Resources for Mission: Goals and Benchmarks

Weekly Devotion – January 29, 2012 – Resources for Mission: Goals and Benchmarks 

Theme/Title:    The Finish Line is Where?

Scripture:  Luke 14: 25-30; Luke 6: 46-49 & Luke 8: 1-3;

Media:   Vulture scene from Disney’s “Jungle Book”

Reflection:

I am a bit of a handyman or at least I can do small projects and remodeling around my house.  Before I begin a job I assemble the tools and materials I have that will help me complete the project.  In fact, the tools and materials help me determine if the project is one I can accomplish because if I don’t have the right tools or materials I cannot do the job.

Among the tools and materials we need to accomplish our mission of boldly shaping partners of God for the transformation of the world are money, talents, prayers, presence, witness and goals.  Goals and their accompanying benchmarks are key to the completion of our task as they give us landmarks on our journey to achieving God’s dream.

 As I have already said, I believe that VHUMC and its people are uniquely positioned to address four key issues of our community and world: inclusion, poverty, the environmental crisis, and the need for hope.  We have strengths in these areas.  We have a proven track record in these efforts.  We have people committed to addressing these concerns both locally and globally.  With strengths and passion we have a step up in determining goals and setting benchmarks.  Our goals for realizing our mission must grow out of what we do well and what we are passionate about if we have any hope of success.

Think about yourself.  What do you already do, support, and advocate for, that addresses the four areas mentioned?  What do you already have a passion for, commitment to and desire to achieve that is included in the four areas listed?  What do you bring to the table as we begin the process of setting goals and deciding benchmarks that will guide us in our effort to achieve God’s mission for our lives and community?  We cannot carry out our mission if we don’t have your work, your passion, your resources and your commitment to realizing the goals that will guide us in boldly shaping partners of God for the transformation of the world.

Any chance of success for any effort takes some vision, some planning, some idea of what will be needed and the resources necessary to complete the task.  We have the vision in our mission from God.  We have the idea of what we need to do. Now we must pull together the resources so that we don’t get a half laid foundation or wage a battle without troops enough to win.  We want to build our effort on the rock so that nothing can sweep it away.  And we need people to step up and provide out of their resources for the accomplishment of the work.

Meditation:

What do you do and do well?  What are you passionate about that addresses God’s mission?  What tools and resources do you bring that will help in setting goals and creating benchmarks for our task?  What goals should we set?  How will we measure our efforts at meeting them?

Prayer:

Thank God for the passion you have.  Praise God for the things you do and do well.  Ask God to help you discern how you can apply your resources and passions to our mission.  Ask God to reveal the goals and benchmarks needed for our community to realize God’s mission.