Visionary Leadership is about who we are, what we believe, where we are headed, and how we are getting there. In one sense this is a restatement of mission, purpose, core values, vision, and the alignment of congregational actions to live into or fulfill the vision. It asks the question, “Do we know who we […]
God offers transformative vision. Too often our possessions, deference to other people, and pride blind us as we are only open to transactional vision. To be captured by God’s empowering vision is a paradigm shift. When such a shift occurs then everything goes back to zero. The transformative vision God offers congregations requires the re-evaluation […]
Things a congregational expression or missional community can do to engage in and support the Missio Dei (Mission of God) in two categories – PME: Personalized Missional Engagement and DMS: Detached Missional Support. Both are an essential part of being missional. However, PME actions are the only ones that will transform the ministry of congregational […]
A Prayer for Pastors: O Lord, I do not want to make excuses about my sermon, but I am struggling this week. I am not sure if it was the distraction of the family who experienced a tragedy, my daughter who needed her daddy, or the tough meeting with the finance committee, but I do […]
Earthly things, preferences, and tangible security blind us to the brilliance of God’s new vision. Humankind regularly confuses the leadership of God, the culture of the congregations they have known, and their patriotism regarding their country. This confusion can be sufficiently strong that culture and patriotism are more intensely expressed than God’s leadership regarding the […]
Vision is not a passing fantasy or a fleeting passion. It is a long-term view of God’s calling on a congregation. Vision is not about quick results. Its fulfillment does not have to be fast. It is a commitment over a long period. Vision is not about what we will do this budget year. That […]
When congregations are in the best possible relationship with God and one another they can easily experience vision. Distance from God in the spiritual walk of leaders and the congregation is a key aspect of the ease or difficulty of acquiring vision, plus the depth and passion surrounding vision. Leaders and congregations who walk closely […]
Vision is about pressing on towards the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus as shared in Philippians 3:14. A spiritual and strategic journey is like a race we are running at the speed of God’s leadership and our discernment of God’s vision. Often vision comes not all at once. It is […]
Even if only a small percentage of leaders in your congregation are visionaries, God still has a perfect vision for you. Having vision does not depend on many visionaries being present in your congregation. Of course, the more visionaries you have the more likely you are to be captured by and living into vision. We […]