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Finding God’s Vision for Your Church
Source: Lyle Schaller, The Very Large Church: New Rules for Leaders, Abingdon, 2000
“Goals” vs. “Vision”
There is a difference between
Challenging Goals
Inspiring Vision
Challenging Goals …
Help us to keep on doing what we have been doing, only more or better at it
Win more games Get better grades Build nicer buildings
But Inspiring Vision …
Communicates a radically different picture of tomorrow
Making your kids the first to graduate college
Empty nest homemaker returns to school
Tenured prof resigns to start a new business
5 Differences Between “Goals” & “Vision”
1. Continuity with the past vs. Discontinuity
Vision is generally radically discontinuous with the past
Vision gives a compelling vision of a new tomorrow
5 Differences Between “Goals” & “Vision”
2. S.A.M. vs. Potential
Goals focus on S.A.M. aims Specific, Attainable, Measurable ceilings
Vision identifies and fulfills potential Tends to have floors but no ceilings
5 Differences Between “Goals” & “Vision”
3. “What I can do” vs. “What God can do”
“The visionary leader paints a picture of what the Lord is calling the church to be and to do.”
Schaller, p.141
5 Differences Between “Goals” & “Vision”
4. Which rule book do you use?
The “goal-challenge” can usually work within the limitations of the local rule book
The visionary leader almost always has to either ignore that local rule book or introduce a radical revision of it
5 Differences Between “Goals” & “Vision”
5. The Support Base is different.
With goals, the aim is broad-based support ideally 100% consensus
Visionaries need the enthusiastic support of 7-30 widely respected, future-oriented, influential and competent volunteers who become allies in enlisting support for the vision
The Difference?
Goals: the light comes from people Humanly manufactured Committees
Vision: the light comes from God From deep prayer Calling
How to Discover Vision
Pay attention, first and most, to the calling of God!
Then, consider 3 other angles: Culture/Community Clergy/Leaders Congregation
God
Culture
Congregation
Clergy
God
“Experiencing God” as a model for knowing and doing the will of God
“Watch where God is moving … and join God there!” Henry Blackaby
Adjusting to God rather than asking God to adjust to us
“Experiencing God”
GOD
“You must make major adjustments in your life
to join God in what he is doing.”
Clergy / Leaders
May render other considerations moot or paint them in a different light
In what “chapter” of ministry is your pastor? Key leaders? The church? At any given point, the pastor and church may
be in very different chapters of ministry
Willingness of a Congregation to Follow a Change Initiative of the Pastor
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Years of Pastoral Tenure
High
Low
Culture / Community
Who has God called you to reach?
Can we be clear and honest about our priority?
Look at the budget and church calendar to get the real story!
Churched Non-Churched
Christian
Non-Christian
Congregation
What would we do if we prayed and God granted it?
Is my church willing to act a different size? “next size up”
Am I willing to expand my view of the group life of the church? Multi-congregation/cell
So, when a church has …
Received a clear calling from God …
Been clear and honest about who it is called to reach (culture) …
Been supple to adjust the life, style, and size of the church (congregation) …
Become clear about the chapter of ministry of key leaders (clergy) …
Then ….
There can be vision!
Finding God’s Vision for Your Church
Dr. John P. Chandler
The Ray and Ann Spence Network for Congregational Leadership
www.rasnet.org Copy right John P. Chandler, 2000
