General Conference Adobts Adapted Mission Statement

From Lisa Diehl, Director of Communications,

"The 2008 General Conference adopted an addition to the United Methodist mission statement. “The mission of the United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” This is the expanded mission statement the Council of Bishops has been using throughout the quadrennium." [Previously the mission statement was simply "The mission of the United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ."]

"A lengthy discussion on the mission statement and what it should include preceded the vote. Rev. Adam Hamilton, Kansas East delegate, spoke in opposition to adding words to the proposed mission statement because “mission statements should be short.” The details of how that mission statement should be lived out can be done through preaching and teaching in the annual conferences and local churches."

I'm with Adam on this one. Currently our local church mission statement is "The Mission of First United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ." There is much that we can/could add to this statement, but keeping it short was one reason we adopted the denominational statement as our own in the first place. Another reason is that the motivations me have to seek to make disciples of Jesus Christ are not exhausted by "for the transformation of the world" or any other single reason.