“Without Vision, the people will perish”
We know that vision is imperative for an organization of any kind much less a ministry representing Christ. We also have learned through many years, both Biblically and in ministry experience, there is a re-birth of vision. It is not that the vision has changed but maybe clarified and updated to the current place of the organization. While it is needed to update from the current position, more importantly, it needs to be clarified more so that the passion is still alive. The recasting of vision speaks to the call of the passion of that vision.
This graphic is one that was shared in a pastors conference many years ago. Dr. Bryan Cutshall shared the need to re-cast vision to keep it alive. This is the same heart of Rick Warren’s call to speak on the vision at least every three months. The point is not about people forgetting as much as it is about keeping the passion of the vision alive.
If I was updating the graphic I would add an H between the V and the R to stand for heart or passion. We all get into doing what we do because we want to accomplish the vision we started with. However, if we are not careful we lose the vision and thus lose the heart of what we started with. As the downward side of this graphic shows when we lose the vision and the heart for it we are left with relationships, programs, and the management of it. For many organizations, you can function with good relationships that have programs that are well managed. While not optimal it is functional and it appears normal or even positive by most.
The reality is that the next thing that dies is the relationships. We would say we lose ‘connection’ with others. At this point, we have programs that are managed. We do things because we have to, it is what the program needs to be managed. However, we have lost the heart, passion, and yes the vision of why. This means we also lost our relationships.
Relationships need a common purpose. Unity is not birthed in the agreement of all things but rather a unity in something bigger than our differences. With a vision, we are passionate about (have a heart for) a place to center unity of relationships. This is the healthy foundation of organizations and most importantly of the church.
I have heard leaders say ‘we have lost connection’ before in conversations. This is a good assessment. However, in the last few days, I feel the Lord has spoken about the lack of relationship being connected to the loss of a common vision and passion. When our vision or our passions become different we will lose relationships naturally. Simply, we are no longer aligned. Usually, these divisional visions are not the larger vision of disagreement but the loss of the passion in the larger vision.
So what am I saying? Maybe when we identify the loss of connection and relationships we need to ask if we have lost the passion of the uniting vision. If so and not dealt with internally and personally, we will not only lose relationships, we will also see the programs begin to die too. As a church, this is the toxic and debilitating disease that is most fatal if not aggressively dealt with immediately.
You may ask how.. that is great. You need to pray. You need to focus on the bigger vision and find that passion once again. As the scripture states it is a gift we must ’stir up’ ourselves. Ask what have you let get bigger than the vision that use to bring unity of relationships.
When we can allow vision to birth a passion or a heart the relationships we form will be productive to God’s Kingdom objective. Programs are boring. Managing systems and religious activities for the sake of tradition and ‘we have to’ drains us and runs more off than it attracts. It is a deadly path. However, a vision that has passion brings life to the organization and to the relationships.
Let your passion for His Vision come alive like never before in you!
