Ridgell's Originals

I am often intrigued by discussion of church mission statements.  Who are we?  What are we known for?  And for right now, I am not thinking about what the community thinks of you.  That image is important, but it is also important to figure out what is in your core DNA as a church.  I am going to assume that every church would answer Jesus as their fundamental DNA and I get that.  But churches have things they do that define them -- some articulated, some just are.

There are churches that are worship driven, churches that are heavily involved in social justice, or evangelism, or strong preaching, or missions, or benevolence.  That is who they are.  Nothing wrong with any of these, but in my experience most churches are really known for only a couple of things.  The things that are core to their identity.  There are three ways to quickly identify the things that your church views as essential to their identity.  What have they historically emphasized?  Where do they spend their money?  What do they talk about?

Here is why I think it matters to know what is your unique emphasis.  Most churches can't be all things to all members.  So if someone is passionate about evangelism they may not be at home in a worship or benevolent church.  It is OK to know who you are and to realize everyone may not be drawn to what you emphasize.

And it is difficult to change a church culture.  If I really want to emphasize corporate worship, should I try to change emphasis and resources from benevolence?  Or if I think missions should be the main emphasis of who we are as a church, should I try to change a social justice church?  I am not sure there is an answer to these questions, but I have been thinking about them.

So I have been thinking about my church at Southern Hills.  Who are we?  What is at the core of our DNA? And I have identified two things that we have been involved in for the 40+ years I have been in and around SH.  We have always talked about these things.  It hasn't mattered who are elders have been or who has been doing the preaching.  We spend money on these.  Not saying this makes us good -- or bad.  It is just who we are.

Missions.  We raise missionaries, we send missionaries, we seek mission opportunities.  Our people go on missions.  We talk about missions.  We always have.  Almost every one -- if not all -- of our elders and ministers have gone on a mission trip within the last couple of years.

Evangelism.  I still remember as a college student going with our ministers on Bible studies.  We talk about Jesus.  We baptize non-believers.  We tell their stories.  Always have.  Our elders and ministers are all passionate about this.  Probably more than anything else.  It's why we disagree on a million other things but stay together.  It is our spiritual DNA.

So if missions and evangelism aren't what excites you the most, you may not be happy at Southern Hills.  Not a matter of good or bad, but more a matter of a good fit.  Couldn't we change and find our identity in some other worthy emphasis.  Sure we could.  But should we?

And some of you are thinking:  OK Steve, these are your personal hot buttons.  Well sure they are.  That's why I love Southern Hills and why we are there.  It fits us.