I grew up at a megachurch in Denver called Cherry Hills Community Church. I also served there as the junior high youth pastor for awhile. Now I serve two small churches that between the two average 150 in attendance. I arrived here three years ago and both churches have experienced growth. But in a town of 2000, we can only expect to grow so much. We actually have nearly 10% of the town's population attending one of our two churches. How many churches can make that claim!
In these small churches I am often amazed at the scarcity mentality. Much of the time, the leadership is just trying to survive. It's frustrating because it can keep us from risking, moving out in faith.
But a scarcity mentality also characterizes many large and megachurches. It seems to me, that it's just human nature. To think about what we don't have or can't do comes easily to us.
Earlier this year, when Google first released Googlemaps, I started posting megachurch Google sightseeing posts just for fun. There's not really a purpose to them. But it does allow me to visit many megachurch websites and get a feel for them. It also shows me just how many resources the kingdom of God has (though this is obviously just the tip of the iceberg!) Here's the vision and mission for Pulpit Rock Church.
Our Vision
To see lives transformed as we influence our world out of our intimacy with God.
At Pulpit Rock Church we want to see lives transformed by the power of God. In order for that to happen we know that our influence on our world must grow out of an intimate relationship with God.
Our Mission
To passionately pursue God, extend the hands and heart of Christ, build biblical community, and establish a legacy of faith.
To the extent we do these things, we are confident the Spirit of God will transform our lives and transform our community for His glory.
I remember spending staff retreats hammering out vision and mission statements. It was a good exercise but it always looked better on paper. On paper we could say we were going to do or be about anything we wanted to. But to actually achieve those things in the vast majority of the thousands that came on any given Sunday? That is quite another thing.
My two little churches don't have a written vision or mission statement. Do you think churches need one? It seems the more statements like these I read, the more they sound the same. What's the value of a vision and mission statement for a church?
Filed in: church, googlemapssightseeing
1 comment:
I have been interacting with some of the pastors and laypeople at Pulpit Rock for my Dayspring job-so it caught my eye that you picked their church to post on. In all honesty, of the larger churches I have been dealing with as a Director, Pulpit Rock has been one of the best. I am afraid that many churches, when they get to a certain size, feel as if they are an island. They don't need any outside ministries, and if they do want to talk, you get the sense that they will only work with you if they can manipulate the way you do things.
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