Put the Mission Before Ourselves

Jul 22

2 min read

Hey Pastors and Ministry Leaders,

One of the great privileges of serving the Northwest Baptist Convention is the opportunity to spend time in so many different churches.

Every church has its own personality.

Some are naturally warm and inviting. Others have a deep love for God’s Word. Some have an unmistakable passion for reaching people with the Gospel. Others are known for raising up leaders or caring well for one another.

I’ve often found myself asking, “What makes those churches different?”

Certainly, every church has its own history, leadership, and community. But over the years I’ve become convinced that what really shapes a church is its culture. That culture is formed over time by the things its people consistently believe, celebrate, and practice.

The same is true of the Northwest Baptist Convention.

Last week I shared that we identified six commitments that we believe should shape the kind of culture we’re striving to build together. As promised, I’d like to begin unpacking those commitments. I intentionally grouped the first two together because, in many ways, they become the foundation for everything else.

Grow in Christ by the power of the Spirit.

Put the mission before ourselves.

After more than 35 years of ministry, I’ve become convinced that these two are inseparable.

When I’m walking closely with Jesus, it becomes much easier to put His mission ahead of my own preferences, opinions, and agendas.

When my relationship with Christ begins to drift, I find myself becoming much more concerned about what I want than what He wants.

I’ve lived long enough to know that’s true in my own life, and I’ve seen it play out in churches as well.

Healthy churches don’t become healthy simply because they have good strategies, strong preaching, or effective programs. Those things certainly matter. But healthy churches are led by people who love Jesus deeply and are committed to His mission above their own.

That doesn’t mean we always agree.

It doesn’t mean every church looks the same.

It doesn’t mean we never have difficult conversations.

It simply means we’ve settled on an important question:

What best advances the mission God has given us?

I’ve discovered that when leaders genuinely love Christ and keep His mission at the center, many of the other decisions become much clearer.

That’s the kind of culture I’m praying God continues to build in my own life, in the Northwest Baptist Convention, and in every church across Washington, Oregon, and North Idaho.

Thank you for faithfully serving where God has placed you. Lisa and I count it a privilege to serve alongside you as a family of churches on mission together.

by Faith,