The Narrow Path Ministries

Please critique the following church vision statment. i did not write it, so have at it!

To reach out to a generation of people who have stopped attending church in a contemporary, caring, and credible way; and to demonstrate God's love for them by building relationships and meeting their needs.

TK

Well, at least they're not concerned with paltry stuff like edifying the believers...

My church seems to put a bit too much emphasis on evangelism, but at least it's balanced with some concern for discipleship:

Connecting people to Jesus through relevance, discipleship and authenticity

Why can't they just leave us alone~!!?

How did we ever get by before vision statements?

To reach out to a generation of people who have stopped attending church in a contemporary, caring, and credible way; and to demonstrate God's love for them by building relationships and meeting their needs.

Sounds like somebody is still going to church, they are just not being contemporary, caring and credible about it.

There is something wrong with the grammar, but I don't know the name for it.

set- i agree with you 100& about the edifying the "paltry believers." that's glaringly absent.

other than grammar, what bothers you guys about this?

TK

From a grammer standpoint it should read:

"To reach out in a contemporary, caring, and credible way to a generation of people who have stopped attending church; and to demonstrate God's love for them by building relationships and meeting their needs."

It sounds to me like the focus is on getting people to attend their church. I guess it strikes me as too narrow of an objective.

I'm ok with it. I was just being silly. I think some of us need a nudge. I find I am desiring fellowship but can't bring myself to take the first step. I was just called tonight by a group leader of the church I have not been attending very often but call it my church, and even though I was non-commital I deeply appreciated the effort he made to first think of me and then call.

It sounds to me like the focus is on getting people to attend their church. I guess it strikes me as too narrow of an objective.

I agree with what Danny wrote. Seems like the main goal is "making church-attenders" instread of "making disciples." It is too narrow ... but I think it might also be taking (biblically speaking) the wrong aim.

By His Grace,

Gregg

Hi TK,

Just a couple questions: is this part of a vision statement or the whole thing? (not being sarcastic here).

Also, and, more importantly, I think vision statements that zero in on any particular demographic soley are dangerous for a church. The church is called to minister to all without partiality. Paul speaks some deep warnings about this (and James, in a related way, as well):

James 5:21
I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions [about how churches should operate] without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.

See also James 2:1-13

I hate to be a wet blanket but what happens if someone not in that demographic shows up? Could this be used as an excuse to not minister to some segment of the population? Could this be viewed as exclusitory?

I'm glad that there are churches that de facto meet the needs of demographics that the larger church has overlooked or neglected. I just think it's dangerous to build a platform based on one kind of target market. That's how the world works, but we are called to "regard no one in the flesh".. and not to make distinctions in the family of god based on "male or female, Jew, Gentile, greek, or unchurched barbarian"

My two cents, humbly.