Vision is something that is so critical in the life of a church planter. Without it, things will fizzle out and chaos will ensue. However, is just having a vision from God the only thing it takes to plant a church? As important as getting the vision is having the ability to cast that vision. This is the struggle many within the ministry have. They get a vision, but they just can’t get other people to get behind it and be sold out to it like they are.
It’s easy to think that if God gives someone a vision to lead his church in a city, that God will also send people to them that will have a heart for the same vision. Sounds easy enough, but it just never works out that way. Sure, people will come together and new ministries will form, but ultimately it takes someone that can explain the vision and keep the direction of the new ministry moving in conjunction with the vision.
I’ve read several books on vision and vision casting and sat in on many seminars about it. However, through it all, the one thing I look back to when I need to reinforce vision within me is Habakkuk 2:2. Just as Prophets in the Old Testament were given a revelation from God for his people, I think we as church planters are given a revelation to connect people far from him in ways that are relevant and meaningful. The revelation will be for a certain people, in a certain city/community, and for a certain time. The revelation is the vision.
- Then the LORD replied:
“Write down the revelation
and make it plain on tablets
so that a herald may run with it.
Above is the NIV translation of Habakkuk 2:2. As the most-popular Bible translation of today, this is how we generally see it. The Hebrew word for revelation really means vision. Habbakuk is being instructed by God to write the vision down and make it plain on tablets. Unfortunately, just doing a surface scan of this verse doesn’t give it the impact it should have upon us. The focus isn’t so much on the vision in this verse. Instead, it is on what is done with the vision that matters here. For that, let me give a clearer understanding by referencing the Amplified Bible translation of Hab 2:2:
- And the Lord answered me and said, Write the vision and engrave it so plainly upon tablets that everyone who passes may [be able to] read [it easily and quickly] as he hastens by.
Is it starting to get a little clearer now? Habakkuk not only must write the vision down, but that vision must be written plainly on tablets so that everyone passing by may be able to read it and easily and quickly understand what it means.
It’s not just getting the vision, but it’s being able to make that vision so real and so plain that others can understand it and be impacted by it as if God gave it to them directly.
Whether it’s church planting or youth ministry or small group function or outreach event, if you feel God has expressed a vision for a ministry to you, can you take and write it out on a paper napkin and share it with others at the table in such a way that they get it and want to get behind it? Remember, the vision isn’t for us, it is for others and we are just the agents to share the vision with others and to see it carried out in God’s intended way. We are just the messengers as we in ministry already know Christ. Instead, we have been appointed to find a way for others to come to know Christ.
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Dave,
I agree. I have challenged my ministry leaders to develop their “elevator speech”. In the length of time it takes for an elevator to go from one floor to another, they should be able to share the vision of the ministry to potential volunteers or future leaders.
Elevator speech is such a great analogy! I’m going to start using elevator language to illustrate this point from now on. Thanks so much for reading and sharing your thoughts Pastor Willie!
sometimes a God-given vision is all a church planter’s got.
nice post dave.
Thanks to God that he continues to share his vision for his church and his people yesterday, today, and tomorrow.