Name It and Claim It!

by Reba Collins

Discover Life

Live for More

Everyday Matters

Live the Life

Find a Better Tomorrow

Can you guess what these all have in common? They’re church taglines. Let’s add one more…

Come and See

Come and see was one of Jesus’ follower’s favorite taglines for inviting people to experience his very presence. This invitation is the local church’s main mission through the Great Commission. Unlike the examples above, however, too few of our churches know how to “tag” their church’s invitation to those on the outside.

Houston area Pastor and church planter Bryan Rose wrote a great bog on this -- What’s the Difference Between Church Mission Statements and a Tagline?  In it, he points out the following differences between a mission statement and a tagline:

• Mission statements are designed to engage the congregation.

Taglines are designed to engage the crowd.

• Mission statements raise awareness in the church toward the Great Commission’s priority.

Taglines raise awareness in the community toward the Church’s personality.

•  Mission statements are not intended for the church sign.

Taglines are great on the church sign

• Mission statements send-out.

Taglines draw-in.

Virtually every church we know periodically wrestles through the process of creating a “Mission Statement.” Once bloodied and exhausted from the battle, many stop with a descriptive, “this is who we are” statement and issue it as an invitation to those on the outside thinking that loving God, building God’s Kingdom, and caring for others means “Come and See” to those on the outside. It doesn’t. Most mission statements simply say, “C’mon and join our group of good, loving, caring people.”

In Christian church world, too many leaders are trying too hard to differentiate their brand of theology, when less is more. Find a better tomorrow for your church by tagging your purpose clearly, simply, and compellingly.