Mission Statement

            The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me,
Because the LORD has anointed Me 
To preach good tidings to the poor; 
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, 
To proclaim liberty to the captives, 
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, 
And the day of vengeance of our God; 
To comfort all who mourn. (Isa 61:1, 2)

Jesus quoted this passage as He began His earthly ministry (cf. Lk 4:18, 19).

This passage describes the heart of our Savior, who suffered and gave His life as an atonement for the sin of His lost creation.

If Jesus’ church has a mission statement, then this is it. A mission statement tells us what we are about. What our goals are. It shapes what we do.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we have been called to complete His mission. We have been called to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives.  The same Spirit poured out on Christ has now been poured out on us. We have become the body of Christ, His hands and feet. We must share His passion, suffering, and love.

It starts with being filled with His Spirit.  It starts when we pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done.”

Like any other person who gets out of bed in the morning, I have to make choices about how I want to spend my day, what I want to accomplish this week. For what am I living?

As a church, we can think of many different programs to have. We can have a Bible study, a woodworking club. We can do flower arrangements. Some activities are needed for the day-to-day administration of the church. But do the things we do accomplish the mission, the purpose for which the Spirit was poured out on us? Let us ask ourselves, Will it set the captives free? Will it bind up the brokenhearted?

           

 

            Question for Reflection:

Have you thought of the mission statement this morning as you start and plan your day?