Lesson 1, Topic 2
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Mission and Vision

Wes March 7, 2022
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MISSION & VISION OF ACOP

Eyes to see

Walt's Vision

Walt Disney, the creative genius behind the Disney corporation, passed away while the Walt Disney World Amusement Park was under construction in Orlando, Florida. At the dedication of the Amusement Park someone remarked, “Isn’t it too bad that Walt didn’t live to see this.”  Mike Vance the creative director for Disney Studios said, “Oh he did see it – that’s why it’s here!”

"Culture eats strategy for breakfast."

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WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VISION AND CULTURE?

Vision is a picture of a preferable future for an organization.   Culture is the environment that the organization exists in.  

Vision is about seeing the future in advance. Culture is how we get to this future.

ACOP'S MISSION AND VISION: THEN AND NOW

The Apostolic Church of Pentecost of Canada is birthed in a revival in Winnipeg, Manitoba over a hundred years ago. The origins of ACOP flowed out of these revivals, and the earliest motto of ACOP from this movement was: “To Every Nation.”

Early Pentecostal meetings in Winnipeg "were more kindred to the revivals described in the Acts of the Apostles than in anything else in the religious modern world."

ACOP’s Current Vision Statement: “ACOP is a global movement of passionate people extending God’s grace and igniting hope in every community.”

ACOP’s Current Mission Statement: “To develop and release effective leaders and healthy churches who transform communities.”

Test Yourself

What gift did the early pentecostals believe was necessary to be equipped as a minister of the gospel?

Answer

The gift of speaking in tongues.

Talk it Through

Home Forums Mission and Vision of ACOP

  • Mission and Vision of ACOP

    Posted by ECO on March 7, 2022 at 9:58 am
    Respond in paragraph format to the following prompt(s):
    • “ACOP is a global movement of passionate people extending God’s grace and igniting hope in every community.”  What does it mean to extend God’s grace in your local context? How about globally?
    • How do the vision and mission affect the culture of an organization?
    • Bill Johnson says “Apostolic teams are not necessarily made up of just apostles and prophets.  They are a group of people that carry an “apostolic mission” without selfish agendas.  They are sent by leadership, entrusted with delegated authority to establish God’s rule in their realm of experience and expertise.  When they go with that heart they carry an apostolic anointing because they function under the umbrella of apostolic authority.”  Why are apostolic teams important?
    Melany replied 3 months, 1 week ago 12 Members · 12 Replies
  • 12 Replies
  • Jordan

    Member
    April 21, 2022 at 10:08 pm
    Rank: Level 1

    Extending God’s grace in my community often looks like getting to know the people around me by walking with them and listening to them. Understanding their stories, hurts, and challenges is usually the open door to showing them the grace of God. As a church this takes on the form or finding ways to engage our community with generosity.
    The vision and mission of an organization “on the wall” can say whatever you want, but the culture will dictate what it looks like. In order for the vision and mission to be effective there has to be a culture that embraces them… and that takes a LOT of work and intentionality.
    Apostolic teams can often serve as the catalyst to making both of these things happen.

    • Karlena

      Member
      August 25, 2022 at 2:26 am
      Rank: Level 2

      Extending God’s Grace

      As I reflect on Rev. Mills’ lesson and his reference to EPHESIANS 3.2, several points come to mind:

      Οὶκονομία (oikonomia) of God’s grace. The word as defined in LSJ is “management of a household or family” or “direction,” “administration.” The concept of management or administration indicates that extending God’s grace is a responsibility—a sacred responsibility that has been amazingly entrusted to us by God—that should be carried out with thoughtful intentionality. Embedded in the word oikonomia is the notion of “household” The grace of God is about inviting people to experience the love of the Heavenly Father and to enter into the goodness and love of God’s family. People in God’s family need to be cared for like a family. So, extending God’s grace means loving and caring for people as you would for a family—nurturing, listening, edifying, encouraging, loving, helping.

      I am in Italy—extending God’s grace in my local context means (as a teacher and friend) bringing encouragement, hope, and light to those that I meet. My desire is that my words and actions would be a channel of God’s blessing and that this would empower others to be who God is calling them to be—no matter who they are or where they are at in life. As a teacher, I can see the potential in each and every person—and how they are fearfully and wonderfully made, created for God’s glory. Extending God’s grace is about being anointed by the Holy Spirit to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the broken-hearted, and to proclaim liberty to captives and release of prisoners (Isaiah 61.1) – to be instrumental in leading captives/prisoners to the light and liberty of Jesus Christ. These prisoners/captives in Italy are those who are trapped in a “religion” or those who feel completely lost and disillusioned with God and life. To extend God’s grace globally is to pray for those who are already working in other countries, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send other workers, and to be actively engaged in God’s mission.

      Vision and Mission

      Vision and mission shape the culture of the organization—its values/priorities and expressions of how these values/priorities manifest themselves in the entire working-out of the organization’s activities: e.g. interpersonal relationships, the use of resources (e.g. time, money and other material resources), attitudes and behaviours, and processes (e.g. decision-making, administration).

      Apostolic Teams

      I like the fact that the word “team” is included in the phrase “apostolic teams.” “Teams” implies accountability, relationships, bearing one another’s burdens, and celebrating/labouring together. “Team” implies checks and balances at a personal and corporate level and prevents the abuse/misuse of apostolic authority.

  • Caleb

    Member
    October 6, 2022 at 10:26 am
    Rank: Level 1

    Although the dynamic of global and local ministry are both different in many ways, Grace and hope are still needed. That is the pure beauty of not only ACOP’s wonderfully vague (in the best way!) mission statement, but of the Gospel itself. the Gospel has the ability to pervade all cultures and relationships because it distinguishes things people need and want in order to thrive. Locally and globally, extending God’s grace can look like both loving people despite the sin in their life and choosing to forgive and to overlook judging injustices for sake of relationship. God is the judge, yet he has chosen saving grace for everyone. If Christians were supposed to always put God’s justice at the forefront, we would be better called police officers than missionaries. Showing grace through love in likeness of God should shape the culture of a missionally minded organization. No people group should be reached for any other reason than to express Gods amazing grace to them and spark hope for something greater and better. Apostolic teams are also essential for this reason because someone needs to be there to deliver that message of hope and help every nation see that there is something worth living and fighting for.

  • Nate

    Member
    February 3, 2023 at 10:48 am
    Rank: Level 1

    In my local context at Eston College, extending grace and igniting hope looks like modeling Jesus well and helping to mentor fellow students who are earlier in their discipleship journey. It also looks like looking ahead, trying to think of how to apply my learning to future ministry contexts.

    Mission and vision affect the culture by giving us a common goal, something bigger than ourselves. Everyone wants to be a part of something bigger, to feel that their actions have significance and are working towards something. When the organization has an effective vision it gives our actions meaning and direction. We can begin to say “this action directly worked toward the fulfilling of this mission.”

    An apostolic team is important because they can provide leadership that (hopefully!) isn’t going to stagnate. When a leadership team is apostolic they are going to be attentive to the spirit, the spirit who wants to do something new, who wants to keep things fresh and shake us up every now and then. When our leadership team is like this, they will help the organization to stay fresh, relevant, and effective.

  • Taliya

    Member
    May 13, 2023 at 2:06 pm
    Rank: Level 1

    1. In my local context, extending God’s grace looks like knowing His grace and incorporating it into my personal relationships. For example, in my workplace, friendships, and church community, this would look like inclusivity, genuine friendship, sharing the gospel, and being supportive and encouraging. I think it is so important to not judge others by their life circumstances or their religious beliefs and to rather extend God’s grace and love them where they are at. Obviously not watering down any truth of the gospel, but not having expectation on others in our relationships. In a global context, i think the same concept applies but also emersing yourself in culture, learning the language, understanding the needs of the community you are in and being led to meet those needs, and showing the character of God through your own.

    2. I think the vision for the future of an organization and the mission of how it is getting there paint a picture of what that organization needs to look like to uphold the mission and reach the vision. In other words, the culture of an organization are the characteristics or the “personality” that the organization should look like.

    3. Apostolic teams are so important because there needs to be balance in ministry. Someone with strong gifts in one area may be laking in another area. With a team where there are many different gifts and a like mind, no area of ministry will be overlooked. There will be preachers, teachers, prayer, organization, accountability, etc.

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