After last Sunday’s Celebration (which I thought went pretty well), I was pleasantly surprised when a conversation with Ryan (techgeek) turned to the website. I said something to him about updating it and he said, “Already been thinking it. What would you think of redoing the website in an ‘industrial motif’ if I can find something?” I heartily said, “Yeah! That sounds awesome!”
Meanwhile back at the ranch…little did I know that the Master Illustrator, Dan Drewes, was already hot on it. He came to me with some ideas of canvas work he would like to consider doing for our new worship area. I approached him about redoing the banner for the website and little did I know he had already drawn Diana (the secretary) a rough draft of a new logo. When I heard that I texted him and asked him to go for it. With a few minor suggestions and changes, Dan captured the spirit of who OVCF is. I was going to wait to introduce you to it, but like a kid at Christmas, I just can’t wait. First the banner, then the logo.
One of our ladies even trumped me and began pursuing T-shirts with the new logo and mission. All this is well and good. No make that VERY good. Dan is a artist par excellence. In fact, he works for an illustrating company. Ryan has forgotten more about computers than I have learned. I rely on both of those guys pretty heavily, and am deeply indebted to them. Kris loves advertising (she’s a teacher by trade).
BUT A NEW LOGO AND BANNER DOES NOT A MISSION MAKE.
A NEW WEBSITE DOES NOT A MISSION MAKE.
A NEW T-SHIRT DOES NOT A MISSION MAKE.
A NEW PASTOR DOES NOT A MISSION MAKE. 
How foolish we would be to think that our work is done. Any church can say, “New website.” Check. “New logo.” Check. “New banner.” Check. “New T.” Check. Shoot, that’s the easy part. The hard part is when the rubber meets the road and the church starts being the church. Our Mission, as you can see, is “To win the HEART of Owen County.” Our work starts NOW!! Not when Ryan gets the new site up and running with all the bells and whistles.
No…it starts in each one our hearts, deciding people need Jesus and sharing His love and grace with them- one by one. What about you? What is your mission on earth? I’d love to hear from you.
By the way: you can contact Dan to talk to him about doing a banner or some artwork for you. Do it here.
Great attitude. I think the crazy focus that so many churches have on attendance is problematic. One is the most important number. One soul. One lost person. One broken, sinful spirit. By the way, the logo is cool, the banner is great, and the passion of your folks is evident.
I want to avoid that focus Daniel. I am impressed by Rob’s desire to do mission work each month and it has led me to challenge the people to do the same. As for the passion: praying it will grow.
LOVE the logo. LOVE it.
As for my purpose? Not sure yet. Still seeking.
Glad you like it Jason. I like your new direction and pray that it may be bear fruit.
My mission on earth is to try and help Christians realize that Jesus has done it ALL for them. And that they are free from any religious ladder climbing/spirituality projects that put the focus onto themselves.
Along the way, I even get a chance to speak to someone about Christ who is brand new to all of this.
It’s a lot of fun.
Not a bad mission Steve. Christians needs that reassurance and reminder.
Hi Bill,
The banner and logo look great! These colors will look good in your worship area of black and white.
My mission on earth is to be made into what God wants me to be. My mission is worship and obedience to God. If I can accomplish this, I’m on my way to the resurrection I believe. The redemption of my body.
It’s interesting that the apostle Paul was not sure that he would attain to the resurrection himself Phil 3:11. We cannot doubt the salvation of his soul, but the resurrection of his body is not settled it seems in Paul’s mind.
I’m thinking that we believers need to guard and protect our bodies against sin going forward, even if we have sinned in our past as a christian. Each day is anew with God and we need to press forward in determined sanctity and holiness in spite of the past. God is gracious and merciful. Repentance brings forgiveness.
To be made into His image is a great mission Linda. Reminds me of Romans 8:29
Cool logo! )) But I guess I’ve watched too much Potter lately, so the first idea that got into my mind was Hallows (here’s the link to the image: http://goo.gl/LcKVX)… But that’s even better!
In Potter, the triangle meant the invisibility cloak, the stick is the wand, and the circle is the resurrection stone. But in your logo, there’s the crown of thorns – and when the soldiers put it on Jesus, they also dressed him in a robe. The wands we don’t need when we have the cross that symbolizes salvation. And resurrection stone – in the story, one of the brothers asked for the stone to recall loved ones from the grave… And in your logo, you have the heart – and those we truly love, never leave us, even after the death.
Thanks for the insight Zee. i will have to look up your references when I have a bit more time.
Glad you liked the logo.
My mission is fo glorify God and make people think twice about what they are doing in their life in relation to Him.
Glorifying God should be our mission in all things larry. Good one.
my mission: to live out Romans 12.2 I want to live a life transformed. To have God shine His light on the things that need to be changed/deleted in my heart/life and then give Him the room to transform me.
The banner and logo look great!
Transformed is my theme for 2012 Craig. That translates to massive change. Glad you like the banner and logo.
Looks great! But I agree, without action with the heart in the right perspective it means little. When those things become symbols of God’s people in action changing lives, then they have true representation of who it is we serve.
My mission is to honor God. Of course that encompasses more than imaginable… but it starts in the heart… I’m just the logo.
Glad you like it and agree, as you know.
What your mission encompasses is massive in scope.
3 ps — Praise the Lord, prepare the laborers, proclaim Jesus to the lost. I love me some alliteration.
Easy to remember Matt.
God’s been revealing His plan to me little by little. Which is good, If I knew the game plan all the way through I’d likely mess it up thinking I had a better or faster way to reach the goal!
So instead, I submit to God and wait for each game plan.
i think He tends to do that for most TC. I don’t think I could handle it all at one time. Best idea: submit to God and wait. Yeah, you got it.
My mission started out as evangelism, but after a while I learned I wasn’t good at it, so it changed into a relationship with Christ, then a relationship with people.
New logo rocks!
Evangelism is a gift. Some have it and some don’t. I don’t. Glad you recognized you didn’t. About the logo: thanks and I def agree.
We do get in trouble when we confuse the tools of the mission with the mission itself. It’s sort of like confusing the creation or the gifts of God as if they are God Himself. Keep reaching out, blessing, and proclaiming His truth, Bill! Thanks.
Great way to put it Jason. We do get tied up with the tools and forget the mission.
Love all of those Bill! I have always joked when I served the kids meals, etc, when they were younger, I always said, “I live to serve”, which I still say to a lot of things, so I guess that would be much mission. Serving with the love of Christ, of course.
From Sally: Yes, as our Ladies Bible Study was reminded this week in our lesson with the story of the Samaritan woman and following conversation between Jesus and the disciples—”…open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” (John 4:35) So many times we let prejudice (who is our “Samaritan”?) or earthly/physical needs (the disciples were concerned with food–John 4:31-34) shift our focus away from the eternal or things that God has for us to do. In this study, titled “Made to Crave”, Lysa TerKeurst urges us to shift our focus off of food (or whatever earthly thing we run to for comfort) and to “focus our thoughts on God….and look for ways to love others”. Ouch. A daily discipline that we need Holy Spirit help to keep doing.
Yes, they don’t make missions. But I do think they convey something to your congregation and to the community – something’s changed. You’ve refocused and the church won’t be the same. Simple changes like that have tremendous power to “echo” the heart change that you mention. It’s an awesome synergy!