Developing a Vision for Ministry

Finding God’s Vision for You and Your Ministry
Craig Sider

Ministry without vision is like . . .a cow loose in the pasture: just grazinga flashlight without batteries: willing but powerless a cadaver: stiff, predictable and lacking a discernible heartbeat a car without gasoline: capable of forward movement, but lacking the necessary fuel a preacher who has not prepared the message: the intersection of arrogance and ignorance

Quotes:“My interest is in the future because I’m going to spend the rest of my life there.”
Charles Ketterin

“When it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen,
those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened.” John Richardson

“There is no more powerful engine driving an organization toward excellence and longrange success than an attractive, worthwhile and achievable vision of the future, widely shared.” Burt Nanus

"One person with a belief is equal to a force of ninety-nine who only have an interest.”John Stuart Mil

“Some men see things as they are and ask “Why?” I dream of things that never were and
ask “Why not?” George Bernard Shaw“If you don’t stand for something, you fall for anything.”Anonymous

“The challenges are not in the marketplace. They are in the mind.” Jean Benard“Those who say it cannot be done should get out of the way of those who are doing it.”Anonymous

“In the absence of a great dream, pettiness prevails.” Peter Senge “What could be worse than being born without sight? Being born with sight and no vision.” Helen Keller

DEFINING VISION

Vision is a clear mental picture of a preferred future that creates passion in you.
The visionary Christian is one who appreciates the past, lives in the present, but
thinks in the future.

As leaders, we are the custodians of the future.
1. Vision Formation is not merely getting everybody’s ideas together in a statement “Vision cannot be a compromise everybody can live with, but nobody is excited about”

2. A Key Component is God’s Work in Your Life. So, Know Yourself A key component is God’s calling upon your life as a ministry leader.Spiritual Gifts, Passion Talents/Personality How?

Talk to others who know you well get an assessment of your spiritual gifts understand your personality DiSC, Myers-Briggs What makes your heart beat fast – the passion element You don’t have to be a off the charts visionary by nature to be an effective leader in setting a vision. But a pastor/ministry leader is a key catalyst in vision formation.

We need to dispense with the fictitious idea that in this day of rapid change only ab wild-eyed flamboyant entrepreneurial visionary can be an effective leader.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Probably the best proof of the fallacy of
this error is found in the book “Built To Last.” Authors James Collins and Jerry

Porras dispel the myth of the visionary and instead emphasize the long-term
success of visionary companies, or translated into our terms, visionary churches
and organizations. Hans Finzel, “Empowered Leaders”

3. Pray for Vision for wisdom for insight for community awareness leadership skills
Take time to listen to God which means you must slow down-put away the cell phone, pager, instant messenger, email, PDA, browser,television, radio

Pray:by yourself with others ministry partners Envisioning prayer doesn’t usually happen on the way to work.Pray with paper or laptop
Keep in front of you the values, mission, vision, priorities and outcomes of
the Brethren in Christ Church.

Be careful the giant sucking motion of daily operations.
“I’m trying to survive, I don’t have time to think about the future!”

4. Put Your ear to the ground :Engage the people.

A congregational vision will reflect the congregation the community and God’s call on the leader’s life.
Every church has a DNA

Getting others engaged is not just a sales job (ownership), it is mining for rich
ideas.

How do you mine for ideas?
-roundtable discussions
-Q and A forums
-feedback loops as ideas develop
-appreciative inquiry
How is it different that a congregational vote?

-you engage people early in the process, mining for ideas and feedback rather
than working in secret and simply presenting a proposal to vote on.

“If you’re going to stir the souls of your constituents, if you’re going to lift them
to a higher level of performance, then this is what you need to know: it’s not the
leader’s vision, it’s the people’s vision that matters most!”

5. Think Large
“Make no small plans, for they have not the power
to stir the souls of men.” Eph. 3:20,21

Most people do not think large.
How large?

(a). The vision has to be bigger than your abilities
(b). The vision has to be large enough to inspire
people.
(c). The vision has to confront the natural tendency to think small.
(d). The vision needs to answer, “How big is my
God ?”

What are the untapped opportunities ?
What do you find dissatisfying about status quo ?

6. Write Down Your Thoughts.
“Writing is the process of ‘blowing the lint off the brain.’” Aubrey Malphurs
• keep paper and laptop handy
• use a voice recorder
Write down all your thoughts that might pertain to a developing vision.
Your thoughts should play off the following information:
• What is the make-up of your community?
• What are the strengths in your current ministry?
• What is the projected growth of your area?
• What unique needs exist in your community?

7. Give your vision legs!
Your thoughts need to move beyond the file drawer.
• Statement of Purpose
• Statement of Values
• Statement of Strategy
• Statement of People
• Statement of Location
• Statement of Finances

8. Pastor and Leadership/Vision Team prays over, discusses,
clarifies, and determines fit.
They draw out ideas and organize them into clear plans and the direction in which
the church will go

9. Vision is understanding the distinct contribution your church is
being called to make.
Mission: Your overall purpose for existence
A Local Church:
- Exalt
- Encourage
- Equip
- Evangelize
- Educate
Vision: What are the unique ways your church has been called to make a
difference in fulfilling your mission?
Resources:

Developing a Vision for Ministry in the 21st Century, Aubrey Malphurs
Visioneering, Andy Stanley
The Power of Team Leadership, George Barna
Turning Vision Into Action, George Barna
Empowered Leaders, Hans Finzel
A Leader’s Legacy, Kouzes & Posner
Practicing Greatness, Reggie McNeal