What’s Your Motto?
Earlier today I was thinking about the Hard Rock Cafe. Random, I know. Specifically, I was thinking about the motto/slogan/tagline/mission statement that appears on their merchandise: Love All, Serve All.
Isn’t that an amazing statement to make? If you didn’t already know, wouldn’t you have guessed that statement belonged to a church or non-profit organization instead of a music-inspired peddler of overpriced burgers? I couldn’t help but think of what a powerful commitment that statement entails and how much I’d love to see churches take up that same cause (note: I’m not recommending churches copy the slogan).
Just a few moments ago, I read this 37signals post about Pixar’s continuing education program called Pixar University. The university crest includes the words “Alienus Non Diutius,” Latin for “alone no longer.” Again, I was blown away by the heart and depth of that statement, and again I found myself wishing churches would embrace and embody a similar mission. On top of that, I’d love to see churches clearly and effectively communicate their purpose/mission like Hard Rock and Pixar U. have. Instead, I’m afraid we often miss the mark. For example:
- Any bumpersticker that mentions turning and/or burning.
- Anything that includes Old English (“Yea, verily shalt we followeth after the LORD”).
- Any church sign that attempts to pun people in the doors or into the Kingdom.
- Any use of 90s-era buzzwords and phrases such as “Radically Devoted,” “Totally Transformed,” or “100% Sold Out.”
On top of the kinds of statements we publish or publicize, the statements we actually live out in our churches can fall short too. I’ve been a part of churches whose nonverbal mission statements were something like:
- “It’s tough being the only church in the world that takes the Bible seriously, but we’re up to the task.”
- “Only those with manageable or concealable sin allowed.”
- “When Jesus talked about ‘the least of these,’ it was purely metaphorical.”
I realize this post probably belongs on Church Marketing Sucks, but I don’t have an author login to their site. In the meantime, I hope you’ll consider your organization’s slogan/motto/mission/tagline (either verbal or nonverbal) and ask yourself if it is as close to the heart of the gospel as something like “Love All, Serve All” or “alone no more.”
If you’re looking for more inspiration, consider the US government’s use of “E Pluribus Unum” (Out of many, one) and “In God We Trust,” but beware something like Burger King’s “Have it your way.”
Does your church have a great motto/slogan/mission statement/tagline? Share away.
I’m on staff at Harvest Christian Center in Tomball, Texas (Northwest of Houston). There our statement to explain who we are has been, “A Family Church with a World Vision.” I never really thought of it as a “mission statement” because those are typically things written on walls, but not practiced down the hall. As a growing church with fewer than 100 people (count reflects every breathing human inside of or on the property!) I can honestly say that statement is at the very core of the leadership at HCC (HCCHouston.net). We are in the middle of our VBS, and we have having a record attendance week, cause we have a heart to reach children! If you reach the children you will reach the family. Pastor Andy does a shortwave broadcast that reaches around the globe, and we support 10 missionaries that cover almost all of the Earth with feet on the ground ministry.
Recently I started reading “The Art of the Start” and Guy talks about the need for a mantra - I know that the church world as a whole would never understand it as that term, but it is a crucial part of an organizations existence! (Sorry for the long comment & thanks for provoking thought!
Brad Parler PoweredProduction.com
posted at 12:46 pm on July 9th, 2008 by Brad