John Sweetman
Churches first started to talk about vision about 20 years ago. Up until then we were pretty happy to serve God and people and didn't really think too much about planned results. But respected American leaders began to emphasise the need to be more intentional about what we were doing.
So before long we were all writing mission/vision statements and putting them on our bulletins and on the walls of our churches. Vision was big.
For some churches this tightened up their ministry and propelled them into significant advance. For many, it was a time-consuming exercise that generated a lot of heat, but had little long-term impact.
Since then, vision has gone off the boil somewhat. Postmoderns don't like the idea of a corporate vision and some leaders feels that things are changing so fast that any long-term vision is a waste of time anyway. Many who tried the whole vision thing are somewhat sceptical about its usefulness. Then there are those who preach that results are God’s work not ours.
So should we have a vision or not? Do we need to target a "preferred future," or should we just do our best? More personally, should you have a vision for your ministry or life or career or business? It's an important question.
Over the next few weeks I want to explore this issue. But may I ask a question, "Are you pursuing a vision of some sort in any area of your life and, if so, how did you develop it?"
Vision
A very brief comment on the topic of vision. I personally think that if we don't have a vision/ vision then it is quite difficult to maintain motivation/ momentum. The sense that there is a prefered future is very empowering to myself and to those that I lead. Some cautions that I have experienced over the years however:. I have learnt that I cannot force vision. I have tried that and only burnt myself and others out. When I have this urgency to "come up with" a vision, it is often forced and runs the risk of being a "man made" vision. I personally want to wait on the Spirit to show and to clarify this vision - in his time. When that visiosn comes clear it is very empowering. Another question then is "what do I do if I don't have this clear picture?" Well that brings us back to the walking by fith stuff, hey. Life and Ministry really is about being faithful, not so much about being "successful". One other comment from my experience is that I think vision is not a static statement, it is a living, visual image. More like an Mpeg as opposed to a jpeg. Having said all that - sometimes the vision that we could so clearly see and smell and taste just doesn't seem to come to final fruition. WE certainly journey towards it but sometimes, it's as though God takes us in a different direction. This can lead us to discouragement or perhaps my response can be "OK Lord, I thought I had heard from you, I thought I had then taken that vision and planned it all out - I even created the 5 year plan based on that Vision- what are you now doing - is it no longer valid?, did I get it wrong?, was someone else to blame for undermining it?" Perhaps it is then in that painful place, that place of confusion that he can then get our attention and gently remind us that it is ultimately his ministry anyway - not ours AND that he is primarily concerned about my relationship with him , about my dependance on him, than about my ability to take his purpose/ calling and to run ahead busy with task but not really resting in and with him. He says "Stu, I love you!" I am slowly learning that my ministry must come out of that place of rest. It must flow out of that very cool "faith" relationship and not out of some driven "I must achieve and succeed" attitude. I believe we can be busy, from a place of rest and peace.