Archbishop Jensen responds to the survey of Synod members regarding the Diocesan Mission Statement and his goal.

At the Synod of 2001, I presented and explained a Diocesan Mission Statement.

“To glorify God by proclaiming our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ in prayerful dependence on the Holy Spirit, so that everyone will hear his call to repent, trust and serve Christ in love, and be established in the fellowship of his disciples while they await his return.”

I also challenged the Diocese to aim for the goal of reaching 10 per cent of the population in ten years.

Synod members were given an opportunity to comment. We set aside time and they were asked to complete two tasks. First, we wanted a response to the Mission Statement itself. Second, we called for suggestions about strategies to reach our goal if the Lord blesses us in this way. It was the beginning of a consultative process which will occupy most of 2002.

Two researchers spent several weeks assessing the forms. The results of the survey have now been given to me and the other bishops. They are exciting and interesting.

Concerning the key element of the Mission Statement itself, there is very strong support. 62 per cent of those who replied explicitly gave their support; another 30 per cent simply went straight on to talk positively about strategies! In all, only about 7 per cent of members expressed hesitation or disagreement.

What are we to make of this? First, the substantial agreement with the Mission Statement is most encouraging. No doubt it could be improved in various ways as a statement, but the heart of it is what the Synod members overwhelmingly responded to. They moved speedily from there to the strategies. I believe that this will be representative of our Diocese as a whole, and I am delighted to hear of parishes which have started work at once on considering the implications of the goal of 10 per cent for their congregations.

Second, the views of those who expressed dissent are also very important. They have been reported in the document, and I have pondered them. Some of them urged that other matters should be added to the Mission Statement. Suggestions included prayer, good works, love, scripture, the Holy Spirit, social justice, unity, the church. Others had more fundamental concerns. They expressed questions about the balance of favouring evangelism; or they suggested that there are more ways to God than one; or that spirituality was being neglected. Others raised concerns about the ordination of women.

I take these concerns seriously. Some of them simply represent a different understanding at a more basic level. I accept that there are such sincere disagreements. The reply to a number of others, however, would be this:

The Mission Statement does not attempt to touch all areas of theology. It does not say everything. But it does incorporate an emphasis which shapes our present obedience to God. It says that if we wish to see churches flourish and true disciples multiply, it will come about through the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus in dependence upon the blessing of God’s Spirit through prayer.

I will explain more about the Mission Statement and also reveal more about the responses of the Synod members in later columns. I hope also to arrange regional conferences as the year progresses, giving you opportunity to respond to the Mission Statement and the Mission itself. I hope to see you on such occasions!

Dr Peter Jensen
Archbishop Writes
Southern Cross, March 2002