3. New Church Blueprints
Component #5
Vision Description

4. Habakkuk 2:2-3
“Then the Lord said, “Write the vision down and make it plain on tablets so that those who read it may run with it. For the vision awaits an appointed time…”

5. Habakkuk 2:3-4
“…if it lingers, wait for it. It will come…but the righteous will live by faith.”

6. Lessons From Habakkuk 1. You must write your vision down.
2. You must make it plain to read.
3. If you do, people can run with it!
4. In vision, timing is everything.
5. Wait for your vision to emerge.

7. Understanding Vision Development
1. All things are created twice!
“God...calls things that are not as though they were.”
(Romans 4:17)

8. Understanding Vision Development
2. In everything there is first mental
creation, then physical creation
follows.
“God said, “Let there be light…let
the land produce vegetation…”
(Genesis 1:3,11)

9. Understanding Vision Development
3. Because we are made in God’s
image, we have vision capability!
“Let us make man in our image,
in our likeness…”
(Genesis 1:26)

10. Understanding “Individual” vs “Shared” Vision
Vision includes consensus, but God almost always begins with an individual!

11. Example of “Individual” vs “Shared” Vision
“After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.”
Dr. Luke -- Acts 16:10

12. “Individual” Vision
Definition: “Individual vision is the picture of the future a person carries around about themselves.”

13. “Shared” Vision
Definition: “Shared vision is the picture of the future a group of people carry around about themselves.”

14. Understanding “Shared Vision”
1. The power of “shared vision.” It is “a force in people’s hearts.”
2. We share the vision of Jesus, for His Church!

15. Ephesians 5:25-26
“Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word…”

16. Ephesians 5:27
“…to present her to himself as a radiant church without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.”

17. God’s Thoughts...God’s Vision
Some Basic Principles
1. I have the Holy Spirit.
2. The Spirit knows God’s thoughts.
3. I can know what God is thinking, especially His vision for me.
4. God is more anxious to reveal His vision than even I am to seek it!

18. 5 Steps To Developing Vision
1. Begin by listening to God.
2. Expose yourself to other visions.
3. Hang around with visionaries.
4. Perfect your vision as it emerges.
5. When it comes, write it down!

19. Habakkuk 2:3-4
“…if it lingers, wait for it. It will come…but the righteous will live by faith.”

20. A Vision Description Is...
1. A clear picture of what the church will look like in 3-5 years.
2. A mental image that motivates and ignites passion.
3. Describes how persons from the MFG will be reached.

21. A Place To Begin... 1. A diary entry, e-mail, etc.
2. Begin visualizing the future.
3. Answer the 20 questions.
4. Look through the eyes of someone from your MFG.

22. The Bottom Line!
There is a direct relationship between the development and practice of your vision description & having effective recruiting conversations!

23. From 30 seconds to 30 minutes...
1. Write out & practice a summary of your vision
2. A clear story of what drives you…
3. Include your divine call and communicate the passion you feel
4. Testify about God already at work
5. Know it well...anytime...anywhere!

24. Network Groups View the group as potential prospects for your church
Take turns & practice sharing your vision snapshot (in 30 seconds to 3 minutes)
Give feedback to each other