Five good books for creating a Mission Statement:

• The Path, by Laurie Beth Jones, New York, NY, Hyperion, 1996
• Managing By Values, by Ken Blanchard and Michael O’Connor, San Francisco, Berrett- Koehler Publishers, 1997****
• Building A Shared Vision, C. Patrick Lewis, Portland, OR,     Productivity Press, 1997
• Built to Last, James Collins, and Jerry Porras, Harper     Business, 1997
• Clarifying our Mission, Vision,     and Value — an Article in Net Results by Bill Easum

The most biblical mission or purpose statement I have seen to date is from New Hope Christian Church in Honolulu.  The church is 2 1/2 years old and is has around 8,000 in worship.  Its mission in life is to plant a church in every island of the Pacific.  here is their purpose statement:

“To introduce people to Jesus Christ, to help them grow to be more like him, and then to reproduce the process in others.”

Here are some samples of excellent Mission or purpose statements from a variety of expressions. Do not copy them because they may not work in your church. Just use them as examples.

The Mission

To love the people of Cincinnati into relationship with Jesus Christ and give away to the world what God has given us.

The Vision

Imagine a ragtag collection of surrendered and transformed people who love God and others. They are mesmerized by the idea that this is not about them, but all about Jesus. They are transfixed by His story and His heart for their city. They are seedthrowers and firestarters, hope peddlers and grace-givers, risktakers and dreamers, young and old. They link arms with anyone who tells the story of Jesus. They empower the poor, strengthen the weak, embrace the outcast, seek the lost. They serve together, play together, worship together, live life together. Their city will change because God sent them.

They are us.

We believe that small things done with great love will change the world.

We Will Be:  

• A diverse, celebratory church of missional, disciple-making communities in   every neighborhood.   
• A relational citywide network strategized on reaching Greater Cincinnati.   
• Reproducers and developers of outward-focused churches worldwide.

Mission statement:

“We exist to welcome people to faith; equip people with a faith that works in real life; and send us in service into the world in Jesus’ name.”

If you decide to work on a Mission Statement see Peter Senge, The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook, (Currency). p. 312-328 $29.95.

Vision statement:

“We are a vibrant Christian Church which exists to give glory to God in Jesus Christ. We see ourselves as a center for Christian renewal in the lives of individuals, families and congregations.

We are committed to

• Worship as a dynamic experience of the presence of God through Word,     Sacrament, Music and Christian community;
• Welcome as an invitation to everyone to meet Jesus Christ no matter     where they are on their spiritual journey of life;
• Empowerment as enabling individuals, couples and families to discover     the power of the Holy Spirit through faith active in real life; and

• Growth as the opportunity to increase each person’s confidence and     joy in Jesus Christ through prayer, Bible study and through active service in our church,     community and world.”
• A vision statement is longer and more narrow in scope.

Value statement:

“Our values are:

1. Faith in Jesus Christ;

2.Passion for the Gospel;

3. Respect for all people;

4. Kindness;

5. Honesty;

6. Spiritual Growth;

7. Worship as a privilege and power of meeting God with other believers.

8. Community.”

Mission Statement

We are called to make disciples for Jesus Christ.

Vision Statement

We believe God has called us to reach the unchurched of our city by providing caring structures for families, providing diversity in worship, providing small caring groups, and knowledge of spiritual gifts.

Value Statement

1. We are committed to equipping Christians through Biblical preaching     and God’s word.
2. We are committed to reliance on prayer for direction, conception,     planning and execution of the ministries and activities of this church.
3. We are committed to small group ministry because it is where most     individual transformation, conversion, and leadership development takes place.
4. We are committed to helping people discover their spiritual gifts     that they might use them in the building up of the Body of Christ, the church.
5. We are committed to the ministries of this church being carried out     by non-ordained servants. This will be accomplished through training opportunities and     through practices that encourage lay initiative, leadership responsibility and authority     in various ministries in the church.
6. We are committed to all people, just as they are, without regard to     race, gender, age, lifestyle, or whatever. We value diversity.
7. We are committed to receiving direction from the Holy Spirit that     enables creativity and innovation. We are more concerned with effectiveness in ministry     than with adherence to tradition or efficiency.
8. We are committed to maintaining a high standard of excellence in all     of ministries. This will be achieved when every person is exercising his or her God-given     spiritual gifts to the best of his or her ability.
9. We believe that life is meant to be given away and that Christianity     exists to share Christ with others. We will develop aptitudes that encourage numerical     growth without compromising in any way our integrity or our commitment to Biblical truth.

Our Mission Statement is:

St. Andrew Lutheran Church is a Christian Community Where Jesus Christ love is known and Shared.

We express this in three ministries:

• Christian Spiritual growth
• Ministry to Families in all their diversity
• A ministry of Social Mission & outreach.

This Winter we are moving to a structure that groups all teams (we don’t have committees) under each of the three ministries. Teams meet as needed to get the job done. Teams make decisions and inform Church Council, but council only receives reports for information.

Our Mission statement is:

• To GATHER as God’s people.
• To GROW in faith, love and service
• and to GO into the world as disciples and apostles.

Mission Statement

The mission of the church is making disciples:  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you…. Matthew 28: 1920a; NKJV

The primary task of United Methodist congregations is faith development:

• Reaching out and receiving people into the congregation.
• Helping them strengthen their relationship to God through Christ.
• Nurturing them in the Christian faith and equipping them for lives of     discipleship.
• Sending them out to live as God’s people — extending the church     and helping make the world more loving and just. Ezra Earl Jones, Quest for Quality in the     Church: A New Paradigm.

The vision of Falmouth United Methodist Church is that: We envision our church as joyfully celebrating a wide spectrum of opportunities for creating interconnections between Christ, our congregation, and our community, especially among those who have not traditionally connected with the church. Our central connection is with Christ, who invites all into covenant relationship and calls us to discipleship. We seek to connect people to ministries for all age levels, especially for youth and young adults. We seek to foster interconnections of spiritual friends, connecting people to people, honoring their current level of involvement in God’s mission, and offering them the means of grace to deepen that involvement. We seek to connect people to a changing community, especially to the least among us, with whom we seek to learn what the Holy Spirit is calling us to do and be.

_________________

Our mission statement is as follows:

To bring people to salvation in Jesus Christ
and establish them as disciples of Christ
who are faithful to do what is in
His heart and mind.

To fulfill our mission we embrace the following purpose:

To bring believers to spiritual maturity through:

FELLOWSHIP with other Christians,
LEARNING and living Christ’s teachings,
OUTREACH to all people,
WORSHIPPING Him alone and doing
SERVICE in His name.

____________________________

The Church exists that all people may:

• -KNOW the love of God in Jesus Christ
• -GROW as disciples of Jesus Christ
• -GO share the love of God in Jesus Christ

____________________________

The mission statement at Grace UMC Hanover, PA reads”

“Helping Others Experience the JOY of Jesus Christ”

We start the service with it and end the service with a litany that
starts:

Me: Whatever you do this week,

People: Don’ miss the JOY of Jesus Christ

It is a reminder that if we are not experiencing the joy of Christ,
then we can not help others in that experience.

_____________________________

“Our mission is to make disciples. a disciple is someone who knows Christ,
shares Christ, and multiplies Christ in the life of another.”

_____________________________

The Mission: “To help others experience the joy of Jesus Christ”

The Vision: To engage in creative ministry providing every opportunity for every person to encounter and experience the joy of Jesus Christ through Worship, Education and Outreach.

The Values:

* We will provide Worship experiences to meet the needs of the total community.

*We will grant permission to all persons to be in ministry, anywhere, and at anytime.

*We will hold to our historical and biblical traditions of Jesus Christ as the true source of all joy.

*We will give the ministry to the laity.

___________________

“Transforming individuals into empowered disciples of Christ.”

___________________

Mission Statement

Our church exists to . . .

Share the love of Christ
and Empower people to serve and glorify God.

Our Core Values

#1 Faith
We are committed to Faith in Jesus Christ as expressed in the Bible

#2 Prayer
We are committed to continual Prayer

#3 Worship
We are committed to faithfully offering our worship before God

#4 Biblical Teaching
We are committed to relevant Biblical teaching that transforms lives

#5 Small Groups
We are committed to becoming fully devoted followers
of Christ through the community of small groups

#6 Outreach
We are committed to bringing people to personal faith
in Christ at any cost

#7 Giftedness
We are committed to utilizing the giftedness of all
believers, men and women, who are called by God

#8 Change
We are committed, in an ever changing culture, to
effectively present the unchanging Gospel

#9 Excellence
We are committed to excellence in everything God calls us to do

Priorities WWW.COTC

Worship as Celebration
Walking in Community
Working to Bring People to Christ

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Warriors Mark UMC is a growing church in conservative, sleepy PA. Their mission is described as follows:

The People of God, gathered together and known as

WARRIOR’S MARK
UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Who are actively seeking to help each other and
Those yet to be gathered

AIM FOR THE HEART OF GOD

By being Authentic and Contemporary
In Presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ To our Generation
In Faithfulness to the Father:

By Offering Wholeness To a broken world through
The Transforming Power of
Jesus Christ;

By Stirring and Equipping God’s People To faithfulness
In Ministry though the Empowerment of the
Holy Spirit.

We hold to the truth that the Ministry of Jesus Christ,
In this place and at this time in history, shall be for
And by

ANYONE

The Father is Calling

ANYWHERE

The Holy Spirit provides opportunities for Ministry
Primarily within

THIRTY MILES OF THE
WARRIOR’S MARK
UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Secondly, to the People
of

HUNTINGTON, BLAIR, PENTRE
and
CLEARFIELD COUNTIES

Thirdly, to the People
of God to which

WE ARE SENT

We hold to this Ministry and Mission Because We Believe

1. IN THE AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE
2. IN THE REVELATION OF GOD
THROUGH JESUS CHRIST
3. IN THE FORGIVENESS OF SIN
4. IN THE NEW LIFE CHRIST BRINGS
5. IN THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST
6. IN THE PRIESTHOOD OF ALL
BELIEVERS
7. IN THE GREAT COMMISSION
8. IN THE VALUE AND WORTH OF
EVERY PERSON

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New Church Vision,
Mission, Core Values
Norms/Goals

Vision –

• To plant ten 21st Century churches (related to the Christian Church, Disciples of Christ) in the Willamette Valley by the year 2010.

Mission Statement –

• The mission of these churches is: To worship God, to make disciples of Jesus, and to serve the world.

Core Values –

• Experiencing, celebrating and proclaiming the love of God through Jesus Christ is the core of all we do!
• Christian worship is intended to be vital, inspiring, alive and real (i.e. honest).
• The church is a diverse living organism which helps people grow in faith, mature in discipleship, and respond in service.
• Our faith in God’s love through Jesus Christ compels us to make a difference in the world.

Norms [and Goals] –

1. We are committed to providing vital worship experiences in which persons encounter the spirit of God and develop a relationship with Jesus Christ. Worship is ALWAYS intended to be focused on God, and at the same time elicit participation from the gathered congregation.  [Goals:Informal and contemporary style of worship.  Use of technology to enhance worship.  Celebrate the Lord’s Supper every week as a symbol of God’s compassion and love through Jesus.  100% of leaders     attend worship weekly. Music will be God-directed and will be indigenous to the target community. 400 in attendance at first public worship.  1,000 in worship within five years.]
2. We believe that the process of becoming a disciple of Jesus involves: baptism, prayer, ongoing learning about the Christian life, regular worship, and participation in activities which utilize one’s spiritual gifts for ministry. [Goals: Practice adult baptism by immersion (while accepting other forms as valid). Leadership participate in daily prayer, weekly Bible Study & worship, and ongoing spiritual formation. Provide opportunities for newcomers to learn about the basics of the
   Christian faith (i.e. newcomer’s class, Bible Study 101, Prayer 102, etc.). Provide Leadership training opportunities for more mature Christians.  Utilize spiritual gifts inventories as an integral part of spiritual formation and leadership training.]
3. We believe that Small groups for learning and fellowship provide Christians with the best opportunity for spiritual growth, and hold Christians accountable for putting their faith into action.  [Goals:  100% of leadership involved in small groups. Provide training, support and accountability system for leaders of small groups. Small groups are intended to multiply themselves at least once every 10 to 18 months.  Provide a diversity of opportunities for persons to participate in small
   groups (i.e. Bible study. sports teams, parenting classes, etc.).  Prayer and Bible study are an integral part of EVERY small group.]
4. We value the Bible as the inspired Word of God from which Christians learn about God’s truths and through which Christians experience God’s love in Jesus Christ. [Goals: Provide a variety of Bible Study opportunities for differing levels of spiritual maturity. 100% of leadership involved in ongoing weekly Bible Study.  Sermons utilize biblical themes applied to daily living.]
5. We believe that outreach and service projects are an important means or helping people develop a saving relationship with God through Jesus Christ, as well as providing for physical, spiritual, social, and psychological needs. [Goals: Utilize Spiritual Gifts inventories for people to discover their unique calling to ministry. Provide a variety of opportunities for people to be involved in hands on ministry. 100% of leadership involved in at least one service or mission project per year.]
6. We believe the body of Christ is a diverse and beautiful collection of people. We welcome people of diverse age, race, cultural backgrounds, and sexual orientation. [Goals:  Provide spiritual growth opportunities (including worship) in a variety of language and cultural settings.  Welcome all people in the name of Christ. Provide small group opportunities to meet a variety of cultural needs.  Support outreach and service opportunities in a variety of cultural settings — including ministries beyond U.S. borders.  Start new congregations within a variety of racial & cultural settings. This congregation is an “open and affirming” congregation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).]
7. We are committed to insuring that ministry and mission will ALWAYS take priority over purchase of land and building of facilities.  [Goals:  Rent facilities as long as possible.  Fiscal priority will be to the areas of mission and ministry.]
8. We believe in the importance of stewardship of time, talents, treasures, and the earth’s resources as a sign of a mature Christian faith. [Goals:  100% of leadership are tithers. 100% of membership practices percentage giving. Encourage and support ministries which promote stewardship of God’s creation.]
9. We believe that evangelism is the role of every Christian. [Goals: small group ministries will provide the front line of evangelistic efforts. Provide outreach projects and “fishing pools” with the intent of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.]
10. We believe that healthy, mature congregations start new churches in their desire to share the gospel. Studies have shown that the most effective tool for evangelizing our culture is to start new congregations.  [Goals: To start a new congregation every 2 to 4 years.]

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MISSION: To make more and better disciples of Jesus Christ.

VISION: Being an intergenerational church

VALUES: -Glorifying God through worship

• Equipping ourselves for ministry
• Serving others in the name of Jesus

The MISSION STATEMENT is a “variation” of what the United Methodist Book of Discipline (containing our pollity, doctrine, and constitution) is the mission of all local UM congregations (namely, to make disciples of Jesus Christ).

The VISION has been an expression of this congregation for at least three decades and much of the ministry that has gone on here bears witness of how important being an “intergenerational congregation” is to us.  Fruit seems to show from this!   For instance, in our region we have a high percentage of single mothers on human assistance, many of whom are unemployed, and the church through outreach (that third value) brings the Gospel to these situations.  Also, “in-house” many decisions regarding
ministry include the advice of children and youth as well as the adults……all done in prayer and consensus.

The VALUE statements often times go unmentioned, but are nonetheless “there.”   We believe that worship is what the God’s People have been called to do.    It is the only unique thing that the Church does when compared to other civic or social organizations.  Also, we maintain that all members are ministers and, therefore, possess spiritual gifts for use in ministry and service.  We need to be trained and commissioned.  The third core value is, you might say, the end result….serving as Jesus
served.   Of course, we diagram all of this in a triangle.  Each one is directly connected to the other two.

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MISSION STATEMENT
Our mission  is to wins souls to Christ through witnessing-teaching-serving-nurturing-and stewardship for the advancement of God’s Kingdom.

VISION STATEMENT
We are an Impact Church! Where lives are changed! We are: Reaching-Teaching-Sending

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Our mission is

“to make disciples. a disciple is someone who knows Christ, shares Christ
and multiplies Christ in the life of another.”

Our vision is:

“to become a visible community of Christ-like relationships, building a
spiritual legacy of encouragement and hope for North Texas and the world.”

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Our church’s purpose statement is:

• to know the love of Christ;
• to show the love of Christ;
• and to grow in the love of Christ.

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http://www.easumbandy.com/resources/index.htm

As Christians we are called to:

• Connect people to God
• Connect people to one another
• Connect ourselves in ministry to a broken and hurting people.

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We exist to:

• Create a climate of worship that enables people to say “yes” to the love of God.
• Cultivate a community that nurtures spiritual growth in the lives of believers
• Commission every believer to serve the world through their unique talents and gifts.
• Communicate the gospel to everyone we can!

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Mission of the Body of Christ: To go to all people groups and make them disciples of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 28)

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Vision of Faith Lutheran Church: To reach the unchurched with the good news of Jesus; to equip them with a faith that works in real life; to send them out to serve the world in the name of Christ.

Our Values for Ministry:
1) To lift high in prayer the name of Jesus Christ in all we say and do;
2) To enable all persons to experience a worshipful relationship with Jesus Christ;
3) To nurture and empower all persons to be disciples through a small group centered ministry that includes learning, service, fellowship and spiritual growth;
4) To help every Christian discover their spiritual gifts for ministry;
5) To relieve suffering in the world;

Foundational Beliefs:
We believe………
1) we are made right with God through the love of His Son Jesus Christ;
2) experiencing, celebrating and proclaiming the love of God through Jesus Christ is the center of all we do;
3) God’s love comes to us most tangibly through the sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion;
4) the Bible is the inspired Word of God from which Christians learn best God’s truths and through which Christians best know God’s love in Jesus Christ;
5) the church is a diverse living organism, welcoming all people regardless of age, race, gender orientation or background;
6) our worship must be diverse, vital, inspiring, alive and relevant to people’s lives;
7) the process of discipleship involves baptism, prayer, ongoing learning about the Christian life, regular worship, participation in small group nurturing activities and the utilization of one’s spiritual gifts;
8) God has given every human being certain spiritual gifts that are designed to be used in community and for others;
9) the careful management of our time, talents, treasures, and the earth’s resources is a sign of a mature Christian faith;
10) the primary mode of ministry is through the laity;
11) evangelism is the role of every Christian;
12) ministry and mission ALWAYS take priority over land and buildings;
13) outreach and service projects are an important means for helping people develop a saving relationship with God through Jesus Christ, as well as providing for physical, spiritual, social and psychological needs;
14) integrity and excellence in ministry are absolutely necessary.