Mission Drift | Review Apr 26, 2024

If there is one recognizable company that is identifiable and nearly accessible over the entire world, it has been Coca-Cola. What I love about them is that for over 130 years, this iconic company has never lost its vision. Even their logo has stayed the same which is a rarity in today’s corporate world. Their marketing is incredible. They have adapted for every trend and time period within their existence. And yet despite all the crazy changes and events that happened over the past 130 years, they never lost their focus or their identity. They stayed true to their mission and have continued to do what they do best; Refresh the world. I think the church can learn a lot from a company like Coca-Cola.

Change is a double edge sword, it can be a good thing, but it can also be difficult. Sometimes the change happens without us even realizing it. Some of the most significant changes are the ones that are slow, subtle, and gradual. They happen within our organizations, our health, our relationships, and even our beliefs. All of us can remember starting a project that we were passionate about. Many of us were fueled by a mission that to our core that we believed in. No matter how many good or difficult times we went through, we were willing to endure through it in the hope that we would find success in our mission. For many of us, that endurance, hard work, and dedication led to amazing results. But slowly over the years as success and growth increased, we lost focus and forgot what mattered most about the original mission. We tried to fix things that were not broken. And eventually remove things that did not feel relevant to people anymore. Eventually your once small amazing project has now drifted far away from what your mission was all about. Does it happen everywhere? Yes. Is it avoidable? Also yes.

Peter Greer and Chris Horst share how this happens to every company and organization run by people. Drift can be natural, but it has become a crisis within leaders, charities, and churches. But they share ways on how many can get back on track. It is not so much about avoiding the temptation of "Mission Drift", but more about recognizing it and how to respond to it.

I think in the context of churches, there are many factors that can contribute to drifting. The sad reality is when you have people who are large financial backers whether it be through tithing or donations, they can sometimes pressure a church to drift their focus in a different direction. This can be in the form of influencing the style of worship, or the type of messages the Pastor should speak about. It is not right and frankly unbiblical. Members of a congregation that pressure their church like that are also guilty of Mission Drift. They too have lost focus since they have forgotten it is God’s church and God’s money. Not theirs.

Sadly it is not just churches that are affected by this. Basically any faith-based organization or institution is faced with the pressures of drifting off course. Prominent schools like Yale and Harvard were once training grounds for Pastors. Now they are not even viewed that way at all. Money talks, but it is your values that will speak the loudest.

Avoiding Mission Drift does not have to be complex. It can be difficult at times, and I do not underestimate the financial challenges that come along with it. But it can be as simple as staying true to your values, knowing your identity, and placing Christ at the center of your ministry. Establishing leadership that you can trust and hold you accountable would be a tremendous advantage. This could be in the form of instituting a board of directors that not only believe in the mission, but are willing to protect the mission.

An interesting point that was made in chapter 2 is how secular organizations lack the long term stamina. While they love people, Christian organizations have this extra higher calling to their work which keeps them motivated. But it is those same secular organizations that are able to place pressure on Christian ones. This is why Christian organizations need to partner with donors who believe in their mission. Not only will this create a strong healthy partnership. It will create a long-time strategic network in helping and supporting each other.

A very interesting point that was made was that some Christian ministries will remove their distinction from their outward appearance and language. This could be a contentious point in that there is validity in how a ministry is presented.

Jesus shares in John 15:19 how even though we are in this world, we are not of the world. This helps me understand that I am to not hide what I believe in. But being in the world also means that reaching certain people requires speaking their language. I have just wanted to speak truth in a way that people can understand, but not compromise on values that matter. And Yes, you can speak the truth without swearing or using vulgar slang.

I think worship bands and Christian musicians really struggle with their distinction as Christians, while trying to make music that sells. The lyrics in their music can be all about worshiping Jesus, but in order to appeal to a massive, larger crowd, they will change their language, lyrics, and sometimes overall appearance. They drift from being “Christian Singers” to “Singers that are Christian”. It's not an easy predicament many of them find themselves in because it is their livelihood. So I sympathize with their dilemma.

When I look at my own work, I too have had that temptation to Drift. I never believed that my work was only for Christians, but for anyone that is willing to watch, read, or listen. I try not to speak in a Christianese preaching type of language because it has never been who I am as a person to begin with. I also never wanted to be perceived as some stereotypical Bible thumping evangelist preacher. I’ve only wanted to speak truth into people’s lives and let them think for themselves.

I must say, there was a time that Christians were viewed as weird. And in many ways that was true. Some of the ways Christians acted and talked towards people was weird. But it was sort of a badge of honour because they stood out from everyone else. And that was the whole point. They are supposed to be the Coca-Cola of the world. This Bold brand that was not ashamed and refreshed the world with its unique flavour, unequivocal love, and generosity. Christians embraced that uniqueness at one point by calling themselves Jesus Freaks. And it was awesome. But as time goes on, I have come to realize that today’s Christians who love and follow Jesus, I don’t think they are weird anymore. I have seen the world drifting so much in how it talks, acts and thinks, that they have actually become the weird ones now. It’s like they have had their own mission drift. I would never generalize the world in the same way one would never generalize Christians, but a lot of people have definitely drifted to a darker place of immorality. I do not need to mention the crazy things our North American culture is doing. It's obvious. I think Christians no longer need to worry about how they are perceived. But they do need to worry about maintaining their Coke flavor to the world.

Remember that Sunday school song called “This little light of mine”? It was the most basic song with the most basic lyrics. But the truth in those simple lyrics was to not be ashamed of the light you have. No matter how little it may be, it has the ability to shine in the darkest of places. Light also is a way of guiding our steps when in darkness.

So as the world gets darker, I think Christianity needs to shine brighter. Their light is becoming the Christian’s new badge of honour. The brightness should stand out so much that the world can no longer ignore the light Christianity brings to this dying world. You will notice it the same way you notice a city on a hill. It is impossible to ignore.

This could be the key for many Churches, leaders, and non-profit organizations to never drift again. No matter how little your finances, your attendance, your impact, your progress, your achievements. No matter how much pressure, opposition, challenges, or obstacles. No matter how dark and confusing times may be, continue to let your light shine. Because without light, there is darkness without any sense of direction or vision. And without direction and vision, drifting will be more than inevitable, it will be impossible to avoid.

Mission Drift is not a book that kept me engaged simply because I do not run a charity or a church. I am not even a pastor. There is a lot of information that did not apply to me. But if I ever find myself in such a position, this would be a book worth revisiting. Peter Greer and Chris Horst have enlightened me on how I should keep focus on my personal missions. It has caused me to rethink the strategies I currently have and assess if they are working or not. For those that are in a position of leadership such as running a business, ministry, or organization, there is a lot of value and wisdom here. For those that are not, you can probably skip out on reading this one.