In the life cycle of a church, vision ignites everything. Without a vision, the hope of a church perishes. Pastors in established churches lead like a church planter when vision is your only thought and casting vision becomes your top skill.
Church planters have a passion for reaching people far from God in their communities, towns and cities. Cast vision for souls now. Start before you’re completely ready. Communicate urgency to energize, deputize and mobilize your established congregation to fulfill that vision. Casting vision will net you support and momentum.
5 Steps This Summer to Ignite Passion For Souls
First, tell stories, tell stories, and tell more stories. Tell stories that get people excited about what God is doing. Tell stories from personal experience. Borrow stories from other’s experiences. Every Sunday this summer tell a 3-minute story about the people you are going to reach this Fall and those that have already signed on with you. Post that story to your social media channels.
Second, talk specifics about what is going to happen in the lives of people, the way your community is going to be changed, and how people will think and act differently because of Jesus. Each Sunday pray about one change you envision happening. People are attracted to those who believe that they are going to make a difference.
Third, help people see what they can become and how they can contribute to a preferable future. People are called, and give to, vision, passion, and need. Share a vision series in August about what your church will do in your community this Fall. Use Becoming a Contagious Church and Becoming a Contagious Christian as resources.
Fourth, paint the goal for the entire congregation. Help people see what they can accomplish as a community of people. In your preaching, always ask the "so what" question of the biblical passage in terms of what your congregation will do or become.
Fifth, communicate vision with your Board, small groups of selected leaders, one-on-one with friends or leaders in your community. Create a 3-minute version of the vision. Embody the vision, live it, and constantly communicate it. When you think you've shared it too often, you’ll know you are just getting started. Vision leaks.
Start with vision. Stir with vision. Stay with vision. Sustain with vision.
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.