I’ve been reflecting on a comment we received from one of the churches we’ve been working with. They highlighted that many churches have a dusty vision statement that took a lot of work to create, but that has since been forgotten because of the failure of implementation. New visions take lots of energy to create. Wouldn’t it be better to dust off our existing vision statements and identify where we’ve dropped the ball?
The truth is, the time and energy it takes to create a new vision statement is only worth it if the church also is able to effectively implement it. What our wise pastor is highlighting is that the real problem with churches and vision statements isn’t the vision itself, but the failure of implementation.
Of course, we could also go so far as to say that if a church fails to implement their vision, was it really the vision that arose from the Spirit among the church? Or was it a creativity exercise that quickly faded?
In either case, Jesus has some sharp words for those who say they’ll do something and then don’t.
What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, “Son, go and work today in the vineyard.”
Matthew 21:28-31
“I will not,” he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, “I will, sir,” but he did not go.
“Which of the two did what his father wanted?”
Which of the two sons represents the church who claims to have heard from God in a vision statement, and then does nothing to put it into practice?
What can churches do once they realize they’ve let their vision statement grow stale?
I’d like to flip back several hundred pages of scripture to the story of Josiah. In 2 Kings 22-23, Josiah becomes king of Judah at 8 years old. At 26, he undertakes the project of fixing up the temple. In order to do so, he has to pay his workers, so he asks the high priest to go into the temple storage rooms to find some cash. While he’s digging through old lampstands and bowls, he finds these mysterious old scrolls. He opens one up, dusts it off, and begins to read the long-forgotten Torah, the sacred Law God gave to God’s people. He rushes to show it to the secretary, who reads it to the king.
Upon hearing it, Josiah tears his robes in anguish, realizing God had given them a vision that they had neglected. He seeks wisdom from many in the land, especially Huldah, the female prophet of Jerusalem, who helps him understand the importance of the Law. Then Josiah gathers the people to read to them the scriptures for the first time in generations, and goes on a rampage, destroying all of the idols, both in the temple and throughout the land. He also reinstates practices like the celebration of Passover, so that they can live in line with God’s words for their community.
In the end, however, Josiah is not able to rescue Judah from the consequences of having disobeyed God. But, Josiah did go down in history as having been a leader who turned to God with all of his heart. He did his best to lead his people in God’s ways.
Your dusty vision statement is not nearly as significant as the Law of Moses was for the people of Judah. However, in a small way, this story helps us see the significance of forgotten vision, what to do when we realize we’ve missed the mark, and how to implement new practices that help us live into the vision God has for us.
For church leaders who realize they have a dusty vision that they’ve failed to implement, I think we can in some ways follow in the steps of Josiah, turning our heart and the heart of the people to the hopeful vision God has for us:
- Read your old vision statement to your leadership team. Can you even find it? How dusty is it? Reading it might feel strange, especially if it represents a time in the life of your church that has long passed. Nevertheless, muster up the courage to read it out loud to your team, give thanks together for the leaders that wrote it, and have your team highlight the parts of it that they’re grateful for.
- Lament the distance between you and the old vision statement. The leaders who wrote that vision statement believed it was part of God’s direction for the church. Whatever happened along the way, your words and your actions are no longer lining up. This matters to God. If you have a dusty vision statement, there are likely people or opportunities that your church has neglected to address. Take a moment as a leadership team to lament, to “tear your robes”, both for the ways you failed to follow through, and for the ways you let your vision slip into neglect.
- Seek understanding from the Spirit. Just like Josiah sent for wisdom from Huldah, have your team refine the vision statement. What is worth keeping and what needs to be updated? What fresh life is God breathing into this vision today?
- Communicate the renewed vision to the congregation and beyond. Make sure everyone knows the vision of your church.
- Reform your practices. Just like Josiah razes shrines and reinstates Passover, make shrewd decisions to cut budget line items, programs, practices, and meetings that don’t line up with the vision. Create or refresh regular and recurring practices that help your congregation live into the new vision over time.
As you read through your old (and perhaps a bit dusty) vision statement, what do you notice about it? What brings you joy on behalf of your church, and what makes your stomach sink a little? What are the barriers that keep you from bringing this old vision statement out from the temple storage rooms and into the light?
As you lead your church forward into the vision God has for you, whether it’s a brand new vision or a refreshed one, may you have the courage of Josiah to turn to God with all of your heart, not because you might save your church from disaster, but because of God’s love in your life. If you are struggling to fine-tune your current vision statement, or are considering developing a new one, be sure to check out our resource below, How to Develop a Vision Statement for Your Church.
