Eight Statements Worth Considering
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Much can be learned by observing how the Holy Spirit is shaping other congregations. Recently I heard Bill Hybels of Willow Creek Community Church (South Barrington, IL) articulate eight elder approved statements that name their highest values. These statements can serve as a helpful conversation starter for other ministries seeking to identify ministry priorities. Of each statement the following questions could be asked:
Here are the eight value statements:
We celebrate that people who were far from God are regularly coming to faith through this ministry.
We do everything we can to fix what is broken in this world…feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, sheltering the homeless, visiting the prisoners, welcoming the stranger, fighting injustice, overturning systems of oppression everywhere.
We seek to be welcoming and to reach across racial divides, gender divides, gender preferences divides, generational divides and language divides.
Our mantra is “95% devotion is 5% short.”
The Holy Spirit has deposited gifts in all believers (both women and men). Everyone is encouraged to express those gifts to the zenith of their ability with no restrictions.
We believe everything we have comes from the hand of a generous heavenly Father. Sound money management is part of a committed discipleship including giving the first tenth of whatever income the Lord may have provided us.
We expect everyone to prioritize on public worship each and every week.
We are willing to live dangerously in complete obedience to the Holy Spirit’s call on our lives.
If your congregational leadership attempted to articulate a set of value statements, what would they be? Naming values (both actual and aspirational) is an important part of pursuing God’s preferred future.
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