“Prepare to grow with God.” This is our mission statement for the church family of the LaGrange United Methodist Church adopted by the Administrative Council approximately six years ago. Attending a B2C2 Community informational monthly meeting at the Lions Park, we heard Mayor Kim expressing the need for the LaGrange Village and Township to prepare for growth. There needs to be good plans for development for clean industry, community resources, proper building codes, good school networking, and more. His thought was “LaGrange needs to prepare for growth.” That was an epiphany for me to redo our church mission to be simple and attainable.
Prepare to grow with God. Attending a Leadership Institute at The United Methodist of the Resurrection (14,000 members) outside Kansas City in October 2010, Pastor Liz and I heard and saw continuously that church’s mission statement, “Building a Christian community where nonreligious and nominally religious people are becoming deeply committed Christians.” Every member was expected to know this mission statement and help it to come forth. Their vision is “changing lives, transforming communities, and renewing the church.” Their journey is “knowing, loving, and serving God.” Starting in 1990 with four people with a dream, this church now has four campuses with more than 19,000 in worship, including online.
Prepare to grow with God. God has impressed on me this year of 2012 to focus on our mission statement. We need to know it. We need to live it. And we need to see it.
Prepare to grow with God. How do we do it? Obviously it starts with us. How are you growing with God? It takes a balance of Scripture (Bible reading/discussion), Prayer (individual/corporate), Worship (private/public), Service (church/community), and Witness (church/community). We all should be having epiphanies (light bulb moments) with God. We all should be having spiritual experiences (“Jesus bumps”) with Jesus. We all should be having an impact (spiritual) on others with the Holy Spirit.
I am not expecting a church of 14,000 in this vision, but I am expecting our church to impact our community and beyond for Jesus. Do you know our mission statement?
Prepare to grow with God (with us).
Pastor Ralph
