Mission is a powerful word and today, many churches, corporations and civic groups have mission statements. Having a mission statement has become more popular over the last 20 years or so. Mission statements reflect the values of those who compose them, communicating to others what the group is about.

The Godhead's mission statement was personified in the life and teachings of Jesus. God was intent on reaching fallen humanity with His redemptive power, mysteriously blending justice and mercy in his goal to save us.

"I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep" (John 10:10-11).

Jesus articulated a mission statement that is still applicable through His body, the church. The mission isn't just about us — it also involves the vindication of God's character against Satan's claim that God is not just and that humanity needs no law.

The great controversy began in heaven, but has enmeshed planet Earth. Each of us is called to "take a side," with God or with Satan. We are called to join heaven in facilitating the mission. We are called to live out the holiness of God through faith in his Son and to invite others to join us.

The General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists has a mission statement that reads: "The mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is to proclaim to all peoples the everlasting gospel in the context of the three angels' messages of Revelation 14:6-12, leading them to accept Jesus as their personal Savior and to unite with His church, and nurturing them in preparation for His soon return."

One of the purposes of a mission statement — and regularly reviewing it — is to help keep the adherents focused and on task. Organizations often experience "mission drift." Mission drift occurs when events — good or bad, internal or external — cause the organization to move away from, forget or neglect its predetermined purpose and core values. Sometimes this happens in an attempt to survive, or to maintain status quo.

Can mission drift happen to Seventh-day Adventist Christians? Maybe. With the press of modern day events and differing opinions confronting us daily, it is easy to forget if we don't consciously seek to remember. We remember by regularly focusing our mind on the Savior, submitting to His guidance through the Holy Spirit and the written Word, and engaging in the mission opportunities His providence presents to us.

Unfortunately, I have lost a number of things over the years, usually due to my neglect and inattentiveness while trying to muti-task. I found a lot of those items when I aggressively tried to find them, by retracing my steps and searching diligently, often with the help of my wife, Audrey. Have you ever searched for your reading glasses just to find them perched on your head? I have. Or perhaps you found a $20 bill in the pocket of the pants you wore two weeks ago, and you hadn't even missed it. When ever we find lost things, we rejoice, and the effort it took to find them is forgotten.

There are too many people here in the Pacific Union territories that are lost; some of them right in our own churches and families. As we focus on implementing the church's mission, many of them will be reclaimed to God's family. But, It won't happen if we forget the mission.

May God help us to stay mission-focused right here in the Pacific Union.