For every organization (church, ministry, non-profit) there is a tendency to drift away from mission, to become an institution rather than a movement. A few years ago I had the chance to connect with the middle school staff at North Point Church and got to hear Andy Stanley talk about the drift that happens inside the church. Andy said we have to…
- Avoid the drift toward insiders away from outsiders // We often begin to shape our ministries to cater to those inside the ministry instead of ever thinking about who we are trying to reach. Insider driven ministries in the end drift away from the mission Jesus gave us to make disciples.
- Avoid the drift toward law and away from grace. // Policy can’t rule our lives. Conversations must rule. Ministries that are ok with conversation are open wide to see God move.
- Avoid the drift toward preserving rather than advancing. // We often spend more time keeping things stable rather than embracing needed change that keeps every ministry healthy. We always learn from the past but we can’t allow the past to dictate our future.
If the organizations we lead are going to stay focused on our mission we will have to be intentional about avoiding the drift. Being intentional is is the key. Take time this week to process how you can avoid the drift!