I firmly believe that if your church lacks a strong, unique vision, it will never be successful at communication. In its simplest form, vision gives you direction. When you know where you’re going, it becomes easier to find purpose in what you’re saying. Without that anchor, communication becomes lost, unfocused and one more piece of clutter for someone to filter through.
Vision goes beyond the basics. It’s easy to say your church’s vision is to fulfill the Great Commission. That is a good and noble cause, but does it distinguish your church from any other in the world? Since it’s a common thread for most churches, it’s not a strong vision for your local congregation.
Instead ask, “How is my church going to change the world in our unique place?” God has brought you a congregation that is specialized in talents. Your community faces its own, specialized challenges. How can you mobilize the gifts your congregation has to tangibly fill the needs of people in your community? When you keep getting more specific, you have something far more tangible for people to get excited about being a part of.
Casting vision shouldn’t be hard because it’s your passion. I get why churches don’t always take the time to do vision work. It can seem a bit overwhelming. But I want to challenge you that it should not be that tough. Your vision and the mission of your church should come from your passions. Think deep down. What motivates you to do the work you’re doing? Why are people coming together to form this congregation anyway? How is God urging us to be His messengers in our corner of the world?
Vision brings clarity to decision-making. Once the vision work has been done, decision-making will be easier. It’s simpler to identify what helps you reach your vision and say no to anything else in the way. It helps more clearly explain in a more tangible way why something is moving forward or being rejected.
Vision gives an anchor for how you communicate. You can direct your communication in ways that always points back to your vision. It makes a more compelling message. If people are asked to do something and they can see why it matters, that makes a far more impactful call to action.
Vision breeds creativity. As a team, if you’re focused on how you can fulfill your vision, it allows you to think about new and creative ways to put it into action. Instead of wasting time on projects that don’t matter, you can put that energy towards meaningful work.
