An analysis of the mission statements of K–12 Christian schools: Their components and the value they hold for the organizational leader

A mission statement is an organizational document declaring the purpose of an institution and its reason for existence. The mission statement can help an organizational leader to make decisions, to motivate him/herself and others, to build toward organizational unity, to integrate a philosophical purpose with practical goals, and to enhance communication across the organization. A well crafted mission statement can be a vital tool for the organizational leader as he/she establishes and maintains an organizational culture that reflects the purpose of the institution. The benefits of a well-worded and consistently implemented mission statement range from increased employee motivation and positive cultural alignment to enhanced job performance and effective fund raising. This research explores the important components that make up this powerful document and how the CEO puts this document into practice. An analysis of the elements comprising these organizational documents of purpose is conducted and the delineation is made of both the common themes and the extent of diversity among the mission statements of ACSI accredited K-12 Christian schools. The organizational leader is also a focus of this investigation. This study explores the perspective and behavior of the school’s CEO in relationship to the organization’s mission statement. Three aspects of the CEO’s leadership are examined in this dissertation. First, the level of importance that the CEO places on the mission statement is evaluated. Second, this research explores how the CEO uses the school‘s mission statement in his/her ministry of leadership. A third aspect of this research involves an investigation into the CEO’s perspective of the impact that the mission statement has on the faculty of the schoo