Naming Your Way Forward

Discernment rarely happens on demand;
purpose unfolds over time.

Michelle Hartman, Communications Director
Steele Creek, North Carolina, US

The turning of the calendar year offers a natural pause. It invites us to look back with gratitude and honesty, and to look ahead with hope and curiosity. But discernment rarely happens on demand, and it does not need to be finished by January 1. Purpose unfolds over time as we notice patterns, listen for God’s invitations, and reflect on where we have been and where we sense we are being led.

In The Path, Laurie Beth Jones reminds us that discovering our direction is less about rushing toward answers and more about paying attention to the journey itself. Discernment involves remembering the moments that shaped us and naming the values that guide us, then letting those insights inform a course that fits who we are becoming in Christ. The guided tool below is shaped by Jones’ insights and is designed to help you thoughtfully discern and develop a personal mission statement for 2026.

A Guided Tool for Writing Your Personal Mission Statement for 2026

Use the reflections below to discern where God is inviting you to live and lead in the coming year. Take time to reflect, pray, and revisit these questions as clarity unfolds. Don’t miss our Church Hack on prayer for discernment.

Step 1. Notice Where You Come Alive

Reflect on moments when your life and work felt aligned and life-giving.

• • What were moments in the past year when I felt most alive, grounded, or at peace?
  • In those moments, what was I …
    • Doing?
    • Serving?
    • Becoming?
  • What values or convictions were present in those moments?

Step 2. Name Your Gifts and Passions

Pay attention to what God has entrusted to you and how those gifts are expressed. Consider the following:

• • Gifts or strengths others consistently recognize in me
  • Activities or roles that give me energy and joy
  • Where I sense an invitation toward the intersection of my gifts and passions

Step 3. Reflect Through Your MAP

Your Ministry Action Plan offers important insight into this next season. Consider the following:

• • Themes or priorities that show up repeatedly in my MAP
  • Areas where I sense growth, focus, or stretching for 2026
  • Commitments or directions I want my mission statement to support

Step 4. Draft Your Mission Statement

Keep it simple, clear, and relational. This is a compass, not a contract.

Use the prompts below to shape your statement:

• • In 2026, my mission is to ______________
  • So that _________________
  • By _________________ (e.g., living with particular values, posture, rhythms, or way of being)

Draft your mission statement here.

In 2026, my mission is to _________________________

Example:

The what — In 2026, my mission is to equip disciples who nurture faith in everyday life …

The why — so that discipleship extends beyond church gatherings into day-to-day life …

The how — by encouraging leaders through regular connection and sharing faith practices throughout the year.

Step 5. Living Out Your Mission

A mission statement shapes daily decisions, not just long-term goals. Consider and answer the following:

• • What is one regular practice that will help me live this mission?
  • Who is one person or community who will help keep me grounded and accountable?
  • How is one way I will revisit and reflect on this mission throughout the year?

Let this mission statement guide your choices, shape your rhythms, and anchor you when decisions feel unclear. Return to it often, trusting God to meet you as you continue walking the path forward.

Jones, Laurie Beth, The Path: Creating Your Mission Statement for Work and for Life. (Hyperion, 1996).