Note: This is Part 2 of a two-part series. Click here for Part 1.
Have you ever tried to cast vision for something and no one joined in? That's no bueno. Here are four ways to see your vision take root and spread.
1. Pray over everything.
You can't make your church grab hold of a new vision, but God can. So pray. Daily. Constantly. Frequently. Fervently.
I pray about the fulfillment of our vision every day.
2. Introduce the vision in concentric circles.
How you introduce the vision has a big influence on its adoption.
Start by "shopping" the vision to your lay leaders, staff and board members. Cast the vision tentatively.
- I'm thinking that God might want us to ...
- Here are some of my reasons for thinking this ...
- Here are some of the benefits if we pursue this ....
- What part of this excites you?
They'll tell you. They will help you refine the wording of your strategy. This "shopping" process will also let you know the objections you will need to overcome in order for the church to embrace your vision.
Visions are adopted in concentric circles. Start with your closest friends and most likely adopters.
With them on board, shop the vision to your next most likely adopters. Mention that John, Peter and James are already on board and excited. Get their input. Refine the wording and presentation more.
Leak the potential vision to one larger circle at a time:
- Loyal friends
- Staff
- Board
- Other opinion leaders
- Congregation
By the time you've presented to every level, your words will have changed some, and the scope and sequence of the vision's implementation will have improved.
3. Now write it out and announce a Vision Sunday.
Preach the vision. Be compelling. Use biblical examples of those who practiced this process.
With our "Each One Reach One" vision, I use John 1 to show how each one brought one to Jesus.
And I use Luke 15 to show how much God cares for the one. In a third message, I use the Six Styles of Evangelism to show how each one of us can reach one in ways that are natural to each of us.
When I explain where we want to plant those churches, I say "In Temecula, Tennessee and Timbuktu." We've learned from experience that daughter churches planted closer than 45 minutes away can get competitive with Momma. Temecula is 45 minutes from us. Tennessee represents anywhere else in the United States, and Timbuktu represents anywhere in the world.
4. Once the vision is out there, embed the vision.
Discuss its implementation at every board meeting. Talk through how it can be featured in every worship service. Develop a logo or graphic for it. Post the logo on your walls.
Talk about the vision constantly. Reinforce it by telling stories about how the vision is being fulfilled.
Because vision leaks, you must reinforce it every month. Every week is better.
When you're getting sick of talking about the vision, others are just starting to catch on.
What's Next?
- If you're reading this because you don't have a vision for your church, dig into the Bible and pray. Learn about vision and study other church's visions.
- If you have some thoughts about what you believe God wants your church to do, start sharing what you're thinking, getting feedback and refining it.
- If you have some level of consensus, embed the vision in your church through preaching, at meetings, in prayer and in your ministries. Start something new that embodies the vision for your church.
- And keep learning how to lead your congregation to go after the vision God has given your church.
Hal Seed is the founding and lead pastor of New Song Community Church in Oceanside, California. He mentors pastors who want to lead healthy, growing churches with resources at pastormentor.com.
This article originally appeared at pastormentor.com.
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