The value of a vision

In my files are numerous definitions of vision, but my favorite comes from Andy Stanley who wrote, "A vision is a clear mental picture of what could be, fueled by the conviction that it should be."  Let's unpack that a little.  First, a vision is a clear mental image.  It is something you can see in your mind.  The image of a vision is as real to the one holding it as reality itself.  Second, it is a picture of what could be.  We often see our churches for what they are currently, but the visionary sees it as it could be.  Third, a vision is fueled by the conviction that what you are seeing in your mind is something that should be.  This is a preferred future for your church.  The visionary not only believes that what he or she sees is something that is possible but that it should be the way the church looks in the future.  This is a powerful definition of a vision, and it is this type of vision that has the power to transform churches.

The next question that must be asked is what value does having such a vision bring to a church (or any organization for that matter)?  First of all, a vision will help a church get out of its ruts.  Lyle Schaller once wrote that, "Without a vision of a new tomorrow, we are all inclined to attempt to do yesterday all over again."  For most churches, we've been doing yesterday for years, and most of us would have to admit that yesterday isn't working any more.  We need to get out of those ruts we are in and begin to do something new.  Vision helps us do that.

It also provides us with focus.  I always appreciated the story of Nehemiah in the Old Testament.  Charged by God to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem he refused to be deterred by his critics and enemies.  It seems the more resistance he encountered the more determined he was to complete his God-given task.  He had a vision from God that showed him what the city and walls surrounding it could look like, plus he was absolutely convinced that this was what should happen.  Let the critics and enemies come.  He was focused on the task at hand and could not be distracted.  If our churches are to be transformed we must have the same laser focus on our God-given vision as well.

Vision will unite the church.  If we return to the story of Nehemiah we see that those who returned with Nehemiah shared his vision, and because of that they were united around the task.  That unity enabled them to complete their work in only 52 days.

Vision will also enable people to move beyond their own self-interests.  If a church does not have a vision that has united the people it is possible that every person in a congregation will have a different vision of what the church should be and do.  Some of those competing visions are going to bump up against each other eventually and lead to conflict.  In fact, I often define conflict as nothing more than two or more visions competing for the same space.  However, if people share a common vision then they are more likely to work together to achieve it.

Finally, vision allows a church to be proactive rather than reactive.  Without a vision churches spend much of their time responding to things as they happen.  With a vision churches are making things happen.  Which do you think leads to a more productive ministry?

For more information about what vision can do in your church I encourage you to read my book The Healthy Small Church: Diagnosis and Treatment for the Big Issues.  In it you will find several components of a healthy small church, and vision is one of those components.  This has been my most popular book, and I would certainly recommend it to anyone who wants to lead their church to become healthier.