Unleash 2

Vision

what is it?
well i'm gonna borrow from some people, namely Steven Furtick.

When I went to check out Elevation he used this verse that can be applied to so many areas of life.

Proverbs 29:18 [niv]
"Where there is no REVELATION [vision], people cast off restraint, but BLESSED is he who keeps the law."

Maybe this is one of the most important factors in a successful church. There are plenty of churches in America where the Pastor is not the one with the vision. Maybe the Pastor started off with a vision and then once things got rolling they let things creep in. Maybe its committee's that take that vision away from the Pastor, or just one powerful person with a lot of money. Or maybe the Pastor never had that great vision to begin with.

No matter the case people in the church when they don't catch the vision that God has for them, then restraint comes off. You may have tons of awesome people in love with God who want to see people come to Christ but if they don't have a vision from God or don't follow His vision then they are more likely to just be following their ambitions. Then everyone has their own agenda and things get away from what God wants for the community and for the church.

Perry said at Unleash, "God doesn't give committees a vision". Ouch, but true. I haven't read a single story where God told a board of directors what the church should do.

To be honest it was something I had never really given much thought to. I mean I've felt like I've been called to do ministry, and actually do it in a church plant, but I've never thought of submitting to that church's vision. To being more of a servant than I ever thought. I'm studying Media Arts and want to do creative things to engage people and turn their focus to Jesus, but if what I'm doing overall isn't in line with the vision then I'm just making things difficult. It's a challenge to set aside some of what I was thinking and just be willing to follow what God is calling me to do and who he is calling me to serve, because to be honest he hasn't planted a vision of leading a church so I need to be ready to listen to whoever God appoints as my leader.

When that happens awesome things happen. They are bound to. That's why Newspring has 1800 volunteers ready to do whatever. The people have Jesus and they have caught the vision for Anderson, South Carolina via Perry Noble. They literally have THOUSANDS of names written on the walls of people who don't know Jesus, because the congregation has the vision and they are seeing it work week in and week it.

Vison is pretty important. If you have it lead with it, and make sure that you surround yourself with people that trust that and that will serve that vision with you.

That was what God said to me during the Second main session at Unleash, and I believe I just may write one more blog about Unleash cuz it was that good.