Most churches have mission statements. Corporations and businesses have mission statements. Mission statements are meant to infuse an organization with long-term vision and set the tone for all company goals, accomplishments and efforts. So, what’s a mission statement?
What is a Mission Statement
A mission statement acts as an invisible hand that guides the people in the organization. It explains the organization’s reason for being, and answers the question, “What business are we in?” However, a personal mission statement is different. And there’s a scene from the movie Selma illustrates the power of having a personal mission statement.
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The scene takes place in the social hall of Brown Chapel AME Church in Selma, Alabama. Two Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee college students are being taken to task by Southern Christian Leadership Conference leader Reverend C.T. Vivian as Coretta Scott King looks on. And then a voice from the back of the room speaks. “That’s enough,” reprimands Martin Luther King Jr. “Enough of this, now. I don’t have time for this. None of us got the time for this. The way our organization works is simple:
We negotiate, we demonstrate, we resist.
We raise white consciousness. And in particular, the consciousness of whichever white man happens to be sitting in the Oval Office.”
Setbacks are disheartening. They can leave us feeling disempowered and discouraged. Mostly setbacks can leave us feeling as though we have no real control over our lives. Yet there are some people who are successful despite the challenges and setbacks they experience. What is their secret?
Setbacks Help You Gain Perspective
Successful people view setbacks different. The difference is that they have a different perspective on setbacks. While they realize that they can’t always control the world around them, they can control how they respond to circumstances. In other words, successful people use setbacks to gain perspective when they experience circumstances beyond their control. They see setbacks as an opportunity to REFOCUS and find an EVEN BETTER WAY to achieve their goals. Setbacks don’t stop them, they simply slow them down for a short period of time.
“If it is important to you, you will find a way. If not you’ll find an excuse.” – Unknown
[Tweet “Setbacks Help You Gain Perspective. @ClarenceStowers #success #KeepGrinding”] (more…)
In 1954, The Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, AL called Rev. Dr. Martin Luther, Jr. to serve as their pastor. He was just 25 years old.
A year after he arrived in Montgomery, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a public bus, and King led the Montgomery bus boycott to end segregation. His decision to lead the boycott would thrust him into the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement.
Leadership isn’t about having a title. Often, the strongest leaders in an organization, and in life, are those who don’t have official titles. Who gave King permission to make a difference? No one! Why:
You don’t need permission to make a difference.
King’s most powerful asset was his ability to focus on the task at hand. Focus and determination beat brains and intellect every time. You don’t necessarily have to be smarter or better educated to succeed.
Your power lies in your ability to focus on doing what is important. If you focus on the right things, and work at them often, you will achieve exceptional results.
Again, you don’t need permission to make a difference.
[Tweet “You don’t need permission to make a difference. @ClarenceStowers #MLK #Leadership”]
Honestly, I do not understand why most pastors and church leaders do not leverage technology for the Glory of God. Pastors, church leaders, and faithful church attendees who see social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, and LinkedIn as evil are missing a great opportunity to reach people far from God.
Are you sitting?
Here’s something that’ll blow your mind…
Christianity was, in a very real sense, the first technologically driven religion.
Intrigued? Angry? Frustrated? Read on…
[Tweet “Christianity was, in a very real sense, the 1st technologically driven religion. #ClarenceStowers”]
On Christmas Day, I took my family to see Selma. It was an entertaining movie, but being a Martin Luther King, Jr. fanatic, I did not recognize many of the speeches presented in the movie. Why? In 2009, the King Estate licensed his speeches to DreamWorks and Warner Bros. (along with the rights to his life).
Because King’s speeches are licensed to another project, Selma’s filmmakers had to find a way to re-create the meaning of MLK’s words without plagiarizing. That means they had to rewrite MLK’s words. The film skirts close to MLK’s words without using them.
One of the most memorable scenes occurs when Martin Luther King, Jr., while preaching to the congregation, explains why equal voting rights are crucial. He rallies them to stand up for their rights and sparks a movement that would change the world.
It is unacceptable that they use their power to keep us voiceless. As long as I am unable to use my constitutional right to vote, I do not have command of my own life. I cannot determine my own destiny. For it is determined for me by people who would rather see me suffer than succeed. Those that have gone before us say, ‘no more! No more!’ That means protest. That means march. That means disturb the peace. That means jail. That means risk. And that is hard. We will not wait any longer. Give us the vote. We’re not asking. We’re demanding. Give us the vote! Martin Luther King, Jr.
Happy Birthday frat! You stood tall among giants and I am because of you!
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Best regards,
Clarence E. Stowers, Jr.
Photo courtesy of Audra Coats-Hudson Blog
Photo courtesy of Screen Rant
