Mission Statement

(if I got to be in charge of writing mission statements for churches, they would look more like this. And read a lot less like 'maximize shareholder value.')

“Teacher,” asked an expert in the Law of Moses, “what must I do to have eternal life?”

“What is written?”

“The Scriptures say, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, souls, strength, and mind.' They also say, 'Love your neighbors as much as you love yourself.”

“You have given the right answer,” said Jesus, “If you do this, you will have eternal life.”

“Who are my neighbors?”

Jesus replied:
As a man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, robbers attacked him and grabbed everything he had. They beat him up and ran off, leaving him half dead.
A priest happened to be going down the same road. But when he say the man, he walked by on the other side.
Later, a temple helper came to the same place. But when he saw the man who had been beaten up, he also went by on the other side.
Then, a man from Samaria came traveling along that road. When he say the man, he felt sorry for him and when over to him. He treated his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he took the man to an inn to be further cared for, prepaid the bill and vouched for any extra cost that might be incurred.

Jesus asked, “Which one of these three people was a real neighbor to the man who was beaten up by robbers?”

“The one who showed pity,” replied the expert.

“Go and do the same.”

The Parable of the Good Samaritan. Luke 10:25-37
(paraphrased from the Contemporary English Version)