Does your family have a mission? What does your family exist for?
In the flurry of life, we are often consumed by doing, leaving the why for what we do unstated and simply assumed. But moving without a clearly stated destination can inevitably lead to aimlessness and perhaps even purposelessness in the daily grind.
As believers, we know that God has made each of us with an ultimate purpose - to worship, magnify, and enjoy him. We know that our time on earth is but a breath, and that this brief time is both passing and eternally significant.
The King is coming, and his Kingdom is the one we get to live for. So what will we make of the time he gives us?
The Christian household, like the church, is an outpost of gospel truth, gospel righteousness, gospel grace, gospel transformation, gospel joy, gospel love, gospel confidence, gospel multiplicity... Christ has given us a mission for earthside living. How will our families reflect this?
We've created a simple guide to creating your own family mission statement, in hopes that it will both anchor you and spur you on in Christward living as a family.
The benefits of developing a family mission statement are many. Let me share some with you:
-
Purpose and joy
We were made by our Creator for purposed living. We were made to work. Every person in the world is filling his life with some greater reason to exist in hopes that it will satisfy. When we are able confidently state what we are living for, the peace and joy that follow are invaluable.
-
Clarity and confidence
When you don't know where you're going, uncertainty generates discouragement and anxiety. Our lives are filled with decision-making - everything from what to eat to where we will live, from how to spend our money to whom we will give our time. So when we know that that the next steps before us are good and right, this clarity will lead to a happy confidence about our decisions.
-
Unity
Everyone in any team (and a household is a team!) needs a banner to unite under. Because we are individuals with different personalities and perspectives, it's natural to have differing preferences. How will your household maintain a united front in the face of difficult differences? Your mission statement can serve as the shared banner under which you can all agree to make decisions and concessions.
-
Growth and productivity
Imagine a team that has leveraged its resources in the same focused direction for a certain amount of time, compared to a team that has spent much of the same amount of time reconciling differences or deconflicting its values. The good work output will likely be greater from the team that has been able to focus its efforts in a clear direction. Our time can and should be stewarded to the Lord. Let's not waste any of it wandering about without clarity about what it is we are striving to do for his glory.
We encourage you to take a look at our free guide and to devote some time to crafting your own family mission statement! To God be the glory in your family he has built!
Use left/right arrows to navigate the slideshow or swipe left/right if using a mobile device