The Pope Issues His Mission Statement

by Chris Simmons

Mission statements are intended to serve as a succinct summary of the purpose, focus and goals for an individual, organization, or business.

In an Associated Press article entitled “Pope Issues Mission Statement For Papacy,” dated November 26, 2013, it is noted that “Pope Francis issued the mission statement for his papacy Tuesday outlining how the Catholic Church and the papacy itself must be reformed.” The article went on to note “In the 85-page document, Francis pulled together the priorities he has laid out in eight months of homilies, speeches and interviews.”

First of all, the issue needs to be addressed whether “Pope Francis,” or any other Pope, is the “Vicar of Christ” and the head of the Church upon earth and authorized to establish a mission for the “papacy.” In a word, the answer is no. Nowhere in scriptures do we read of the position of a pope or his papacy. They are simply unscriptural terms and designations. For a more complete examination of that question, please refer to the articles on our website (www.fifthstreeteast.com) dated April 24, 2005 and again on October 29, 2006 which are entitled “Was Peter The First Pope?” While tempted to address and refute the specific contents of the Pope’s “mission statement,” we must recognize that no man has the authority to establish a mission or purpose for any man or the church other than God and thus, I shall not even dignify the contents of his 85 page “mission statement” with a response.

While I am not concerned with the mission statement of the Pope, I am very interested in the mission statement of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We need to be very clear in our understanding regarding what Jesus’ purpose was in coming in the flesh and His sharing in “flesh and blood” (Hebrews 2:14) and allow God’s word to be the exclusive definition of what that mission was. Jesus plainly spoke of His mission in Luke 19:10 where He said, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” His mission was to provide salvation to those who would recognize that they are spiritually lost. How would Jesus accomplish that? His mission statement would then have to include His purpose to provide the ransom for man lost in sin. Jesus stated in Matthew 20:27-28, “whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” The mission of Jesus was further clarified in Matthew 16:18 to include His purpose to establish His church and His kingdom. Matthew 16:18, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it.” Jesus’ mission to establish a kingdom that was spiritual in nature and not fleshly was clearly evident when He declared in John 18:36, “My kingdom is not of this world.”

What I am concerned with is the mission statements that God gave to us in our various God given roles and responsibilities. For example, to elders and overseers, God gave the following mission statement, “shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock” (I Peter 5:2-3). The mission statement for elders is one which focuses on the care of the flock “among you” and in providing willing oversight by way of exemplary living. Their mission is never identified in scripture as a being a legislative body responsible for making doctrinal changes of any type to God’s revealed will.

To preachers, God gave the following mission statement found in II Timothy 4:2-5, “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction … be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” Absent in this mission statement is any reference to entertainment or social or political agendas. A preacher’s mission is simply to proclaim God’s revealed will without any changes in any and every situation. Paul cited his adherence to this mission statement when he reminded the elders of the church in Ephesus that he simply proclaimed to the brethren there the “whole purpose (counsel, ASV) of God” (Acts 20:27).

To parents and fathers in particular, God established the following mission statement in Ephesians 6:4, “fathers, do not provoke your children to anger; but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Moses instructed the parents among the nation of Israel that their purpose was to “teach them (all of God’s commands) diligently” to their children every day of their lives (Deuteronomy 6:6ff). God has made clear to all parents two pivotal points in their mission statement: discipline and instruction. Anything short of that is to fail our purpose.

To all mankind, did not God give the mission statement found in Mark 12:30-31, “you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength” and “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”? Jesus plainly stated, “there is no other commandment greater than these.” If my sole purpose in life is to love God and my neighbor as He taught, it will be clearly manifested in my faith (Hebrews 11:6), in my humility and submission to His will (James 1:21; 4:6-10), and in my diligent obedience to all His will (Hebrews 5:9; Romans 6:16-17). Such all encompassing love will result in a life that seeks to “please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10).

Finally, did not God define the mission of the church when Paul wrote to Timothy to say in I Timothy 3:15, “but in case I am delayed, I write so that you may know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.” Through direct command, apostolic example, and forced conclusions, we can see that the purpose of the church is limited to evangelism, edification, and the care of needy saints. Paul added in I Timothy 5:16 that man is not to burden the church with any other mission that man may come up with. No papal mission statement can ever change that.

We need to be clear about our mission and purpose in life which needs to govern every day God blesses us with in this life – whether as an elder, preacher, parent, or as a child of God. When Barnabas came to Antioch in Acts chapter 11, it’s noted that he began to “encourage them all with resolute (purpose of, ASV) heart to remain true to the Lord” (Acts 11:23). The question simply is, whose mission statement will we devote ourselves to?