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Developing a Mission

The importance of the mission.

Why is the ministry's mission so important? It affects the church in numerous essential ways. Here are nine of them.

The Mission Dictates the Ministry's Direction

Before embarking on a flight, most people want to know where their plane is going. Otherwise, as Yogi Berra, the former New York Yankee catcher, once said, "If you don't know where you're going, you might end up somewhere else." Leaders and their churches must have a direction, and it is the mission that provides that important direction. It answers the directional question, Where are we going? Thus the ministry's mission is directional. It provides a compelling sense of direction, a target for everyone to aim at, and it serves to focus the congregation's energy

Leaders in the Bible demonstrated a strong sense of direction. Moses pursued with a passion his mission to lead Israel out of bondage to the Promised Land (Ex.3:10). The same is true of Joshua (Josh.1:1-5), David (2 Sam. 5:2), Nehemiah (Neh. 2:17), and others. The Savior's ...

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