Governance and mission drift

I was invited to speak about mission drift, drawing from my experience as a chief executive and board member in mission organisations.
Every organisation has a mission statement, but mission drift happens when we slowly move away from the original purpose that birthed the organisation.
Some change is necessary, but any change to mission should come only after careful prayer, reflection, and discernment of what God is saying in this season.
Sometimes our original mission is completed, like translating a Bible into a specific language, and we may need to expand into new areas without abandoning the mission itself.
Mission drift often happens during strategic planning, when we focus too much on current circumstances and future plans and lose sight of the original mission.
Another major cause of mission drift is new board members who bring their own ideas and unintentionally steer the organisation away from its founding mission.
It is essential to ensure board members are aligned with and committed to the mission before joining, and to provide constant orientation and exposure to the organisation’s impact.
Mission drift can happen one board member at a time, which is why ongoing reinforcement of mission at both board and staff levels is critical.
Recovering from mission drift is possible, but it depends on how far the drift has gone and requires intentional, sometimes difficult, choices to do what is right rather than what is easy.
Staying on course requires a clear vision, healthy growth aligned with the mission, and visible impact—when we see God changing lives through our work, we can be confident we are still on mission.

Governance and mission drift

Video Summary