| | | | Moving Forward 2015 - VISION As I said last week, you don't want to miss church this Sunday. Why? Because our leaders will be coming together to share the vision and strategy for our church in 2015. Today I'm going to share why vision is important.
The dictionary defines vision "the act or power of anticipating that which will or may come to be." In other words, vision is seeing something in your mind and heart that hasn't come to pass yet.
Why is Vision Important in the church? Several reasons: - Vision gives direction and purpose - Vision defines WHERE we are going, and WHY it's important.
- Vision inspires and motivates us - When we understand the importance of the goal, and we understand our part in how to make it happen, we'll engage the mission with passion.
- Vision creates unity - When we're passionate about the same thing, we'll work together to accomplish it.
- Vision creates guiding principles – Everything that we do as a church, every ministry, every event, is guided by our vision.
When we embrace a common vision, it changes our relationship within the church: CCW is no longer "the church," CCW becomes "our church."
Vision is a Biblical Principle
God has always given vision to His leaders; Noah, Abraham, Moses, Nehemiah, just to name a few. God revealed to these men what would come before it happened.
Not much was happening in Nehemiah's day; Jerusalem lay in ruins, and no one was motivated to do anything about it (Neh.1: 3). The people had no vision. Then along came Nehemiah with a vision from God to rebuild the gates and walls of the city.
"...Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach." And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king's words that he had spoken to me. So they said, "Let us rise up and build." Then they set their hands to this good work. (Nehemiah 2:17-18)
Once the people embraced the vision, they set their hands to the good work of accomplishing it! In other words, vision is important to God's work here on earth, including our church.
What is our Vision at Calvary Chapel Wilmington?
Our vision is simple: To bring people into a relationship with Jesus Christ, and teach them to walk with Him in a meaningful and powerful way.
This is not something we've made up, it comes from the directive - the mission - that was given to all believers from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself:
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20)
As a church we take this mission seriously; It gives us our direction and our purpose; it inspires and motivates us; it unifies us; and it gives us our guiding principles.
Vision is the where and why - and strategy is the HOW. Tomorrow I'll share some about our strategy.
In His Service,
Pastor Clay | | | | | | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment