Why Vision Is So Important

One of the best examples of the power of a vision can be found in Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech. In it he described a vision of a preferred future where "little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers." That's a powerful mental picture that we can see. We are not completely there yet, so our task is to figure out how to get there.

The purpose of a vision is to answer the question, "Where are we going?" Only then can we answer the question of what we need to do in order to get somewhere.  That is why we are spending time and energy thinking about vision in the Northwest District. The Connectional Ministries Council had the idea of creating a video as a way to help congregations see the need to develop their vision. Many churches in the district showed that video during worship on the weekend of September 27. If you would like to see it, click here.

That is also why we are offering a special event for church leaders to learn how to discern a vision. It will be on November 17 and 18 at Morningside College. For more information and to register you can click here.

We know that the mission of the United Methodist church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Making disciples looks like relationships where people are helping each other to be more like Jesus. I have a coach who has helped me see that discipleship is not so much a program as it is a name. By that he means a person with whom I have a relationship that includes some way of intentionally helping me to be more like Jesus.

This is because the first transformation that must take place is a change of heart from living for ourselves to living for others. This is what Jesus prayed to God in the garden of Gethsemane, "not my will but yours be done" (Luke 22:42). We all need encouragement to take up our cross to follow Jesus.

So during our annual interviews, I ask each of my pastors: "Who is discipling you?" and "Who are you discipling?" These are questions that could actually be asked of every follower of Jesus. So part of a vision for all churches is people intentionally helping each other to become more like Jesus.

But then, what does a transformed world look like? What would it look like in your community if people in the church were loving their neighbors and helping to care for their needs? The Bible puts it this way: "If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,' and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?" (James 2:15-16).  

For example, can you see a community where all the children can read and no one goes to bed at night hungry? The needs in each community are unique so that's why each congregation needs a specific vision for their setting. Then once we can see where we are going, we can work on "How do we get there?" That is why vision is so important. How will you seek God's vision?