8.05.2008

More Thoughts on Vision...

I had a great conversation with Phil Hamblin, pastor of Rhea's Mill Baptist Church a few weekends ago. Phil is a new friend and someone who I think is an incredible leader in the church today. We talked a lot about vision over that weekend and Phil said some things that I've been processing ever since. He said that churches, or any organization for that matter, are full of three types of people:
  • Those who can see the vision before it happens.
  • Those who can see the vision when it happens.
  • Those who will never see the vision, even when it is happening.

I think for far too long churches and pastors have allowed vision-stealers, those who refuse to understand or see the vision, to rob the church of God-sized visions. I get jazzed when I am around people who can see the vision before it happens. I can even go with people who need to be aided along to see things as they happen. But I quickly lose patience with those who refuse to see God's vision, even as it is becoming reality.

When it comes to God's vision for my ministry and for the church I lead and serve, I want to dream so big that people look at me like I'm crazy when I tell them my dream of God's vision for the church. Because it is in those God-sized visions that God shows up and gets the most glory. And lives are changed!

**UPDATE** - After I posted this blog and my wife read it she pointed me toward a blog that Steven Furtick wrote last week about vision. Check it out here. Here's a quote about vision that Furtick made in the blog: "I’ve heard it said that if people have stopped laughing at your vision, you’ve stopped leading." Love it.

2 comments:

david said...

For work our team is going through Maxwell's 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. This week we're looking at The Law of Buy-In, which covers how leaders must communicate the vision to their followers in such a way that leads them to buy in to that vision.

Pam said...

great blog and so true, you know, vision is all about things not yet SEEN, but people get it in their heads that they need tangible proof right in front of them, but a vision is all about faith...I read the blog by Steven Furtick also, good stuff all around, anyways wanted you to know that your words helped me put some stuff in perspective that have been going on in our church. Thanks, Nic