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

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!

ChurchedNon-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 Copy right John P. Chandler, 2000