How To Dream For The Future
You cannot out dream God.
Jesus told his disciples to think small, stay in their own neighbourhood and not to even dream about crossing the street to reach the world.
No. He commanded a dream for the world.
Put God where He should be - in your dream for the future. Here are three ways you can do that.
1. Dream bigger. Dream bigger than who you think you are and who others say you aren’t.
William Carey was a self-educated shoe cobbler in England who had a vision of taking the gospel to India. When he shared that idea with some ministers, one seasoned pastor called him a “miserable enthusiast.” But Carey persisted. He eventually got to India, translated the Bible into almost 40 languages, founded a university that still exists, and saw God make a substantial impact on the Indian subcontinent.
2. Dream expectantly. Expect great things from God.
Carey’s motto was, “Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.”
Where your focus goes your energy flows. Focus on God’s character, call and provision.
3. Dream daringly. Be bold and blast out of your past.
Curt Rosengren, Passion Catalyst, suggests, “Questions are one of the most powerful tools you have to blast yourself out of a path tethered to the past. They shine a light on flawed assumptions and help you see your options. The less you needlessly limit yourself, and the more options you see, the more possibility lies in your future.”
Now take some time this week and ask yourself the following questions. Write down your answer and review them in the coming weeks.
What story are we as a church telling about our future? Is it accurate? Why do we believe that story?
Is another possible future conceivable? (Hint: The answer is almost always, “Yes.”)
What would we like a different future to look like? (Get specific.)
What steps could we take right now to start creating that future?
What’s getting in our way? What could we do to overcome each of those obstacles?
What help would we need to create that brand new future?
Have fun applying yourself to try and out dream God for the future of your church or ministry.
Bob Jones is the founder of REVwords.com, an author, blogger, and coach with 39 years of pastoral experience. Bob is also an Advance Coach with the ABNWT Resource Centre. You can connect with Bob here.