You developed a mission statement. You feel good about it. It reflects how God has been leading you.
 
Question: Now what?
 
Answer: Focus on getting your mission done by focusing on closing the gap. How? By doing 4 things:

• Defining what it takes to achieve your mission in terms of measurable goals.
• Measuring current mission achievement. How? By measuring progress on your goals.
• Closing the gap between current and targeted levels of mission achievement.
• Staying focused on closing the gap.

Consider 5 questions:

1. What’s your mission?
2. What’s it take to achieve your mission?
3. What’s already been accomplished?
4. What are your options for closing the gap?
5. What will you do to close the gap?

Focus on closing the gap. Today.

You and I want to achieve our God-given missions. To do so, we know we need to focus on our missions.
 
Question: How can training increase focus on the mission?
 
Answer: For me, training helped me understand what’s involved in achieving my God-given mission. And knowing what’s involved in achieving my mission has helped me focus on it. My mission is to empower Christian leaders and organizations to close the rhetoric/reality gap. As a result of training, I developed a set of goals I need to accomplish in order to achieve my mission. (For example, I need to provide 15 workshops in a given year.)
 
Training also prepared me to carry out specific aspects of my mission. And when I’m prepared to carry out specific aspects of my mission, I can better focus on it. For example, training helped me learn how to more effectively use face-to-face communication, referrals, and written communication to networking. As a result, I’m getting more training contracts.
 
Question: How can training help you focus on your mission?
 
Focus on your God-given mission. Get training. Today.

Make sure you ask God for help, define mission achievement, measure mission achievement, and take action.

Want to achieve your God-given mission? Then focus on 3 things:

1. Your mission statement.
2. The results you need to achieve your mission.
3. The measures that tell you if you’ve achieved the desired results.

To focus on these 3 things, respond to 3 questions:

1. What’s your organization’s God-given mission?
2. To achieve your mission, what results do you need?
3. What measures will you use to determine if you’ve achieved your desired results?

Here are sample responses:
 
(1) What’s your organization’s God-given mission?
To plant reproducing churches in Japan.
 
(2) To achieve your mission, what results do you need?

• Evangelized Japanese
• Discipled Japanese Christians
• Developed Japanese Christian leaders

(3) What measures will you use to determine if you’ve achieved your desired results?
Evangelized Japanese:

• # of evangelistic contacts
• # of new believers

Discipled Christians:

• % of groups with body life rated at 8+ (10-point scale)
• # of disciples sharing the Good News with 1 or more Japanese
• # of adult disciples participating in non-formal Christian education

Developed leaders:

• % of projects with stage 3+ local leadership (5-stage scale)
• # of participants in formal pastoral and theological training
• # of participants in non-formal leader development program

Remember, achieving your God-given mission involves focusing on 3 things:

1. Your mission statement
2. The results you need to achieve your mission
3. The measures that tell you if you’ve achieved the desired results (and, consequently, your mission)

 
Bonus: What kinds of measures should you use? Use measures that:

• Address the specific content of the goals.
• Address quality and quantity.
• Are reasonably easy to measure.

I like telling stories. I also like celebrations. You know, parties. Food, fun, fellowship. And the good news is that storytelling and celebration can help you and me increase our focus on the mission
 
Question: How can stories and celebration increase focus on the mission?
 
Answer: Stories put flesh and bone on the mission—and that helps me focus on the mission. My mission, for example, is to empower Christian leaders to close the rhetoric/reality gap. As I tell a story about how providing encouragement for a frustrated leader resulted in the leader not quitting, I focus on what my God-given mission is.
 
Celebrations also help me focus on the mission. When I achieve a key mission-related goal, I celebrate. I celebrate the privilege I have of serving God, the blessings God provides, the help I’ve received, the progress that’s been made—all of which helps me focus on my God-given mission.
 
Question: How can storytelling and celebration help you focus on your mission?
 
Focus on your God-given mission. Tell stories and celebrate. Today.