I. Mission Statement

A. Corporate Goals

i. Spending time with my boss, on the phone, long conversations on the future, the focus of the company, where headed, what we need to focus on. – Our direction & core business. – Common in every company I have worked for, annual / Qtrly meetings to re-iterate the company purpose / mission statement & to refocus efforts towards the agreed goals.

ii. At a previous company the CEO had invested close to $3m on consultants to advise the company at all levels on strategies / actions to be more effective in executing the companies mission.

iii. A sound business principle: - to stay focussed on your core business. The company must, & it is most effective when the individual employees take ownership & focus their personal efforts on the mission / purposes / goals of the company

B. Kingdom Parallel

i. This should be the same in the Kingdom of God, as Christians we should a) know what our mission is & b) take ownership of that mission individually / personally and focus your personal efforts on achieving that mission.

Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (NKJV)

ii. We all have dreams & desires, The challenge is to channel / realign your dreams / desires with the purpose / mission that God has for you.

iii. A lot of distractions: - There are so many things you can do / spend your time on, not all bad. – Just as in the workplace, lots of jobs / tasks that need to be done. – You can be kept busy 10 hrs a day. – Why companies spend millions on trying to focus their employees on the mission.

Can be distracted by many things

Martha syndrome.

iv. & Luke 10:40-41 – Not just a picture of the importance of spending time with Jesus, also a strong example of how we can be busy about a lot of things, but lose focus on what matters, what our goal / purpose should be.

II. Our Mission

A. Preach & Disciple

i. What is our purpose: - Our text this AM is our mission statement. & It is a distinctive of our fellowship, a call we take seriously – That is to Go, to all the world, & make disciples, followers of Jesus Christ.

ii. This is & has always been The Churches mission statement. Lots of things we can do, lots of programs, lots of challenges, lots of needs

Beginning to hear a lot about Social Justice in Christian circles – All about how we have to make sure that the poor & the oppressed are lifted out of their poverty & helped.

Not much though on evangelism, discipleship & church planting.

iii. Yes we are to help the poor & oppressed, but ultimately they have the same principle problem that the wealthy & oppressor has. – Lost, separated from God, bound for hell.

III. Altar Call

A. Keep Holding the Pole

i. We have a very clear mandate, the Elford’s in the Solomon Islands are in the frontline of the fulfilment of this mission statement.

Preaching the Gospel to the lost – Very religious but not saved

Discipleship, men are rising up, men that within 2 years could be planted into other towns on other islands.

ii. We can’t all go & be missionaries, can’t all go and preach / be on an impact team – Although many can – choose not to. (What is your mission statement / what is the purpose of your life? Ask yourself the question am I being obedient to the task Jesus has set me?) – As a church we try to go overseas at least once per year, you can make a decision, next trip, I am going, don’t care where it is, I am on it. – Start saving now.

At the Boot Camps that were run a number of years ago in Melbourne, there was one exercise that really impacted Pr Elford. – Team had to get one member to the top of a pole – People removed from the base; easy at first but as people were removed form the base of the pole - very unstable for the one at the top of the pole – nerve wracking / frightening.

Missionaries are at the top of the pole, we are holding up the pole. – We have to support them – Going to help / Prayer / Giving

iii. Not only being there, but also in our giving; At conference every year the offering on Thursday night is for World evangelism – Want to challenge you to make a pledge, a pledge for World Evangelism, Jesus I am committed / obedient to the mission statement you have given me & I want to give, I am going to bring in an offering for Thursday night at conference – World Evangelism – To be brought in between now and the 29th March. 4 weeks

Maybe you can do

$25 p.wk = $100

$50 p.wk = $200

$100 p.wk = $400

$250 p.wk = $1000

Between you & God. – You are giving to God & saying God, I may not go, but I can still be obedient & I will go without for the next month, I will sacrifice, so that I may be involved with my finances

A0428_Keep Holding the Pole