FiveTwo.com > Learn > Articles

Ben Griffin:How to write an effective mission mantra

07.10.2010 by Ben Griffin (comments: 0)

STATEMENT vs MANTRA
Church planters spend countless hours word-smithing mission and value statements. The problem is that for most organizations, churches especially, mission and value statements look great on paper but flop in the real world. Do we really want to spend hours packaging words whose real world use will be relegated to filler on a website?

In the book, The Art of the Start, Guy Kawasaki attacks the traditional mission statement and recommends the adoption of a mantra. A mantra is shorter than a mission statement. A mantra is memorable. A mantra is action oriented. A mantra can be a rallying cry.
Simply stated, a mission statement states intent, a mantra focuses action.

KEEP IT SIMPLE
I shouldn't even have to write this, however the abundance of paragraph long mission statements shrouded in Christianese make this section a must.

A mantra is designed to focus action. It should be both memorable and understandable. A 50 word statement using the words proclaim, maintain, inspire, pledge, covenant, worship, ministry and demonstrate is not memorable nor easy to follow.If it doesn't fit (readably) on a t-shirt then it is NOT a mantra. If it is not memorable (without much work) then it is NOT a mantra.

KEEP IT FOCUSED
Keep it simple AND keep it focused. It should say what it is that you are about. It should drive everyone to the point for which you exist and unite you around your common cause. And it should do that with laser point accuracy. 

TEST IT OUT
Sometimes what works in the lab flops in the real world. The Alley's first stab at a mantra was, "Serve the broken, share the truth and follow Jesus." We loved it until we literally wore it out in the real world. Brandishing those words on a t-shirt did not work well when we were serving at the local Women's Shelter.  To us, it felt like we were saying that "We're here to serve YOU broken people." and our motivation is a bait and switch so we can "tell you the truth."  It didn't come off as loving or as unifying as it looked like on paper. Changing gears we simplified and focused it even more. We sharpened that thing down to four words. "Follow Jesus - Live Love." Ironically when we wore shirts with that new mantra on it to the shelter the ladies there were asking us where they could get one.

YOU DON'T NEED JUST ONE
A family of mantras is more effective than one long winded mission statement. For instance, we've encased all of our values and theological statements into mantras. For example, phrases like, "Jesus is everything", "Heaven is our home" and our most popular mission mantra "take it to the streets" work together to remind and unite people around what we are about at theAlley.

TAKE ACTION
It's time to clarify, simplify and take some action. God bless your time preparing a mantra that unites people around His mission. 

Go back

Add a comment