Vision for the Church

MYTH #9  The best way to capture vision for ministry is to copy the vision articulated by another respected leader.

REALITY #9  The leader who takes a “me-too” approach in defining vision is neither operating on the power of God’s leading nor demonstrating the capacity for authentic leadership.

In the same way that one manufacturer cannot mimic the plans and strategies of its competitors and hop to remain viable, a leader cannot find a niche and make a lasting impact by simply copying the vision of other leaders. Every leader has different gifts, talents, resources and a unique calling. What works for one leader in his or her particular circumstances is not likely to work for another leader who is immersed in an entirely different set of circumstances. Naturally, two leaders win vastly differing circumstances may have the same mission in ministry; however, God is not likely to commit them to the same vision. God is creative and powerful enough to develop a unique and significant vision for every ministry in place today.

MYTH #10  Because of the breadth and challenge that is reflected by God’s vision for ministry, vision is likely to make the laity fearful, skeptical and anxious.

REALITY#10  Vision, when properly articulated, does not make people afraid or doubtful.

Ineffective communication of true vision often is the reason why it fails to attract people to the ministry or renders them powerless for fear of failure. Vision, when properly articulated, has just the opposite effect on people: it increases their confidence, satisfactorily addresses existing concerns and instills a feeling of excitement and anticipation, contrary to many people’s assumptions, a congregation of believers is more likely to become galvanized by a significant and purposeful challenge than to be threatened or divided by it.

MYTH #11   It is reasonable to expect most of the Christian churches in a community to have the same vision for ministry.

REALITY #11  It would be absolutely unreasonable for churches to have the same vision for ministry within the same marketplace.

What often happens is that a number of churches serving the same geographic area will share a common mission. Most of the churches, not comprehending the distinction between vision and mission, expect their mission statement to do double duty, serving as the vision and mission. Unfortunately, this approach does not work; those churches are simply attempting to carry out a mission without God’s vision.

It would be unreasonable for churches to have the same vision for ministry within the same market place. Why? Because God is not redundant, nor does he need to assign the same task to a number of different congregations in the hope that between them the job might be accomplished. It seems reasonable to believe that he allows so many churches to reside in an area because he has a unique plan for each one; the plan is not for those bodies to be competitive but to be complementary in ministry. Each church has been called into existence to reach a different group of people and to have a unique influence on the culture in which it ministers.

We all have a God called mission, to reach the lost. But what is his vision of how each one will accomplish that mission.

Pastor James Lay

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