September 2022

Dear Friends of First Lutheran,

Proverbs 29:18a says: “Where there is no vision, the people perish”. This knowledge provides a new vision that allows us to see God and God’s plan for our lives more clearly. Without this vision, we are left to wander down a path that ultimately leads to destruction.

This is a story of the tail of two churches. Both churches have been around for a long time. They have very similar programs, teaching styles, histories, doctrine, and structures.

Both churches have had an incredible impact on their community — directly serving, supporting all kinds of community programs. Both churches have very loyal people. Some drive over 30 miles to get there. The people are thoughtfully present and deeply rooted in scripture. The music is presented well within the heart of worship. They have the same size attendance on a weekly basis. Both churches have activities for children on Sundays and after school.

There are a lot of similarities to these churches, but there is also a huge difference. One of these churches is excited about what God is doing and where the church is going. The other church is anxious and fearful. The church that feels alive has people who feel very empowered to do ministry. The church that is anxious and fearful has people who are leading but are also sometimes bitter or frustrated.

We know there are churches like both of these in our region. You might have been a part of one of the two churches I just described. You also might be wondering what the difference is between the two. If all the parts of the church’s being contrasted are the same, why is one more excited and one anxious? The answer to this is not simple, studies have shown the key difference are vision and communication.

In a church that is anxious, there tends to be no clear vision, poor communication, and a lot of assumptions people make about where the church is going, what it does, or if there’s any place for them to participate? An excited church has a much higher percentage of people who want to be involved. They carry the torch of who the church is and are active participants in accomplishing the church’s mission and goals.

There are a variety of different processes a church can go through to improve clarity around vision, mission, and direction. In turn, the church members can communicate their mission, vision, and purpose more effectively. But one of the simplest things that a church can do is just ask one simple question.  Why does my church exist? To clarify, you’re asking why your church exists. Asking the question this way is important because it personalizes the uniqueness of your church in the community in which it stands with all its uniqueness of style, presentation, and people.

Why does your church exist? Now is a good time for our church to ask this question. As we begin to answer the question, we need to write a very clear mission statement that describes the reason the church exists. Secondly, we write a very clear vision statement that describes the inspirational, long-term, desired change resulting from our ministry. We’ll write it out and each of us will know how we fit into accomplishing this work.

It’s God’s purpose for the church. Share it with everybody. Get others to share it. Help them to own it. And step back into God’s purpose with passion, excitement, and health.

In Christ,
Pastor Jim