remember it had the word "inspire" in it.
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