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Consider Two Facets of Drift…

1.There is the possibility that drift can occur right under your nose on your watch. This happens when you take your eye off of the missional purpose in the organization/church that you serve. The remedy here is a profound humility and accountability. It would be helpful to remind all of us that leaders fail many times at the height of their success – when everything is going well.

2.There is an institutional drift that can occur after your watch and direct influence has ended. Institutional humility is needed here to cause officers and other leaders to bow in humility while keeping a gentle spirit about the founding missional ideas that brought the organization into existence in the first place. What are the uncompromising core values no matter the leader?

Consider this mission statement of an extremely well known university: To be plainly instructed and consider well that the main end of your life and studies is to know God and Jesus Christ.”

• This school was founded in 1636 and employed only Christian Professors.
• Today Harvard University’s mission statement does not sound anything like it’s original: To become a Pastoral Training School.
• On the diploma’s there is a vestige – Christo et Ecclesiae Vertias meaning Truth of Christ and the Church.
• At the 350th Anniversary of Harvard, Steven Muller, former president of John Hopkins University did not mince words: “The bad news is the university has become godless!
• Larry Summers President at the time, was there to hear these words acknowledged that things divine were not part of his professional or personal life.

It only took 80 years for Harvard to drift. Because of this drift another university was born whose motto became: Lux et Vertias meaning LIGHT and TRUTH! – Yale University.

Are we adrift?

In a survey of Christian leaders at the Q Conference in Los Angles in 2013, 95% said that remaining mission true was a challenging issue to faith-based nonprofit organizations.

Key questions to ask…

• Are financial metrics the only measurement for gauging organizational health? How do you measure holistic transformation of individuals?
• How do you formally assess whether board members joining your organization have fully bought into your full mission purpose?
• How do you measure your staff’s growing and vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ?
• How are you presently discipling and encouraging spiritual growth in your officers and leaders?
• Are you truly incorporating your beliefs into the culture of operations?Most organizations do not willingly, consciously, and intentionally change directions to accelerate their drift. Most Christian organizations have not intentionally softened their distinctives. Harvard or Yale University did not hold a “Mission Drift Celebration Day where they mapped out their new softened position.Is remaining mission true impossible? Can we stop the drift while professionalizing ourselves?

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Music: “Gratitude Mood” by David Arivett. You can learn more about his music by clicking on his name. THANKS DAVID!