“What has God called you to do through your missions ministry, and how can we help you get there?” Mission to the World has recently expanded the ways it can come alongside churches to help resource and equip them for missions ministry. In this effort, this first question we pose to churches is, fundamentally, a question about vision. And asking the question presupposes that churches should have a clear sense of direction for their missions ministry.
THE NEED FOR VISION
Of all the topics we cover in our consultation workshops, perhaps none has generated more interest than the discussion of vision. Churches are genuinely intrigued about the benefit of articulating a clear direction and philosophy for their missions ministry. They want to know how to develop a compelling vision. This strong interest, though, indicates that most missions ministries lack a clear sense of direction. Why is that? Among the many possible reasons, two stand out.
First, many missions ministries have never considered the need for a vision. It just simply hasn’t been done before, and the status quo is maintained by sheer momentum. Yet perhaps no other ministry in the church has such a vacuum of vision. Ask the pastor for his philosophy or vision for preaching, and he likely will have a ready answer. The same is true for youth, children, mercy, or hospitality. Many missions ministries, however, see themselves as little more than a committee with money to give out to needy missionaries. And even in this, there is no discernible rationale why one missionary receives support and another doesn’t, except for the availability of funds and a pleasant presentation. So the notion of developing and pursuing a vision is something completely new.
Second, missions leaders tend to be activists. In churches where missions has little visibility, passionate leaders often jump in and try to produce something quickly. They want to plan a conference, support some missionaries, or send members on a summer project as soon as possible. A bias for action is a good thing. But every action establishes a commitment and a precedent. Soon a church finds itself with a number of commitments that have little missiological coherence or member interest. To make strategic decisions that will bring focus to the ministry and involve more people, a carefully developed vision is an absolute prerequisite. Yet activists who are trying to generate support for missions often don’t have the time or inclination to stand back and look at the big picture.
And so when we explore the benefits of identifying God’s direction for a church’s missions ministry, leaders are intrigued. They want to develop their own vision. But that’s not quite enough. Consider the following examples of actual vision statements:
- The goal of the missions ministry of First Church is to support missionaries in cross-cultural settings.
- We will glorify God by fulfilling the Great Commission.
- The missions ministry administrates the world missions program for First Church.
- Our one vision: proclaiming the gospel to all the nations.
- First Church will pray, send, give and go on behalf of the world’s neediest people.
Go back and see if you can tell why each of these is inadequate. We’ll evaluate them later. When you’re done with a brief assessment, let’s consider the essential reasons for a vision statement and key elements for yours.
PURPOSE OF A VISION STATEMENT
A good vision statement should do two things: it should inspire and inform.
First, it should inspire. People want to be part of something larger than themselves. They want to be part of something compelling, challenging and significant. What could be more compelling than the Great Commission: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” No loftier vision for the Church’s work in the world could ever be imagined, no greater challenge could ever be conceived. Missions leaders are calling their people to be part of this most incredible endeavor. The Great Commission deserves an inspiring vision for the church that will draw their members.
Second, vision should inform. A church’s vision statement is a compass pointing the ministry in a certain direction—and by corollary, away from other directions. A good vision statement will help leaders make real decisions, to know to go this way and not another, to say no to certain possibilities because they’ve said yes to others.
COMPONENTS OF A VISION STATEMENT
An excellent example of a strong vision statement is found in Nehemiah 2:17: “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” Nehemiah had a vision that was clear, motivating, achievable and measurable.
1. Clarity
Nehemiah’s vision couldn’t be clearer: rebuild the wall. Ambiguity could have created the possibility of being diverted to build a palace or plan a coronation. Instead, this clear goal enabled the leaders to make decisions whether various tasks helped complete the project. It also enabled the people to know what they were being asked to do. The Apostle Paul echoed this theme when he wrote, “If the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?” (1 Cor. 14:8.) A clear vision statement is distinct enough to help leaders make decisions and members determine whether they want to be part of the vision. For example, “glorifying God by helping to fulfill the Great Commission” sounds laudable, but this vision could apply to every Christian church or organization. The trumpet is not sounding a clear call. To provide guidance, you must first determine what is most important to your ministry. Establishing your passions and convictions will bring greater clarity to your vision.
2. Motivating
To be motivating, a vision must address a need and call for a response. Nehemiah challenged the people of Jerusalem to restore their security as well as their honor. Every citizen could identify with this need, and they own the vision for themselves. Nehemiah also called them to participate in the project. The project could not be accomplished without the people’s help, but on a more personal level, they needed to feel part of the effort. Likewise, a church’s vision should respond to a pressing need and necessitate personal involvement.
3. Achievable
The difficulty of rebuilding the walls was compounded by the threat of opposition. Yet in spite of the challenges facing Nehemiah, he knew they could accomplish the task. He wasn’t asking them to build walls 100 feet high. A lofty vision that is not realistic is not engaging, as people discard the goal as impossible. For example, “winning the whole world for Christ” is something we all hope to see, but it’s not something that God has entrusted to a single church.
4. Measurable
Progress in rebuilding the wall was relatively easy to determine; in fact, all could see it for themselves. Nehemiah divided the work into stages and components, and was able to measure the progress for each part. Not only did this enable the leaders to better allocate resources, it motivated the people by letting them accomplish definable elements. Similarly, a church’s vision should be crafted in such a way as to help leaders measure progress towards the goal and generate enthusiasm among all the members.
LEARNING FROM OTHERS
Considering these elements, let’s take a look at the vision statements above.
- The goal of the missions ministry of First Church is to support missionaries in cross-cultural settings. This statement is rather dry and uninspiring. It is circular in that it merely defines what a missionary does, and says nothing about how or what kind of ministry to support.
- We will glorify God by fulfilling the Great Commission. This directs focus on God’s glory and is more inspiring. But it’s too ambitious for any one church to accomplish and therefore counterproductive in its appeal. It also doesn’t help the ministry make decisions.
- The missions ministry administrates the world missions program for First Church. Well, let’s just say it’s not exactly catchy.
- Our one vision: proclaiming the gospel to all the nations. Similar to the evaluation of #2. In both cases, the statement does not suggest any missiological convictions about how to fulfill the vision.
- First Church will pray, send, give and go on behalf of the world’s neediest people. Positively, this statement indicates the church’s active participation and a calling towards needy people. But needy in what way? How is their vision distinct from any ministry or service organization?
No vision statement is perfect or complete. With that qualification, here are two examples of vision statements that both inspire and inform the church’s missions ministry:
- First Church will help plant 50 indigenous churches in 50 great cities of the world.
- By God’s grace, First Church will establish church planting centers with our global partners.
Both of these statements will help direct ministry leaders as they plan and make decisions. Whether it’s determining how to schedule their annual missions conference, where to go on short term trips, or which missionaries to support, their vision will encourage and guide them. Not everything they do will fit perfectly within the vision, but at least they now have an overall direction for their efforts. But don’t just adopt one of these for your church. A good statement can not simply be copied by other churches. The process of identifying and refining your vision is as important as the end product.
DEVELOPING A VISION STATEMENT
There are many ways to develop a vision statement. The following suggestions will get you started.
1. Determine who should create the vision.
The actual group will depend on the leadership philosophy of your church, i.e. you will need to determine the appropriate combination of church officers, lay leaders, and/or pastor(s). Will the statement be drafted by the entire group or by a few members with input from the others? Will this be done in one meeting, a retreat, or a series of meetings? Will one person ‘wordsmith’ the draft and report back to the group? Who will give final approval to the statement? Whoever is involved, it is very important that key stakeholders feel they have some part in crafting the vision, as they will be the ones authorizing and implementing it.
2. Establish priorities
It may be helpful to review key elements of successful missions ministries. In particular, are you committed to the Church as God’s primary means of establishing His kingdom? Consider whether your vision is aimed towards establishing nationally led churches and whether your entire membership is challenged to participate at some level.
3. Envision the future
Next, have the participants take a few minutes to envision the future. One way to do this is to have them write an imaginary article for a newspaper that wants to do a feature on your church’s involvement in world missions. Everyone should write a one or two paragraph article about the highlights of the ministry, including its purpose and accomplishments. Include a compelling headline. As part of this exercise, identify 10 key words or phrases. Next, share individual results with the entire group. As the articles are shared, identify patterns. Perhaps God has laid various aspects of the vision on the hearts of the leaders. Determine which priorities are the most biblical. Discuss whether certain elements are traditions that should be retained or discarded. Ask if any elements are missing that should be included.
4. Draft and summarize
Once you have input from all the participants, start drafting a statement of 30 words or less that summarizes the vision. Do not try to include something for everyone, as you may end up with a vague vision that fails to provide direction. A summary statement will bring greater clarity to the vision, as it forces leaders to determine what is most important. It’s also easier to remember and therefore more likely to be used for guidance. However, an expanded version may be helpful, to add further definition and establish objectives.
5. Approve and communicate
A common problem for missions ministries is that they can act like separate departments of the church, or serve on the periphery of the church’s emphasis. To avoid this, present the final version to the session for approval. Sessional authorization will help engage key leaders of the church and empower the missions ministry. Once you have their approval, find ways to communicate the vision to the church and repeat the message often. Use all means available to your church to put the vision in front of the members. Newsletters, brochures, the church’s web site, a bulletin board and verbal references are some of the many ways to communicate the direction of your missions ministry.
6. Use the statement to make decisions and evaluate effectiveness.
Refer to the vision at the beginning of missions meetings, especially those including financial support decisions or event planning. Make decisions with your vision in mind.
The result of this process is a unique vision for your church that will inspire and inform your role in the Great Commission. So now let’s ask that question again: “What has God called you to do through your missions ministry, and how can we help you get there?”
This article can be viewed and printed in .pdf format by clicking here.
