“The Call, The Vision, The Mission”

3. A mission statement must be short enough to fit on a business card. The vision statement, however, goes into detail and can range from a single paragraph to several pages in length.

4. The purpose of the mission is to inform all of the ministry’s functions. The purpose of the vision is to inspire people to accomplish the ministry’s functions.

5. The mission involves knowing. It helps your people know where they are going. The vision involves seeing. It helps people see where they are going. If people cannot see a goal, it probably will not happen.

6. The mission comes from the head—it is more intellectual in origin. It supplies knowledge. The vision comes from the heart—it is more emotional in origin. It supplies passion.

7. Logically, the mission precedes the vision. In their development, the vision grows out of and develops detail around the mission, fleshing it out.

8. The mission has a broad, general focus, while the vision has a narrow focus. It singles out the details and specifics of the ministry community.

9. Mission development is a science—it can be taught. The vision, however, is an art—it is more caught. Either you catch it or you miss it altogether.

10. Finally, the mission is communicated visually; it is written down somewhere. The vision is communicated verbally. You hear it preached. An example is Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” vision. Hearing him preach it has much greater impact than reading it off the page.

Calvary Independent’s mission Must be Mercy Driven!

Romans 12:1 NIV

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Mercy or compassion n. — a deep awareness of and sympathy for another’s suffering.

I believe there is a trend within churches today that is severely damaging

Our vision and mission must include a passion that is driven from the mercy of God. There are many counterfeits in this world. Keep in mind God ruled in the concept of first within the nation of Israel.

““Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether human or animal.”” (, NIV)

“you are to give over to the Lord the first offspring of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the Lord.” (, NIV)

““The first offspring of every womb belongs to me, including all the firstborn males of your livestock, whether from herd or flock.” (, NIV)

Passion! On what or who is your passion placed? Paul points to a passionate lifestyle that is defined with and offering of sacrifice. Following then, a local congregation should be identified accordingly, right? Outsiders should be able to identify this type of worship in Calvary Independent Church. That would be our DNA, our everyday lifestyle, our vision, our mission, our lifestyle. We as a local church are expected to be an offering to God! One that is holy and pleasing.

Calvary Independent’s Mission Must be Sincere and unhypocritcal

Romans 12:9 NIV

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

Note: In my preparation the word hypocrisy or actually unhypocritical adjs. — not pretended; sincerely felt or expressed popped out of the text.

Speaking on the level of the church, this assembly of believers, to be compassionate would be to demonstrate a life that is controlled by the compassion (mercy) of God and be sincere about it.

This would take us beyond words to action!

Calvary Independent’s Actions must Characterize Unity

Ephesians 1:9–10 NIV

he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

Mark 11:17 NIV

And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”

Matthew 5:24 NIV

leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

Developing Unity Requires an agreement for Vision and Mission

Point here: The sacrifice of Jesus Christ resulted in unification of God’s creation to himself. We are no longer enemies of God.

Does Calvary Independent Church’s worship preach a unified assembly based upon the family of God in Christ?

As we talk about the mission of the church this morning it important to note that the concept of vision and mission often intermingle and at some points seem be the same thing. So, we are going to look at scripture from the standpoint of vision and mission this morning.

Genesis 11:8–9 NIV

So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel—because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

In Genesis chapter 11 the Bible speaks of a tower that planned to reach the heavens. In my mind I see the pictures of the tower. The Lord scattered them.

The purpose of the mission is to inform all of the ministry’s functions. The purpose of the vision is to inspire people to accomplish the ministry’s functions.

Malphurs, A. (2013). Advanced Strategic Planning: A 21st-Century Model for Church and Ministry Leaders (Third edition, p. 132). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

A "Vision Statement" explains what the ministry desires to "be"

The "Mission Statement" explains what the ministry desires to "do" (i.e., The Mission Statement explains how the Vision will be accomplished.).

Mission defines the key ministry objectives (or purposes) of the ministry.