Transforming Church

Jesus’ entire ministry was living out a vision. Anything that needed to happen in that vision, He helped it happen, not by some subtle magical zap, but through His coaching and leading of those around Him, friend or foe, cooperative or adversary, who to a degree most of the time were aware of their role, but occasionally were not even remotely aware.

Expect when casting the vision God intends that the vision itself will be organic. Therefore be careful to never detail it like the parts of a machine and never cast it as an agenda. Don’t mess it up by ever trying to lock it in, put a cap on it, or inadvertently sell it short (in too small a way).

When helping the congregation to see the vision, let go of your own agenda, and immerse yourself in spirituality. Intentionally, but authentically and not artificially, intensify your own spirituality. Let go of trying to control what is happening and be a voice for the Holy Spirit. Resonate with leaders and other disciples, always aware of the spiritual gifts they bring to the table. Don’t try to be the final word, but use whatever gift of discernment you have to help them see how their gifts might connect with the vision.

In attracting disciples, including those who are leaders, allow them to select/choose where they feel called to connect with the vision. At the same time be aware and intentional about how your passion might ignite theirs. This can be invaluable in coaching them. With some disciples discernment and awareness of all this might not be so obvious, and so they may not take a first step to ownership of their part of the vision without some encouragement. Still, sell the idea and don’t try to push them into it. Definitely do not try to make the choice for them. Cultivate patience within yourself to let them come back to the vision again at a later time when they might be more ready to tune in to their own passion. If this sounds like a lesson in tightrope walking, so be it.

There can be no doubt that the most effective way to help individuals discover their deepest passion is to lead them through a process of spiritual gift discovery. More than just a “quickie quiz” to make that discovery, this should be a multi-week/month period of awareness coming at it from more than one direction. To not be compromised the process should use all twenty biblically identified gifts and not any that are really talents or abilities. To learn more guidelines for such a ministry, refer to another article on our site titled “True Spiritual Gifts.”

Some will come through an initial discovery as just described ready to announce a new ministry, their ministry, within the mission and vision of the congregation. Many others will benefit greatly from a follow-up mentoring program that will continue to guide their discovery of why they have a particular mix of gifts and strengths. Many will need coaching until this discovery is complete.

Individuals experiencing passion for a particular ministry provides the greatest impact on the congregation collectively taking ownership of the vision. How else? To take a vote on the vision would be out of place as a procedural step in organic ministry. Unless the entire vision is purely impressive, more than likely it will be a particular part of the total vision that will grab people. It will then be important that each in turn is able to see how their part fits into the entire vision.

Also, if this is going to work, the opportunity to claim responsibility for part of the vision should never be invited or offered with strings that require getting permission first. Mission and vision led ministry is always determined by those with the gifts and passion to carry it out. In this setting permission giving and trust are crucial. What about accountability? It comes before embarking with measurement against the congregation’s mission, complete vision, core values and core beliefs. It follows with the same. That does not need to be micromanaged.

When helping the vision come into focus for members of the congregation, continue paying attention to and listening to the promptings of the Holy Spirit yourself. Trust is key to seeing the “whole” vision or the “larger” vision. Just as many people live with a perception of God that is too small, so also do many try at first to focus on a vision that is smaller than the one to which God is calling them. Leaders who in the past may have relied too much on their own vision are more than likely going to be a bit slow in seeing the magnitude of God’s vision.

We said it before. Though it may seem a strange analogy, when trying to discern God’s vision it is safer to assume that nothing already on the table is sacred. Continually purge your mind of such thinking as, “we have never done it before,” “we tried it and it didn’t work,” and “it doesn’t look like the church I grew up in.” As we take a moment to look again at ways and tactics to cast the vision, always be sure to communicate it in a setting of spirituality and with plenty of passion.

Here are some ways to cast vision: (providing different looks for clarification/reinforcement)
- Casting what it might look like when realized
- What it attempts to accomplish programmatically
- How servant discipleship is expressed within it
- How it is fiscally challenging and still possible
- Its stages of accomplishment on the way to fulfillment
- Identifying gifts that are necessary to carry it off
- Placing it on/showing how it fits into, the continuum of the congregation’s mission
- Identify pieces of the vision that can be owned by individual disciples or teams
- Open doors for those gifted to pick up the challenge

Here again are some tactics/methods of casting vision:
- Preaching
- Teaching
- Coaching
- Visuals
- Sunday Power Point
- A clear 10-12 minute synopsis of the congregation’s vision on DVD
(with many applications from special events/programs to being sent home with visitors)
- Banners (various types)
- Publications/mailings/emails/websites
- Small group gatherings
- Individual conversations in person or by phone
- Using anything/everything that is available

Whatever else these articles share with you, the most important guidance is: vision needs to transform my heart of hearts, not come from it. You have just read the fourth part of “Help In Clarifying Vision - for new visionaries.” The final part appears next month:
Part One: Is This My Vision, Our Vision, or Something Else?
Part Two: What Is the Stuff Vision Is Made Of?
Part Three: How Do Pastors Live Out Their Role as ‘Keeper of the Vision?’
Part Four: How Does the Congregation See and Take Ownership of the Vision?
Part Five: Why Most Visioning Efforts Fail -by Gregg Burch