| How's Your Vision? - article by Joel Hempel Mine hasn’t been 20-20 for decades. What was will never be again until heaven. Like many of you, I have needed the assistance of an optometrist and glasses to see clearly.
How’s our church’s vision?
At GLC, we have a mission statement. It is Article II of our Constitution and Bylaws: “The Congregation’s Mission is To proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to demonstrate God’s love to one another, the community, and the world.” You might not have been able to recite our mission statement, but I guess most of you know: Serving Christ, Serving Others. This short, memorable phrase encapsulates our stated mission.
But to my knowledge, we don’t have a vision: A God-inspired picture showing us what we could become with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Over the last 10 years, we have had several incomplete attempts to discern where God wants to take us. Many congregational leaders were especially disappointed with our most recent unfinished effort. It is believed that a very different approach needs to be taken – one that relies on prayer, Bible study, and the Holy Spirit as our guide.
The Book of Proverbs says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish”1
I don’t believe God wants us to perish. I also don’t believe God wants us to coast into the future. How do I know that? For the same reason I know God does not want individual Christians to coast. He expects us to grow2 and intentionally invest our gifts to build up the Body of Christ,3 and reach out to others in need.4 As its members grow into faithful servants of God, moving together in the direction God reveals, the believers, as the Body of Christ, also transform into a juggernaut of a presence.5
There is also this:
I have read multiple books on the topic of seeking God’s Will. As informative as they are, none can compete with God’s Spirit working through His Word and prayer. However, I believe what these authors offer is worth our consideration. The following are ten of the primary ways a congregation can benefit from having a clear, God-inspired view of the future:
A clear view of God’s future for GLC – discerned and owned by the congregation:
1. Gives direction (a goal or target) to leaders and the church. 2. Gets the church (pastor, leaders, and people) agreeing to do what God wants us to do. 3. A clear picture of God’s Will leads to growth! This may be numerical growth within the congregation, but most certainly, it results in the growth of individual Christians who are a part of something much bigger than themselves. 4. A clearly written and communicated vision recruits! It gets more people involved and committed to serving God. 5. A view of the future inspired by God guides the use of individual and church resources. 6. It excites and creates passion for Jesus and what he wants for the church. 7. It helps decision-making. It clarifies why we exist and why we do what we do. 8. A 20-20 spiritual view of what could be inspires financial giving. 9. An intentional plan can be created to implement God’s revealed Will. 10. Ongoing and passionate communication reinforces congregational commitment to and investment in God’s Will for Glendale Lutheran Church.
What do you think? Are we ready to discern God’s Will for our future?
1. Prov. 29:18 KJV 2. Romans 8:29; Ephesians 4:10-13; 2 Peter 3:18; 1 Corinthians 12 – 13:1 3. 1 Thessalonians 5:11; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Romans 15:1-11 4. Matthew 22:39; Hebrews 13:2; 1Peter 3:15; Matthew 25:34-40; 28:18-20 5. Acts 2:42-47 | 
