The writing is on the wall and unlike what happened in the book of Daniel chapter 5, this writing is good news indeed.

The Lutheran Church of Our Savior, Tulsa, has a new mission statement. Sharing the Gospel with Compassion! I know that can sound vague at first – it does goes deeper than that. Once we find our mission statement and know our focus there is a process involved that puts a firm foundation underneath that and a place to give it wings. A process that involves knowing and following the Word of God, humility, and a lot of seeking the Holy Spirit in prayer. It took following this process to find our new mission statement.

This process also gave us new vision, new value statements, and new goals. This process helped us find one Big Hairy Audacious Goal or BHAG,as Carol,our facilitator, called it: to build a community center that reaches out to youth (ages 2-18) and young adults. That’s our three year goal. When the three years is over – or our goal is complete, we set a new one.

Getting there was hard work. Fear kicked in. Agendas began to surface. We almost slid into – what is normal but counterproductive – the desire to create a goal so big, so hairy, so all inclusive, that it fails. Carol wouldn’t let us do that and kept us focused.

Who is Carol you ask? The woman for LCEF who facilitated our congregation while we walked/worked through the Strategic Ministry Plan, a program sponsored by Lutheran Church Extension Fund.

What prompted us to do bring in an outsider? Our church had some division, lack of focus, business meetings that last for hours on end with little truly accomplished. We are a 50 plus year old church that trying to be everything to everybody and we are tired. It’s not that we are lazy, it’s that we are working ineffectively, running in too many directions. And we were arguing over which direction was the “right” one.

A family in our church found this program, brought it to our attention last fall and we voted to do it. Not try. DO! This isn’t some outside contractor. This isn’t someone with something to sell or an agenda.

This is a Lutheran program that is based on these premises:

We seek our agenda from God the Father instead of consultants.
We trust God the Son to set the example for our actions instead of basing our decisions on other congregations.
We rely on God the Holy Spirit for our direction instead of relying on focus groups and surveys.

It is a process that is:

Designed by Lutherans for Lutherans.
Grounded in the Word of God and bound by LCMS doctrine.
A faith-based process.
About the work (calling) of the congregation.
Committed to a comprehensive plan.

For a congregation of about 500 or so, coming together in unity, service, focus and prayer isn’t as easy as it sounds. We have so many ministries, so many needs, so many opinions that we, as a church admitted if we did not get a handle on this, we would spend our days, doing good work, but working unproductively. We needed a focus. We needed help and we needed guidance. And we needed objectivity. We needed someone with ministry specific training, someone who understands the basic, and maybe not so basic, tenants of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod to help us.

This is a long process. One that asks a lot of questions and requires a lot of time in prayer. It requires open hearts, open hands, and willingness to seek the face of God and listen to the Holy Spirit. We spent an entire month in prayer both privately and corporately to prepare for this weekend.

Their brochure puts it this way:

Carry out God’s
Plan and Watch Your Ministry Flourish!
Lutheran Church Extension Fund’s Strategic Ministry Planning (SMP)is a faith-based process that helps you go to God with “empty hands,” asking Him to help you set aside personal agendas and to reveal His plans for your ministry. Using a process that is fully participatory and grounded in the Word, we will help members recognize, accept,and take action on God’s calling for your congregation’s
ministry.

I’m proud of my church. Most of us showed up for this program. More than half of the congregation anyway which is a miracle in itself really.

We split into groups of four with one only “rule.” We were asked to sit outside of family and boards and mix it up a little. We did that. In voters meetings we tend to sit with our boards and families, but not for this.

The funnel of ideas and goals started rather large, with broad questions. She was casting a net for us to start with. Our groups agreed on one answer, of 4 or 5 words, for each question and Carol (our facilitator) put the answers on the wall. The common themes began to emerge throughout the first night; Missions, Outreach, Compassion, Love, Forgiveness, Christ. All of our small groups were saying the same thing. The Holy Spirit was at work.

Once it came time to get to the ‘nitty gritty’ as I like to call it, of creating a mission statement, values, and goals, we had to stick to the words on the walls. Carol would not put in words that we did not as a church put on the wall.

When things got hairy, and they did because we are imperfect people, we stopped and prayed as a group. When we got stuck in fear (and we did) Carol had us write down on cards what one thing are we afraid of losing if we agree to this goal. When ever fear strikes we repent as individuals and confess those fears, lay down those agendas, and turn back towards God. Pastor led us in a corporate confession and absolution and we continued. We are a confessional church after all.

What is really cool is they don’t leave us hanging after we create the goal. LCEF comes back to help us step through the second tier of this BHAG. The ministry boards of the church will come together to examine it and create the steps needed to reach it.

The center is not an exclusionary. We aren’t getting rid of things we are already doing and replacing it with the newest fad. Business of the church continues. Carol will help keep our leaders feet to the wheel and make sure we, as a congregation, stay focused.

I’m excited for the future. Knowing our church’s values, vision, and goals IS exciting.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”