Pastors, elders, and other church leaders are not only called to guide their churches into the future God has for them, but to do so in such a way that as many people as possible are able to join in to advance their shared cause.
Obviously, this isn’t as easy as it sounds.
Most of our churches are over eighty years old, making it hard to envision change. Because we haven’t welcomed new disciples, many of our patterns feel set in stone. With dwindling post-pandemic attendance, we wonder whether there will be enough people to sustain a church, let alone enact new vision.
I was talking with a pastor last month who said, “Now that we’re back from the pandemic, I don’t know where to lead people next.” Up against so many challenges, pastors are in a tough spot:
- We don’t have a clear sense of where we are leading our church
- We don’t have a clear picture of God’s vision for our church
- We change our minds about where we’re headed, confusing the people we lead
- Our team members have different ideas of where we’re headed, and it’s creating conflict
- Our budget is ballooning without any filter for what gets prioritized
- People are drifting in and out, seemingly uncommitted and unmotivated to devote themselves to a shared cause
What we need is a clear vision for our church. Every church needs a vision, a clearly defined destination that rallies a community. A vision is a picture of where your church is headed, even if you never arrive there. In fact, an inspiring vision is one you will never arrive at; by it, God continues to call your community forward in an eternal story of transformation.
How do you know that it’s time to renew your vision?
- Your programs and ministries feel like ends of their own
- Few people can recite or reference the vision
- You haven’t renewed the vision since a major change (global pandemic, new pastor, location change)
- Your existing vision is not inviting people on mission
Many leaders have been through visioning processes, and you might have negative connotations with the idea of crafting a new vision statement. The truth is, there are a lot of problems with how churches typically write vision statements. For example, many vision statements are not really visions of the future, but descriptions of why the church exists or the history of its existence. Many vision statements are not measurable. Some vision statements are written by “visionary leaders” without input from others. These vision statements are idealistic fantasies that have more to do with ego than with mission. Other vision statements are written by the whole congregation, a conglomeration of everyone’s opinions. Some vision statements are surprisingly good, but are forgotten by lack of communication and implementation.
Cyclical Full Circle guides churches towards more hopeful futures.
As we’ve worked with hundreds of churches, we’ve noticed that over half of them haven’t welcomed new Christians, have been losing members, and have been losing money over the most recent years. They are concerned about the years to come, and they need help envisioning the hopeful future God has for them. We walk them through a process of listening and discerning, and it’s amazing to see the energy and inspiration that comes when they discover a shared vision, a worthy cause that motivates them forward into action and growth.
We wrote this eBook to help you experience a similar transformation in your church
We believe your church can move from uncertainty about the future, to hope and excitement about where God is leading you. It all starts with casting a new vision, which the eBook breaks down into 3 main steps.
- Spend time with your team listening to God and to each other.
- Engage a process of brainstorming and creating a new vision.
- Create a plan to implement your new vision so it actually becomes part of the culture and practices of your church.
To go more in-depth on each of these steps, including questions and frameworks for leading each of these team meetings, download our eBook How to Develop a Vision Statement for Your Church.
Taking steps to lead a new vision at your church takes courage. You are opening yourself up to change and practicing vulnerability. If it feels a bit scary, you’re probably on the right track. Explore this eBook, take baby steps forward, and we’ll be here to help you along the way so that your church can be reinvigorated with a vision for God’s hopeful future.
