WATCH YOUR VISION!

Vision and mission statements are powerful tools to the leader who understands that God is intentional about direction and destiny. No one leaves their home to go somewhere without having a plan or a destination in mind. It is this sense of direction that vision and mission brings to the excellence of leadership. It is what reminds us each and every day that what we do has been spoken by God and is being sustained by God. Without having to rethink the process an effective, understandable and recognizable vision and mission keeps the movement of ministry in the direction of success. Every step we take as leaders is a step in the direction of that destiny. If you cannot get there, take a step towards there! The vision says there is a plan for what we are doing. The plan reminds us of the great work that God has entrusted into our hands. It reminds us that the responsibilities we have agreed to and the commitments we have made to ourselves, to the vision and to God. With an effective vision in place it allows everything we do to be confirmed and decided based upon that plan. An effective vision and mission is the foundation upon which everything else is built. When my wife and I were building our first home we spent a considerable amount of time talking with the builder. One of the things that became clear was that the foot print or foundation of the house had to be well thought out because whatever was going to built would have to exist upon that foot print. So, the foundation had to be built with progression and growth in mind because everything that came after would have to exist within that framework. In other words, no foundation to support a future extension such as a sun room, then no sun room! All of the strategies, effort and activities are directed by the prevailing vision and plan. Every decision then will and must line up with the overall plan and vision. This really helps with avoiding strategies and goals that do not marry the vision. When there is no vision then everything looks good to do. We can best choose where to devote our efforts, time and prayer with a clear, articulated vision. This allows ministries to pursue strategies and activities that lead the organization forward and avoid devoting resources to strategies that do not. Effective leaders understand the power of coaching. Just as a successful coach has a vision for putting a team together with a game plan for success, so is the leader who understands the full impact of moving a vision forward. Shepherding and coaching have many similarities which an effective leader can utilize in managing the ministry environment. The idea of coaching suggests that there is a defined objective in mind, a game that must be won. How we win is by developing strategies that achieve that goal. The effective leader must employ different tactics and plans to advance the vision of ministry. Unfortunately we are called to play several roles all at the same time which can be difficult to handle. The vision must be coached and those that God has assigned for us to lead must be shepherded. One of the challenges is managing the gift and the gift carrier all at the same time. God has gifted us all, and the gifts are driven by the power of God and the will of God for our lives. When the gift-carrier does not entirely yield themselves to the governance of God, and the leading of the Holy Spirit, it becomes a battle field. While every leader desires to utilize the gift, the matching of the right gift and the right person remains the challenge. The gift brings effectiveness, organization and advancement. The person can bring selfishness, egotism and attitudinal indifference. When we observe Jesus, the gift and the gift carrier compliment the will of God. The personality and the person aligned to submit to the Father to accomplish the foreordained plan. When the gift matches the personality of the gift giver, this becomes an effective coaching scenario.