Some years ago, I was doing some consulting for a local ministry. As I sat talking to the president, I asked questions about who the ministry served and what he hoped to accomplish. I received pretty superficial answers, so I asked a few big questions, “What is your vision for this ministry? Where do you see yourself and this ministry five or ten years down the road?”
His answer surprised me. The leader of this ministry said he had no vision, didn’t believe in having a vision, and relied on God telling him what to do daily. He underscored his point by saying a flashlight only illuminates a few steps ahead, so he trusts God to give him direction a few steps at a time.
Really?
And you wonder why you are having trouble getting people to both engage with and support the ministry?
These days, we are all surrounded by requests for our time and money to support many causes. If a leader can’t (or won’t) describe or envision a future for the ministry, why would anyone get on board?
Charity: Water
Having seen the effects of unsafe drinking water around the world, Scott Harrison founded the non-profit Charity: Water in 2006. His vision is to bring safe drinking water to the 1.1 billion people around the world who live with unsafe drinking water. So far, Charity: Water has raised over $450 million and funded over 51,000 water projects spread across 28 countries. When completed, those projects will provide over 11 million people with clean, safe drinking water.
Pencils of Promise
Adam Braun founded Pencils of Promise in 2008. His vision is to bring educational opportunities to underserved kids around the world by building schools where there were none. Because of Adam’s vision, Pencils of Promise has raised enough money to successfully build and staff over 520 schools, serving over 100,000 students.
So you see, people will invest their time and treasure when a leader casts a vision for what they hope to accomplish.
The same is true for leaders in business and government.
Microsoft
Thomas Watson, the president of IBM until 1956, said he didn’t see the need for more than about five computers in the whole world. When Bill Gates founded Microsoft in 1975, he said his vision was “a computer on every desk and in every home.” Well, we all know how that turned out!
To the Moon
President John F. Kennedy, in a special address to congress in 1961, cast his vision for humanity to reach the moon using space flight. Kennedy said we should land a man on the moon and return him safely to earth. Even though the technology to accomplish this audacious goal didn’t exist at the time, the entire scientific community rallied behind the president, and the rest is history.
Harrison, Braun, Gates, and Kennedy envisioned a future no one else could see, but lives have been changed because of their vision.
Biblical Vision
The Bible includes several visionary illustrations. God often spoke to individuals giving them a vision of what was to come. Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Samuel, Nathan, and Solomon (and many others) received God’s future-oriented visions.
In the New Testament, Paul received two visions from God. The first vision Paul received was of his future home in heaven. It was simply so spectacular that Paul could not describe it.
The second vision Paul received was of his earthly ministry. First, he was to return to the Corinthians and minister to them. Later, Paul was to take the Gospel to the Gentiles in Rome and Spain.
Envision the Future
While discussing vision, motivational speaker and author Steve Gilliland said, “Without vision, you have no direction. Without direction, you have no purpose.”
It’s true of us as individuals, and it is just as true of organizations.
As leaders, we must envision a future no one else can see. Our vision provides direction according to God’s purpose for our lives.
There are two critical criteria in establishing our vision for the future.
First and most importantly, our vision must align with God’s purpose. If the vision is personal, then it must align with God’s purpose for our lives. If the vision is for an organization, it must align with God’s purpose for the organization.
Second, we need to be able to articulate the vision so it inspires others. We cannot expect our organizations to pull together to accomplish something that has never been done before unless the leader can describe this future state in a way that inspires action.
If you are leading a ministry, you can’t expect to engage supporters unless you describe an inspirational future state.
So, begin with a vision that aligns with and complements God’s purpose. Then, articulate that vision in a way that inspires others to act!
When you do so, you can change the world, or at least your corner of it!
More Articles
I’ve covered a few other articles on vision. If you want to read them, you can type “vision” in the search bar or click on one of the links below.
- #097: Is It Important to Align Our Life to God’s Vision For Us?
- #203: Terrifying Boyhood Adventure Results in Valuable Life Lessons
- #342: Are Vision Statements a Complete Waste of Time?
- #362: Is It Time for You to Mature as A Leader?
Join the Conversation
As always, questions and comments are welcome. Have you, or leaders you worked for, established a vision for the organization? What was achieved because of the vision?
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Category: Personal Development | Vision
Ron- I like how you advise that one’s personal vision should align with God’s purpose. It’s so easy for us to focus on our goals and visions, and forget to think about the greater good, and whether it aligns with God’s purpose. If more people, companies, and Governments did this, imagine what kind of spectacular world we’d have !
Thanks, John! It happens one person at a time, one organization at a time. It can be done, but it takes courage and determination to stand against the secular worldview!