Any leader, whether you lead a church, a company, a group, a family, etc, has choices to make. We have to daily choose where our focus is aimed. Are we aimed merely at financial gain, notoriety, happiness? Or are we aimed at something more? Do we have a “mission”?

A leader who is learning to “Canoe the Mountains” must identify their mission, then put that mission above all. In his book “Canoeing the Mountains”, Tod Bolsinger writes “The mission trumps. Always. Every time. In every conflict. Not the pastor. Not the members of the church who pay the bills. Not those who scream the loudest or who are most in pain. No, in a healthy Christian ministry, the mission wins every argument. The focused, shared, missional purpose of the church or organization will trump every other competing value.”

So, a leader must ask themselves “What is my mission?” I would love to think that every church has some form of reaching people for Christ in their mission, though sadly, I realize that is not always the case. So often, the local church can get derailed with things that really have no eternal value. The wheels spin on matters that consume time and attention, but really do not bring anyone any closer to a saving and growing relationship with the Savior.

Mission trumps all is a great place for us each to start evaluating. Determining what our main goal or mission is must be essential, then everything we do should flow from and revolve around that mission. If something doesn’t further our mission, we shouldn’t spend our time, attention and resources on it. Period.

Edwards Deming said “your system is perfectly designed to get the results you are getting.” In terms of church world, Bolsinger writes “What do we do when the community that declares their commitment to venturing into uncharted territory is doing everything to remain huddled around a campfire in familiar terrain?”

Bolsinger’s advice?

Start with conviction,

Stay calm,

Stay connected,

And STAY THE COURSE.

At Mission Church, our mission is to help people find and follow Christ. What better mission could there be? Stay the course!

#FindAWayFriday