Mike Bonem
On September 12, 1962, President John F. Kennedy gave his famous “moon shot” speech in which he declared that the United States would put a man on the moon by the end of the decade. It was an audacious goal, especially since NASA’s greatest accomplishment up to that time was a space flight that orbited the earth 3 times.
The most famous line in JFK’s speech is “We choose to go to the moon, not because it is easy, but because it is hard.” The 60th anniversary remembrances of the speech caused me to wonder about mission commitment in churches and ministries. Would the people you’re leading agree that “we choose to pursue our mission, not because it’s easy, but because it is hard”?
Every church and ministry should have a compelling, God-given mission that reflects its context. The mission should energize people to pursue it, even though it’s hard. If you long for that kind of commitment, JFK’s speech offers some important insights.
Even though the speech focused on the space race and getting to the moon, it was framed in the context of a bigger and nobler mission. President Kennedy described the space program as a “quest for knowledge and progress” and as a way to “solve mysteries … for the good of all men.” Do the people you’re leading grasp the noble calling of your church or ministry? Do you help them connect the dots between the tasks of ministry and that calling?
JFK’s speech was given during a period of tremendous global tension. The Berlin wall had been built just a year earlier. The Soviet Union had been first to launch a manned spaceship. The American space program was offered as a response to an existential threat and as a “hope for peace and security.” While Jesus was clear that the Church will prevail (“the gates of Hades will not overcome it”), the shifts in our society still represent a threat for many congregations. Are your church’s members indifferent to the challenges we’re facing? How might you raise their level of awareness and urgency?
The speech names a number of scientific and engineering challenges that would have to be overcome to reach the moon. Indeed, NASA scientists at the time did not have a complete roadmap for turning the dream into reality. But rather than backing away from the challenge, JFK embraced the uncertainty: “This is in some measure an act of faith and vision, for we do not now know what benefits await us.” Does uncertainty cause you to run forward in faith or to run away?
If you’re thinking, “The President of the United States has access to almost unlimited resources,” you’d be right. But what ”moon shot” would be appropriate for your church or ministry? What would stretch you toward a bold future? Before you answer, remember that we serve a God whose resources are infinitely more than those of any world leader.
