Guarding Against Mission Drift
“Mission drift” is defined as a phenomenon where a business or nonprofit strays from its original purpose. The word driftsuggests that it doesn’t happen instantly but overtime as various issues, challenges, and even successes shift the focus off the original purpose.
At Havard Business School, there have been many businesses that have been researched and cases developed that give examples of companies who experienced mission drift. One case focuses on Kodak, who once had a slogan: “Kodak Moments.” The company explained that they wanted “to be the world’s most trusted brand that helps people capture, preserve, enjoy and share their memories.”
According to various papers and discussions concerning Kodak, some suggest that the company was so focused on film and the profits from film that they missed the shift to digital, which brought them to bankruptcy in 2012. They eventually reemerged from bankruptcy in 2013. The diffusion some make is that they forgot their business was about helping people capture, preserve, enjoy and share memories and thought film was the only way to accomplish the mission.
Maybe not a perfect example, but when Paul wrote to Timothy he told his protege to correct the false teaching of some who had drifted off the core teachings of Jesus and the apostles. Paul told Timothy that the aim of his teaching is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Some in the congregation had fallen victim to the influence of teachers and leaders who had “swerved from these” and had “wandered away into empty discussions,” though they do so with a lot of bravado. I suspect we could find current day examples of that sort of person by listening to media and social media.
As Paul continued his instruction to Timothy, and for the benefit of followers of Jesus, he said that prayer was essential to navigating these troubled waters.
“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.“
First of all, Paul urged prayer and lots of it. But note who Paul told Timothy (and us) to pray for: all people. Yep, the good, the bad, and the ugly. All people are created in God’s image and are loved by God. We may struggle to like or love some due to their character and actions, yet we are instructed to pray for them.
Next Paul tells us to pray for kings and all who are in high positions. This would obviously include government leaders, business leaders, leaders in every field, and leaders in the church. Paul in various letters refers to leaders in the church who were sinning and misinformed and yet influential. Before we attempt to correct others, we begin with prayer.
As Paul continues his instruction about prayer, he reminds us of what is central or God’s ultimate aim for us:
“This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.”
Our mission is to focus on Jesus and to be about the business of discipleship, which Jesus instructed us to do in his final commission before ascending to heaven. We must be careful then not to drift to other agendas that we wrap with religious jargon.
And according to Paul, the tone of our prayer matters. We are to pray, “lifting up holy hands without anger or quarreling.” The words of Jesus ring out as we read Paul’s instructions about prayer. In the Lord’s Prayer, we say, “Forgive us our trespasses as we have forgiven the trespasses of others.” Our willingness to forgive those who have wronged us is critical to our ability to lift up pure hearts, minds, and hands before the Lord.
As followers of Christ, we must not surrender to the angry tone and language of current culture and maintain the focus of the kingdom of God which is the redemption and restoration of all of creation.
Father, forgive us for our anger and the vengeful motives that we fall into as our culture acts the opposite of your call on our lives. Today we choose to pray as you instructed us to, desiring that your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Your Time with God’s Word
1 Timothy 1:4-7 ESV
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