We at CPR-3 have gone through the long and tenuous process of taking a hard, long look at who we are and what we do. The movement is now three years old, and with age can come “mission creep” and the addiction of programs upon programs that at the time of their addition seemed like a good idea, but now is just a burden. Can the purpose or mission of an organization change or shift over time? I say the answer is yes, others would say no. But for us here at CPR-3, the time came for us to look deeply at each word in our mission statement and make sure it communicated what and who we are.
Our former mission statement was: “CPR-3 partners with individuals, businesses and churches from concept to a vision fully realized, helping them to image, develop and deliver holistic services that improve lives around the world.”
Though that did describe us as a non-profit, 501c3 company that was seeking to make a difference in the world, it didn’t define us well enough our inspire us or others to action, although it was exactly what we needed when we started. As the movement has morphed and sharpened over the last three years, it is time to take a closer look at this statement and come back with something that better described us and all that we do.
Our board just approved the following statement: “CPR-3 is a faith-based movement awakening, connecting, and unleashing God’s people to breath life and hope into the world.”
We could not be more excited and inspired by this statement and we think our partners and potential partners can a better understanding of our ethos through this statement.
Let’s break this statement down and take a closer look at each piece.
“CPR-3 is a faith-based movement”
We say this often at CPR-3, “we are a movement and not a mission.” Coupling the word “movement” with CPR-3 was actually done by one of our pastors in Haiti. During a conversation he said, “CPR-3 is more than a mission, it is a movement of God in this country.” We want to be that, a movement, a decentralized movement that is making a difference for Christ that is driven and controlled by faith.
“Awakening”
CPR-3’s mission statement uses the next four words very intentionally. First lets start with “awakening”. We believe that God has breathed life into each one of us so that we can breath it out and make a difference in our world. So many of us, so many of our churches need to be awakened to this idea. We are about awakening churches and individuals to the passions and gifts that God has given them for the purpose of seeing them use those gifts and passions to honor and glorify Him. In doing that, not only is Christ glorified, but we live more purposeful and fulfilled lives.
“Connecting”
CPR-3 is a partnership movement. We thrive on partnership, we seek our partnership, and we celebrate partnership. We are all so much stronger together than we are apart. CPR-3 seeks to connect people to people and churches to churches in order to make an eternal difference.
“and Unleashing”
CPR-3 seeks to “unleash” God’s people after awakening and connecting them with purpose. CPR-3 desires to be the vehicle, but the journey is your own. The destination has been set, the glory of Christ and the advancement of His Church. The church and its people are ready and eager to move, but sometimes lack the “how”, CPR-3 provides the how.
“God’s people to breathe life and hope into the world”
That is what we were created for, that is why God breathed into us, so that we could breathe out. At CPR-3 we do this in so many avenues: child sponsorship, nutrition, church planning, leadership development, water and sanitation, disaster services, healthcare, etc. We provide lanes by which God’s people can thrive and serve.
Was there anything wrong with our former mission statement? By no means. Do we think our new one “breaths life” into us? Yes.
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