Unleashing Intentional Direction by Clarifying Vision

Your church is going somewhere. The question is: where?

Do you know?

The reality of pastoral ministry is that we all get busy. It is very easy to get immersed in all that must get done. Anyone can convince themselves of the need to do many good things. But are we doing the right things?

Over time, all ministries drift away from a specified direction without intentionality. The more consumed you are with getting everything done, the less focused you are on installing a God-given vision into the life and practice of your church’s ministry.

Sound familiar? If so, insist on intentionally unleashing intentional direction by clarifying vision and by following these best practices.

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Unleashing Intentional Direction By Clarifying Vision

1) Create Space For Intentional Assessment and Planning

Without space to think, intentionality rarely occurs. You will likely have to make short-term sacrifices in order to create a context for innovative vision planning.

2) Dream of What Exponential Impact Would Look Like

Dream big. You could discard this step as wishful and unrealistic. But why? Don’t let yourself believe the lie that God couldn’t create a movement of disciple-making and community impact in and through your church.

Think about what it would take for your ministry to be multiplied through others. How would you do it? Who would need to shift roles? What would be going on in the city?

Draw pictures. Write down some numbers that scare you. Picture how individuals and families would function differently.

You and your church can make a distinctive impact. When you connect what makes your church unique with your city’s unique needs, you will engage the reality that God placed you in your context for a precise reason. Define it and see impact occur as you are unleashing intentional direction by clarifying vision for your future.

3) Prioritize What Contributes to This Vision

You can’t do everything well. You probably shouldn’t do all that you are doing. However, some things you are involved in will deliver the exact results your vision calls for.

Do those.

Again and again.

And do them well.

Create reproducible processes that propel others to run with the vision. Sometimes you’ll need to create tools for others.

– What if your next bible study series was recorded, so that others could lead it in the future?

– What if your most repeated activities were captured in a way that volunteers could manage them?

– What would you do in 2017 if you spent 2016 creating or defining tools other leaders would use as they take over responsibility for an area of ministry?

Vision clarity opens the door to a more strategic operational focus. Click To Tweet

Vision clarity opens the door to a more strategic operational focus. You and others will do what contributes to the vision rather than what has always been done.

You will do what matters both to you and to God…Focus on unleashing intentional direction by clarifying vision and that will make an impact.