The Elements of a Good Mission Statement

What do I like to see in a Mission Statement? I like to see the leadership of a parish state three things.

Who are we as this community, called by God, in this place and at this time?

In my next blog I will write more on this because it involves the “Vision” of the congregation. I make a distinction between a church’s vision and its mission.

What are we called to do?

I like to see active and strong verbs. Vision Statements are about nouns, but Mission Statements are about verbs. When I see a Mission Statement, I underline the verbs, and I especially like to see if there object is beyond the members of the congregation. This leads to:

Who will benefit from this mission?

This is often the missing ingredient in most Mission Statements, and there is usually a reason why it is missing. The reason is because the statement is aimed at members of the church, i.e. “to nurture one another in Christ” and isn’t about a Church’s mission to the world, It is inward focused instead of outward focused. This doesn’t mean that such things are not important, however, I’ve often found that many Mission Statements have almost no “mission” in them.

In looking at this third element, I suggest that a congregation target who they can best reach. When I do this, leaders of a church often say that this would be wrong since, “our doors are open to everyone.” Consistently, when church leaders insist that their doors are open to everyone, their congregation is in decline. Can you guess why? I’ve found that a congregation that knows who they are trying to reach with their mission is much better in reaching all others.

Of course, all this work usually produces a rather long Mission Statement, sometimes as long as a full page. I then suggest that “knowing their mission” those congregational leaders can then create a one sentence (even phrase) that summarizes this mission and becomes a kind of banner. Once they have t his, I recommend this be put on every communication; newsletters, websites, stationary, business cards. You can put an attractive and consistent logo with it too.

Here is the mission banner statement of the Cathedral of St. Matthew.

“Our mission is to invite all to join our diverse community, worshiping God and sharing Christ’s compassion.”

One of the most evocative banner statement that I’ve seen was “Our mission is to find a hurt and heal it in the name of Christ.”

Feel free to share your Church's Mission Statement in reply to this post.

Written Mission Statements

Sure your congregation has a mission statement, but does it have a mission? Many congregations have undertaken the task of writing a mission statement and generally speaking, I think this is a good thing. Yet, over the years, I’ve noticed that many churches with mission statements do not seem to have much of a sense of mission. Here are some critical questions to ask about your mission statement.

1. Is it up to date? Secular organizations know that the rapid pace of change means that mission statements tend to go stale or become irrelevant very quickly. This can even be true of churches too.

2. Is your statement too, well quite frankly, theological? Many mission statements that I read reflect the heavy hand of the rector in creating it. Better mission statements are usually created by lay people who say in normal language what they mean. Clergy, if this offends you, remember that the New Testament was written in Koina or common Greek. I would add this caveat for clergy; the rector should always write the finale version. After all, she or he will be the person who most often has to say it.

3. Are the verbs in the mission statement weak, or even worse, passive voice. The strength of a mission statement is found it active and strong verbs. “Nurture” and “Support” are poor substitutes for “care” and “love.” You might want to think of the Great Commission here with “go, make, teach as the active verbs.

4. In other words, some mission statements are really maintenance statements in disguise. What they really say is “We intend to keep doing things the way we like it around here and we would like to find some new people who will help pay for this!” Is this what your statement really says?

5. Is your mission statement borrowed from someone else? After “Miracle in Darien” was written in the early 80s, many churches adopted “to know Christ and to make him know” as their mission statement. Few did it.

6. Can the lay people tell you what the mission of your church is without reading it? If they can’t, it isn’t a mission statement.

7. Can the new people tell you what it is? This means you are attracting folks on the basis of your mission and not the Rose Window.

Lots of times folks ask me what is wrong with using something such as the Great Commission or the “to know Christ” statement (actually this is Archbishop Temple’s great statement on the mission of the church.) In one sense, nothing is wrong with it especially if the people really own it and the congregation really does it. What I would ask a group of leaders if they told me that their mission was “to know Christ and make him Known” is “can you tell me five exciting and dynamic ways in which you actually do this?

By the way, what is the mission of the Church? Paraphrasing St. Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians in the 5^th Chapter, the catechism correctly says that “it is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.”

The Best Way to Invite People

What is the best way to invite visitors to your church?

Hold a Special Sunday

What is this and how do you do it?

A Special Sunday is a planned worship service which is aimed and oriented at the needs of people both inside and outside the church. When correctly executed, you can expect an increase in attendance for that Sunday from 10% to 100% over your regular attendance. Here are the guidelines, but you can read more about this in my book "5 Keys for Church Leaders available through Church Publishing.

These must be compatible with the values, personality, and goals of your congregation.

You are limited only by the imagination of those doing the planning.

There are at least five areas that work for a special Sunday.

I. The recognition of special vocation or occupation: health care professionals (Near St. Luke’s Day), firemen, veterans, public education, Day School teachers, scouting.

II. Special liturgical days: 1^st Sunday of Lent, Good Friday, All Saints, Pentecost, All Souls. (Remember that Palm Sunday has the largest number of present parish members attending.)

III. National Days: Martin Luther King, Veteran’s Day, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, World Hunger Day, etc.

IV. Others: The anniversary of the founding of the church, the patron saint day, mid-February marriage celebration, clergy ordination anniversary, long-time member recognition Sunday.

V. Community Concerns: keeping kids safe, keeping kids off drugs, Recovery Sunday, Single parents Sunday, Grandparents, etc.

As you can see, the possibilities are endless. However, just scheduling a special Sunday will do little.

How to organize a Special Sunday

First, appoint a taskforce of 5 – 7 people who genuinely care about the topic.

Second, have them coordinate with the Preacher of the day and musicians.

Third, make a list of special people to invite.

Fourth, announce this weeks in advance.

Fifth, in the weeks before, announce it and have prayers for the day.

Sixth, encourage members to invite guests based on the theme.

Then, consider a large canvas red banner to drop over your sign or church building advertising the event.

· Plan a possible follow-up event to connect further. For example, a Christian counselor to speak to blended families.

Our first Special Sunday at the Cathedral was a "Harvest Sunday" on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. As part of this, we printed up invitation cards like business cards and gave them to our members for weeks ahead of time. We invited ANYONE in the food business to join us, waiters, caterers, wholesalers, resturant owners and managers. We had a 25% increase in our English Speaking service attendance and a 50% increase at our Spanish service. During the prayers of the people, we invited all such folks forward and annointed their hands with holy oil for their work. It was very moving.

Special Sundays work because it appeals to both un-churched folks and the 60% of your folks not normally in attendance on any given Sunday. BTW, that fast growing Bible Church down the street holds at least 20 Special Sundays a year.

What Should You Put On Your Sign?

The most obvious means of inviting people to your church is something every Episcopal Church has, your sign. True, some of you added to this with a listing in the yellow pages. Many of you have added a website. Very few churches actually advertize in the local media. I know of no Episcopal Church that uses billboards. I know some new congregations that advertize in a movie theatre just before the previews start. But all of us have a sign.

What is on Your Sign?

If you have heard me speak on evangelism, you will know that I do not like most Episcopal Church signs. The essential problem is that most of our signs are aimed at the wrong people! Here is a typical example on what is on most signs.

St. John’s Episcopal Church (in bold letters)

Services: 8am Rite I Eucharist

10am Rite II Choral Eucharist

9:15 Church School for all ages

The Rev. Beth Smith, Rector

Clear enough? Actually, notice that this sign is aimed at Episcopalians and primarily current members of the Church. For example, no denomination in America calls it morning worship a “Eucharist,” not even the Greek Orthodox! What is a “rector?” The Roman Church and all protestant churches call this person the “pastor.”

You need to look at your sign as your opportunity to tell the community, particularly the un-churched why they should join you. So, I like to see churches put on their sign a one sentence or one phrase statement that would attract un-churched people. Of course, add the times and other items but do it in less “Episcopal Speak.”

For examples:

Why not “Worship Service” instead of “Eucharist?”

Why not “Nursery available?”

Why not “Pastor, Beth Smith (put Rector in parenthesis)?

For 8am, why not “Traditional”

For the main service “Family,” or “Main” or “Contemporary” (if the word really fits.

And, why not “Christian Education” or just “Education for all ages”

Now for the sentence; should you put your mission statement? It might be better than what you have now. The better alternative is to say to the un-churched what the mission you offer will do for them. Of course such a message must be both relevant to your life (it must be true advertizing) and it must make sense in your community. For example, an Anglican Church in Canada has “All Tribes” on its sign. Given its location near a first nation’s reserve, this was effective.

Here is my favorite from Grace Church, Georgetown, Texas.

“Grace Church - The Family Church of Georgetown.”

It helps to know that Georgetown is the location of Texas’ Sun City for retired adults.

Finally, don’t put on one of those catchy or clever Christian messages like “a day that starts with prayer, doesn’t unravel.” No one has ever attended a church because of a cute message.

Inviting People

What is the most effective way to get new people to attend your church?
You already know what it is. The most effective way to get new people to visit your church is to have one of your members invite someone to attend. In the secular world, this is called “word of mouth” advertizing. Let’s ask ourselves who they are most likely to invite? The answer is someone in one of their three most important circles; extended family, friends, and work associates.

Yes, theoretically, they could walk through there neighborhood or the local mall and invite people, but we all know this is unlikely for Episcopalians. In addition, if they are not inviting friends, family and fellow workers, what are the odds they will invite others?

To invite folks, you have to feel good about inviting them. Think of it this way. You see the latest film and you really like it. What do you do? You mention it to your family, friends, and fellow workers. It’s natural. This means that your congregation is more likely to be inviting if your liturgical, program and/or fellowship life imparts significant meaning. This means that Sundays need to be, above all else and brace yourselves, INSPIRATIONAL. This, of course, is a word that seminary professors taught all clergy to abhor, but trust me, laity know what I mean.

It also helps, if you create ways to help folks in knowing when to invite others. The best way to do this, and the most proven way of increasing attendance at your church on a given Sunday, is to hold a “Special Sunday.” I’ll describe this in my next blog. If you can’t wait, buy my book 5 Keys for Church Leaders. Look up The Special Sunday. A properly planned and executed Special Sunday can increase attendance 10 to 100%! The average large evangelical church schedules 20 of these a year, and the average Episcopal Church normally has three of them.

Importantly, to get folks to invite others to your church, church members need to feel good about their own church. Remember, members can be loyal, dedicated and faithful, but still not feel positive about their own congregation. Try this; rate your congregation on a “congregational esteem scale” of at least 7. On this scale, 1 equals “I don’t even know why I attend here any more, let along why I would invite someone else!” 10 equals “Let me tell you about my church. . . pause. . . tears. . . its is the greatest church you will ever attend.”)

How would your folks rate the esteem of your congregation? If you are above 7, they are inviting people already. If it is 5 or below, you can forget about inviting people. First, start making creative changes aimed at raising the esteem. Don’t worry about inviting people with other methods until you make these changes because even if they come, they will not return!

The Three Pew Ministry

Several years ago, a fellow Episcopal Priest taught me the “Three Pew Ministry.” I have found this the most effective way to empower congregational members to carry out the hospitality ministry of the church. Here is how I introduced it at the Cathedral.

“Today, we are introducing a new ministry for the Cathedral and all of you are a part of it. It is called the Three Pew Ministry, and if you help carry it out, you will help the Cathedral become much more effective in welcoming guests.

Most of you are sitting in a pew and you have a pew in front of you and one behind. These are the three pews of this ministry. When we come to the passing of the peace, I want you to turn to the people next to you, the people in front of you, and the people behind you and pass the peace to them. If you see someone you do not know, take a moment to introduce yourself to them. Use something like, I am Kevin and I am a member here. I don’t think I’ve met you before.

If you discover that the person you are meeting is a visitor, then, and this is VERY IMPORTANT, you are appointed by God, called by Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit to carry out The Three Pew Ministry. Here is what you need to do. At the end of the service:
1. Introduce the visitor to at least three other members of the Cathedral.
2. Introduce them to me or another clergy member of the staff
3. Lead them personally to the reception/coffee area

Once you have finished doing this, you are now free to visit with others. Trust me this works!” I introduced this for a month and now remind people every four to six weeks.

While teaching a group of congregational leaders in Florida, the Rector asked me to mention the Three Pew Ministry to the leaders. They loved it. Since I was preaching on Sunday, they asked me to introduce this to the whole congregation. Afterward, the Rector and I stood at the back door of the church and two couples approached the Rector. The first couple said, ‘we were visiting this morning and during the peace met Joan and Bill who were also visiting for the first time. We are now carrying out our part of the Three Pew Ministry, and we are headed for the coffee hour together.

Notice that visitors to the church who hear this is a ministry don’t mind. I have always found that they like the effort the church is making to be friendlier AND they feel that they can join right in.

Want to have a congregation that really does welcome the stranger among you? Then, practice the Three Pew Ministry. The only thing that I’ve found that does better at making people feel welcome is in the few churches where members actually invite visitors to join them for lunch after the service as their guests. Most folks, by the way, don’t accept the invitation, but they are so impressed that people asked them, they keep coming back.

The Problem with Ushers and Greeters

I am still on the topic of welcoming people, and in this blog I plan to share about the problems with ushers and greeters. But first, let me tell you strait forward what I like to see at churches.

First, I like to see good signage. I will write about the church’s main sign in a later post, but for right now I mean two types of signs. I like to see the prime and closest parking spaces marked for “Guests” or “Visitors.” If you want to lessen resistance to this idea, tell your members that if they are running late, they can park in any of these spots because visitors to your church won’t come late, except, of course, if they are long time Episcopalians. These signs also remind members that you are expecting guests. I also like to see buildings marked clearly; for example, Christian Education Building, Parish Hall and, believe it or not, worship or sanctuary. On the interior, it is great to have signs directing guests to such important services as a nursery or restrooms.

Second, I especially like to see an “Information Table” at the entrance to the church building. On this place bulletins, current church newsletters, and attractive brochures on highlighted areas of ministry. Don’t forget a simple brochure on the Episcopal Church, and one on “How to become a member of this Church.” You see the importance of such a kiosk at the local mall. I usually suggest that you recruit a woman between 30 and 40 years of age who is a strong extrovert who is to stand a few feet away from this table. Believe me, she will know what to do.

We use a “connection card” at the Cathedral and we ask EVERYONE to fill it out EVERY service. I got this idea from the book “Fusion” by Nelson Searcy. This is a great tool in newcomer ministry. We went from almost never getting visitor names and addresses to almost always getting them plus email addresses. I respond to visitors with email, not just a welcoming letter. In another blog, I’ll mention some things in following up. We also practice “The Three Pew Ministry” at the Cathedral, but that too is for a later blog.

So, what is wrong with ushers? Where else in America do you find men in dark (black) suites? The answer is, of course, at funeral homes. Do have ushers and recruit families (yes, even children) who look like the people you are trying to attract. Train them to do more than hand out bulletins. Teach them the best places to seat guests – center and in the isle seats. It took me, by the way, three years to over come the long tradition of having older male ushers in suites at the Cathedral. I say this to remind you that, even when you know this stuff, change comes hard.

And Greeters? Studies show that churches with Greeters who wear “Greeter” badges are less friendly than those that don’t. This is because once you announce to your members that you have a “Greeters Ministry,” they abandon owning the responsibility for Christian hospitality to visitors. (Visit the previous blog, or the next one on how to empower better hospitality ministry among your members.) We do have Greeters at the Cathedral, but they do not wear distinguishing badges. Their job is to pick up on the people who were missed in our Three Pew Ministry. They stand near the back door at the end of the service close enough to me that I can pass on new people to them.

Before I arrived at the Cathedral, the leadership expanded the traditional “Coffee Hour” after the main service into a “reception.” At this, we provide good food and a much more engaging fellowship. They also added a full breakfast after our 8am service. If I can get a visitor to the reception, I have a much better chance of leading them to become a new member. Get them to the breakfast and it is a done deal!

Before I close this blog, I will mention that famously Bill Hybel’s congregation have members greet people IN THE PARKING LOT!” Remember that people decide within 5 minutes of arriving in your parking lot if they will return again. I know of no Episcopal Congregation that does this. However, St. John’s in Silsbee, Texas used to place their greeters at the main intersection of the parking lot and the main sidewalk up to the Church.

By these standards, how is your congregation in welcoming (the hospitality ministry) new people who visit your church?