What in the world is our church doing to change the world?

The International Baptist Church of Tanzania is an English Language Church - with our targeted mission group - the international peoples living in Dar. We maintain an international outlook, while maintaining a strong central core membership composed of local Tanzanian citizens who themselves will have an international outlook.

This is our Mission Statement. A mission statement seeks to answer the question for what purpose has God established another Church in a country where 35 to 40 % of the population are professed or at least nominal Christians. A mission statement also helps to differentiate one local congregation from other local congregations. It can solidify an identity for a local church.

But even the best mission statement has limitations. It cannot provide life for a church. It cannot provide Unity for the people who make up that local congregation. It does not provide spiritual power and growth for the body of Christ. All of these things require the direct working of God's Holy Spirit in the lives of individual men and women inside of that fellowship. Speaking of being the body of Christ isn't this identity what we are all supposed to strive for. Not that we strive in our own power but rather in the power and grace of the Holy Spirit. Hasn't God called us individually to perform some ministry in the body to improve the overall performance of the body.

A Mission statement gives overall direction and clarity to the reasons why we gather but it is not our life. It is neither the source of our strength nor the source of our spiritual sustenance.

A mission statement does help a local Church answer how they will carry out the five functions of a New Testament Church. One of the ways it helps with this crucial task is giving an intentional direction to the process of organizing these Five Functions. In alphabetical order those Five Functions of a New Testament Church are Discipleship, Evangelism, Fellowship, Ministry and Worship. I used Alphabetical order because it is easy. Arranging the functions according to order of importance in the life of the Church requires prayer, asking questions, seeking God and much discussion. All of this work is what goes into formulating a Vision Statement.

A vision statement answers the question "How does our Church go about carrying out the Mission God has called us to fulfill?" Please allow me to draw on a Sports analogy to explain. A College Football team in the US may adopt as its mission, "we will win our conference championship and play in a BCS Bowl Game this year." The Vision statement would necessarily have specific statements about things necessary for achieving their mission. They would be such things as "we will have the most dominating pass rush and run defense in the conference." or "The offensive line will be the largest and most talented line in the conference."
A Vision statement does help strengthen the Unity that God gives through the indwelling, sanctifying and securing power of His Holy Spirit.

Over the next few weeks, The International Baptist Church of Tanzania will be reviewing our vision. Sort of a check up if you will to review who we are as part of the family of God in Dar es Salaam. While we are doing this please feel freedom to comment or post on this blog with your feelings, impressions and desires about our Vision and how it supports the mission statement of IBC. I look forward to having this conversation with you as we seek how to be God's people in Dar.

God's blessings to you,
Pastor Eric