Captured By Vision Insight 063 By George Bullard
Vision fulfillment is about empowerment over control, relationships over programs, and hope over heritage. Empowerment, relationships, and hope are the currency of vision. Control, complicated administration and decision-making, over programming, and too high a view of the congregation’s heritage is the currency of management. Congregations are often over managed by controlling leaders, and under led […]
Captured By Vision Insight 062 By George Bullard
Management is only fully happy when it is driving the congregational vehicle. When not driving, it is trying to drive. Management has an overwhelming desire to be in charge. Management believes congregations need more of what it can offer. Management feels leaders are not accountable and are not leading. Even if a congregation is being […]
Captured By Vision Insight 061 By George Bullard
It is easy to confuse having vision with the success of programs, ministries, and activities. They are not the same. Many congregations I encounter believe they are captured by vision because they can point to multiple successful programs, ministries, and activities. When I share the sports utility vehicle metaphor with them they vow and declare […]
Captured By Vision Insight 060 By George Bullard
Programs, processes, and emphases in a congregation must have their own vision that supports the congregation’s vision. One of the key aspects of vision fulfillment or living into God’s empowering vision is that everything the congregation does must align with the vision. This is so much better than marching off in separate directions. That means, […]
Prayers For Pastors and Congregations–Fourth Sunday, March 2019
A Prayer for Pastors: O Lord, we are thankful for all Your examples to us of what it means to share what You have given us to all in need. When we have a sharing heart, miracles may happen. The feeding of the 5,000 is such a wonderful example of the miracle of sharing. May […]
Captured By Vision Insight 059 By George Bullard
Many congregations structure their life around programs rather than relationships, thus putting a drag factor on vision. Too many programs drag down congregations. They create busy-ness that can be exhausting. They create a need for single use space that shackles the congregation under debt or mammoth fundraising efforts. They burn out both staff and lay […]
Captured By Vision Insight 058 By George Bullard
Vision is more about relationships with God, one another, and your context than it is about successful programs. If the journey of a congregation is a sports utility vehicle—a metaphor I use regularly—then “vision” is driving and fueling the forward progress of the vehicle. “Relationships” is in the navigation seat next to the driver flavoring […]
Captured By Vision Insight 057 By George Bullard
Many congregations fall back on their mission statement as their vision, rather than being embraced by a specific vision that includes disciplemaking. Mission statements, which should express a generic overarching sense of the mission of God for congregations, can easily fail to move beyond nice words and feelings to become a specific call to action […]
Captured By Vision Insight 056 By George Bullard
Vision is more about increasing and deepening disciplemaking than it is about successful and growing programs. Program fulfillment is an inadequate call to action. Programs are seldom if ever the pathway to fulfilling vision. Not in our world. Fulfilling vision is about discipleship development involving spiritual formation, leadership development, and missional engagement. Vision fulfillment should […]
Captured By Vision Insight 055 By George Bullard
Having a proactive, excellent call to disciplemaking action plus experiences that live into vision is as important as casting vision. A vast difference exists between a vision that is stated and a vision that becomes real and alive through a call to action. I had a very interesting dialogue with a pastor I was coaching […]