Great Expectations

In my sermon yesterday I preached on the purpose of the church: worship and mission. I focused on mission, the idea that followers of Jesus are sent into the world to announce as N. T. Wright put it, "[God] is indeed its wise, loving, and just creator; that through Jesus he has defeated the powers that corrupt and enslave it; and that by his Spirit he is at work to heal and renew it." I also allowed that the Western church tends to be too ingrown, not expecting much from God and not, therefore, risking much for God.

I challenged us to have Big Hairy Audacious Goals or BHAGS a term that scholar Jim Collins coined in reference to the successful companies that he studied (and that I mentioned in an earlier blog). I shared some of my BHAGS: doubling our budget in two years (going from .5 million to a million dollars), tripling the amount that goes directly to mission (30-35%of budget), partnership ministry in South Africa and Puerto Rico, being integrally involved in finding property and building a Habitat for Humanity house in the Medfield/Millis area, three mission trips a year, and finding space for our youth ministry by either renting space or buying a building. How do you respond to these BHAGS? What BHAGS do you have for the church?