Are you part of a local church with a vision for the homeless or for home cell groups? Vision seems to be an operative term these days. How quickly though, this all important and consuming vision can become just another program to prop up and finance. I was once part of a nonprofit parachurch ministry that seemed to change its vision all too frequently. The vision emphasis changed as quickly as the financing fluctuated. This organization was fiscally focused and attempted to preserve something that should have been left to die.
I’m not convinced that God is willing to fund the “latest Christian craze” syndrome just by calling it a vision. By transitioning to what I refer to as a visionary church, a local fellowship of believers can experience increased stability.
A visionary church releases people to move in the vision
A visionary church does not center around a charismatic leader who carries all of the vision. A visionary church is one in which the leaders instill vision in the people and than release the people to move in this vision. The vision is not for the professionals only. If it does not reach the common congregants and is not understood by them, they are part of a church with a vision and not a visionary church.
The vision must go beyond a visionary leader to a visionary people! When members share about a visionary church to others, they are not sharing about a super-hero or mega-church pastor, but a movement that will outlast a man. The New Testament church would not exist today as we know it if the disciples had not instilled vision in those they discipled.
Paul spoke blessings, encouragement, and prayer to the believers at Ephesus through the first three chapters of Ephesians. In chapter four, verse eleven, he lists the fivefold ministers and then describes their purpose in verses twelve and thirteen. These gifted fivefold ministers were to prepare the saints for service so the body of Christ would be built up and brought to unity and maturity. Why? So we’ll no longer be infants in our faith (v.14) and so that each part does its job (v.16; see also Col. 2:19).
A visionary church does not use people
The church’s greatest possibility for growth is truncated and abuses occur when leaders use people to reach their vision rather than instilling vision by making proper use of the fivefold ministers.
How do we attempt to reach our vision by “using people”? Here are five different ways:
- By sending people out too soon, before they’re prepared for ministry.
- By not recognizing their gifts or only recognizing what you think they can do for you.
- By using false words of encouragement, building up egos (patronizing them) rather than mentoring and building spiritual strengths.
- By holding onto them too long, expecting perfection, or being unwilling to allow them to fail or make mistakes.
- By calling their good ideas your own ideas—taking credit for their successes.
A visionary church must go beyond product. By product, I’m referring to the number of people, the number of cell groups, and/or the number of Sunday morning services. A visionary church must move toward relationship with people. Where there is relationship and spiritual life, there will be numerical growth. People are not attracted to the dying.
Throughout the book of Acts, there is example after example of miracles. The reality of the Holy Spirit in people’s lives was evident. It was not the product of growth that believers sought; it was relationship with God and one another. This relationship is depicted so well in Acts 2:42-47 and Acts 4:32-35. These verses describe the process of relationship found in a visionary church, not just product mindedness found in a church with a vision. People are not a means to the end; they are God’s greatest love.
A visionary church is authentic
A visionary church must be authentic. People are attracted to beautiful buildings and the latest technology. However, that attraction will quickly fade away. New cars will only smell new for a short time. When the smell is gone, the newness wears off. No one is attracted to a movement with a big front and no spiritual depth or substance. What they are attracted to is God’s love manifested through relationship with people. God’s love is authentic.
A visionary church puts their money into people. The leaders are not interested in exorbitant salaries or benefits. They prioritize healing, training, and sending. A visionary church recognizes that every member is on staff, while a few are supported to multiply the gifts God has given them to the remainder of the body.
I have administered career testing in our local church. One of the most valuable sections of the test is the “work values” portion. Many people change jobs because their personal work values do not line up with the job even though they can be quite proficient in the work. Perhaps they function best as a creative thinker while all the job requires is following a predetermined order. This person will not enjoy their job. Neither will people enjoy a long-term relationship with a church body if they are not enjoying similar spiritual values. As well, if the vision frequently changes, so will the people. They will not remain committed, but will drift along to the next church body.
If you are discovering the traditional mindset of church is not working for you, then perhaps you are looking for a visionary church, a church that is equipping and instilling vision to co-labor and build together. Programs can be good, however, if programs determine who we are and what we do, then these programs will be void of relationship and vision. A church that meets house to house in cell groups is an excellent model of a visionary church.
Comparing the Difference: The Leader with a Vision
- Want short-term, quick results.
- See people as a means to an end, to hold onto.
- Cannot recognize others’ vision—it threatens him.
- Desires to know everything about everybody within the church in order to maintain his “authority.”
- Works best in program-based churches.
The Visionary Leader
- Looking for long-term growth.
- Sees people as persons to equip and release to ministry.
- Recognizes others gifts—comes alongside and encourages the use of those gifts.
- Desires to know only what he needs to know in order to allow other leaders to be responsible and maintain their authority.
- Works best in cell-based churches.
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