Maybe you’ve been there. Two perfectly good opportunities have arisen to be involved in ministry at your church, but even after praying over them, you’re still having a hard time deciding which one to choose. That’s exactly where I was a couple of weeks ago and where the benefit of having a personal mission statement comes in.
Back in May I wrote two blogs about this, one general “how to” about formulating a personal mission statement, and a second entitled, “Moses – A Man with a Mission”, in which I talked about the mission God gave Moses in Exodus 18. It would be very helpful to read those two blogs before you read this so that all the thoughts are tied together for you.
Three years ago, while I was spending time in prayer for the Lord’s guidance for ministry, He gave me a passion for the women in our church who were crying out for connection. We had a day time ministry for those who could attend, but nothing really for those who worked. So, although my primary ministry up to that time had been to teach the Bible, I sensed that God was leading me to put any lengthy teaching assignments on temporary hold while I gave my time to women’s ministry.
As a result, we formed a women’s ministry team and for the last three years we have planned and executed a variety of ministry opportunities for women. We hosted outreach teas and dinners, held a weekend retreat, hands on ministry project nights, and a yearly Soup and Seminar event using women from our own church as seminar leaders. All of these were well attended and much appreciated.
Then this year a couple of things happened which caused me to begin to wonder what the Lord was up to. Our ministry leaders began to drop like flies - one of them relocated to Washington DC, another was called to lead the day time women’s group, a third enrolled in nursing school full time. Finding myself the only leader still standing, I began to wonder what to do.
Then, in July, after returning from Nassau where I’d served as a chaperone for the senior high mission’s trip, I learned that our senior high youth director was leaving. Our junior high youth leader had already given notice that he would be leaving at the end of August. Their departures would effectively leave our youth program with only a skeleton crew of helpers.
Immediately, I thought, “Well, I have some relationship with the youth of our church, I’ll make myself available”, and I did, not really having any idea where it would lead. A week later, attending a meeting of the committee that oversees youth ministry at church, I realized just how great was the need.
Sunday school teachers were needed for both senior and junior high; youth leaders were also needed for both groups’ evening activities; chaperones were needed for weekend retreats. I began to realize that if I was going to help with youth ministries I was not going to be able to do all we had planned in women’s ministry as well. But how was I going to decide between them?
That’s where my personal mission statement comes in. Back in the “Moses – A Man with a Mission” blog, I shared that the mission God gave Moses in Exodus 18 was MY mission. Stated simply, as a mission statement should be, it reads:
As God is with me, to intercede for others, to teach God’s Word, to be an example of godliness and godly leadership, and to choose and train others to carry on God’s work.
Although three years ago, I had chosen, as I believed the Lord had led me, to set aside my primary ministry of teaching to focus on women’s ministry, I believed that God was now changing direction to return me to His foremost mission for me, which is – to pray, teach, be an example of godliness and godly leadership, and train others to carry on God’s work – only this time with youth instead of women. (See “Philip: A Man with a Mission” for another illustration of this penchant God sometimes has for changing our direction!)
I was doing that to some degree while leading the women’s ministry team, but primarily my role was that of facilitator, mustering a team and providing spiritual and practical leadership for them as we worked together. It was very satisfying work that I believe blessed the women of our church with deeper fellowship with the Lord and one another – which was our goal. It is still a needed work, but it is not as critical as the crisis we currently have in youth ministry, and so I decided to put women’s ministry on hold for a year, while at the same time inviting any women desiring to carry it on to do so.
So, with a clear mission statement to guide me, it was surprisingly easy to make the decision to teach junior high Sunday school and help out with senior high youth group.
I’ve already begun to pray for the students the Lord has entrusted to me this year, and can hardly WAIT to begin teaching them! The Lord has given me a passion for teaching His Word and that is where I find my greatest joy!
Being an example of godliness and providing godly leadership is always a challenge! Knowing that the students will be watching how I live, to see if it backs up what I say, is very humbling - but also a privilege!
Then there is the GREAT blessing of observing the personalities and looking for the unique gifts the Lord has given to these students so that I can encourage and affirm them – and so influence another generation to carry on God’s work. Does it GET any better than that??
So, I encourage you! If you don’t have a personal mission statement already, ask the Lord to help you determine why He has put YOU here, and how He would have you use the time and talents He has uniquely bestowed on YOU to advance the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ!
And then get busy and write that mission statement!
