Vision...

There is one thing that any church, organization, or business simply cannot live without: Vision. Vision is the driving force behind the success of any organization. Unfortunately, there are thousands of churches across our world who seem to lack any real vision for what God has called them to be.

God's word is simple on this topic too: Where there is no vision, the people perish. That is pretty straightforward. God's word is plain to the point on the subject. The Message Bible puts it like this: If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed.

Vision comes from the top. It's the responisbility of the leaders of a church to understand the vision God has given for that local group of believers, to have the courage to follow that vision, and to cast the vision for people to follow as well.

Perry Noble, pastor of NewSpring Church in Anderson S.C., posted an absolutely off-the-chain critique of churches and vision last week. He gives his "15 Signs That Your Church Lacks Vision." If you are a church leader of any kind (or just involved in a church in some way), check it out here.