“Pursuing Jesus’ Dream for the World…”
17 April, 2008 by Tony Jones
That was the tag line of my home church when I served on staff. I had a hand in developing that line, and I continue to think it’s the best church tag line that I’ve ever seen. Of course, it leaves unanswered the question, “What is Jesus’ dream for the world?” And I think that’s good, because it forced our congregation to constantly struggle with that question. But it also did some other things. It never referred to us (as in, “We at Black Eye Presbyterian seek to…”); it was Christocentric; it was missional (I particularly argued for the gerund of the verb “to pursue,” since it implies a kind of present action, and it allows the entire phrase to function as a noun; I think that the ellipses at the end also connote a kind of unfinished business quality about the whole thing).
Unfortunately, the church has since changed its motto to the much more self-referential, “A Place to Grow in Christ and Serve the World.”
I love it.
You’re right about this one - Jesus’ dream is what it’s all about. Not the place where people come.
How about “Being a part of what God is doing and will continue to do in the world whether I participate or not” ?
At our church, we have a couple of small signs on the drive going out of the parking lot. It reads:
“You are now entering the mission field.”
I want to amend them to read:
“You are now entering GOD’S mission field…and he could use a hand!”
our mission statement reads …”we are in conversation and action towards God’s dream of justice, mercy, and discipleship.”
–i think part of that was lifted from desmond tutu.
our mission statement reads …”we are in conversation and action towards God’s dream of justice, mercy, and discipleship.”
–i think part of that was lifted from desmond tutu.
[...] Tony Jones started the wheels turning with his post “Pursuing Jesus’ Dream for the World.” [...]