There is a noticeable buzz in both offices this week! Activity is picking up and we are rolling in 2010. Thanks for everyone’s hard work – you’re a great team!
That was the last line in today’s weekly update to the Aspen team. Its remarkable really, even though unemployment is over 10% giving to some churches has grown this year. And they can’t put off expansion any longer as their numbers are growing as well. What is it that allows them to succeed in tough times?
There’s been a lot of criticism about this country’s financial markets, politics, and morality over the last decade. But Peggy Noonan recently pointed out in the Wall Street Journal a far more corrosive problem,
We’ve lost focus on our mission.
In the institutional world Wall Street lost it’s focus and became bonus driven. Congress lost it’s focus and became more partisan (and pork happy) than ever. The unions lost their focus and killed GM. And many churches lost their focus as they became overly concerned with attendance, buildings, and cash.
But these growing churches stay focused on their core mission to: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…” They focus on “Christ”, creating authentic “Connections” among the congregation, and engaging everyone in selfless “Causes”.
And as they do their numbers and generosity grows. Even in 2009!
Some content from Phil Cooke’s blog
