Church Startup Requires the Discovery of the Original Vision and Mission

As the founding partner of a new church community, I get asked what is the purpose for your organization? I know they are asking a variety of things that are associated with traditional Christian meetings like order of service, staff, service ministry focuses, etc. While those seem important, as a businessman, I understand the importance of having the one and three minute pitch that includes the vision, mission and appeal to get involved.

So I took time to talk and listen to God, through prayer and reading the Bible, to understand what His purpose and vision was for this local gathering of Jesus followers. I came away from these times with an understanding that while this is a local gathering, that our vision is irrevocably linked to God's global movement of Believers and local gatherings of his followers. Also, that according to His words to us found in the Bible, Jesus has already established the vision for His followers, and we should not add or take away from it. There are two major visions for the community of Believers worldwide:

1) That our identity as one who is loved and in return loving Jesus (to BE the Bride of Christ)

2) That our primary citizenship is the Kingdom of Heaven and to BE Ambassadors of it to the world.

Everything, we as followers of Jesus DO can be tied back to these two BEINGs. I studied, researched and examined many traditional church vision web pages and they had parts and pieces of Jesus' whole vision for the global movement of Believers. Few captured the simplest but vital elements of His followers in their vision.

I also received an understanding that this church community has a critical local purpose and mission to accomplish:

1) Go and compel others to Father God's love

2) Appeal others to become follower of Jesus

3) Allow the Holy Spirit within believers to be expressed to others

This is a very huge mission for any local community of believers to fulfill. Everything we do can be connected and assessed back to Jesus' vision for the global movement of His followers and the mission of the local community of believers.

With this understanding, I am ready to give the pitch and appeal to the frequently asked question: what is the purpose of your organization?