Many groups use the word vision, but they don’t necessarily mean the same thing.
For some groups, vision comes from one leader who goes up on the mountain, as it were, and returns to the people inspired. The leader casts the vision before the people, who implement it. Lots of churches mean something like this when they talk about vision.
The problem is that leaders are not prophets. They get many things wrong. What if the prophet-leader is wrong about the vision?
For other groups, vision is the opposite of the leader coming down from the mountain. The entire group generates the vision through large brainstorming sessions. There are no bad ideas. Each person’s dream goes up on the whiteboard. This kind of vision process is very common in corporate and non-profit settings.
But there’s a problem with this kind of vision too. The group ends up with lengthy lists of ideas but no clear way to decide which are most important. A list is not a strategy.
BG is in a new season of ministry. We’re growing. It’s time for us to think broadly about where BG is headed.
So the elders started a conversation about vision a couple of years ago. What sort of vision process should BG pursue? Next Sunday, we invite you to hear some of our conclusions.
BG’s new vision process will last several years, as we both discuss issues and take action. We will continue experiments we have already started in youth, children, and college student ministries, evaluating closely where we should invest more money and staff. We will build relationships with other churches regionally to learn how we can minister together. We will investigate church planting and revitalization. We will examine our global missions strategy.
In particular, we will be talking about the unique callings each of you have. How might your calling as an individual inform our calling as a church?
This vision process will be the main topic at the Quarterly Meeting next Sunday after the morning service. I hope you will attend, regardless of whether you are a member. The issues we will discuss affect the future of our witness for Christ in this region.