A major component to my ministry plan for planting in NH is of course the vision. This is a subject talked about much when dealing with ministry or some business venture. The conversation almost always begins with "What is your vision?" Some people don't know and others seem to have a clear idea of their future.
This is something that God has been birthing in me for years. Sometimes people think you just have to go into a closet or isolation to get vision from God. And that may be true in some cases but not for me. God has been developing this vision in me all the way back to when He first called me into ministry.
God allowed me to pastor in two different churches to solidify what He wanted to do in me and through me to reach my hometown. Although I really think He set me up big time because I didn't see it coming. It wasn't until I came to CT that I really started to get a grasp on what God was calling me to do. I learned a few things concerning vision and how it comes to fruition.
1. When God gives you a vision for the future it doesn't mean that He wants you to do it in your current ministry at that moment. Obviously God gives us vision for our ministries but I found that God was speaking to my heart for years about what He wants me to do in Claremont. He used people and places to clearify exactly what He wanted me to do. I made the mistake of trying to lead my church into the vision that God was calling me too and it didn't fit that church. Although some people bought into it many resisted by their lack of participation. As a whole they did not have the heart or passion for the vision that God gave me.
2. Vision is not always a team sport. Another mistake I made early on was trying to develop a vision for the church through committee. What I mean by that is I believed God gave me a vision for the future of the church and I shared it with a few people in the church and we prayed and debated about what that vision was. Although this can be a good thing with the right people it becomes much more complicated when you are trying to do it with people who don't share the same vision as you and try to tweak it to their way of thinking. The end result was a vision statement that was farther from what God was calling me to do and without any power to it.
3. Vision is caught more than taught. No one can teach you about the vision God gives you but God. I often read 5 books at a time on top of all the other stuff I am reading and doing. I love getting insights from God's people about what He spoke to them but they do not have the same vision as I although it may be similar. In my situation I caught the vision by actually doing ministry and finding out what I am passionate about and what I am gifted to do. Even Nehemiah had caught a vision to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. He wasn't taught to do it. And it moved him. Vision that is caught then can be taught to those who are willing to become part of it. That part becomes difficult if the "owner" of the vision hasn't caught it. You can only lead people where you have been.
4. Not everyone who says they agree with your vision has your best interest in mind. I have found over the years that some people will actually pretend to buy into your vision in order to get close to you for various reasons. Some just wanted to be seen as "friends" of the pastor. Others were looking for ways to get into positions of power. And some of the worst actually tried to destroy the vision because they believed they heard from God and I didn't. The principle here is to be careful who you let in. Guard your heart and your vision. Not everyone who calls themselves Christians are actually sheep. Not everyone who calls you friend is actually a friend. I know people who actually believe it is their jobs to destroy pastors and protect the church from them. That is the most devilish thing I have ever heard. I never saw the spiritual gift of destruction in Gal.5:22.
5. Vision is more often times than not tied to your passions. I have already mentioned this above but it is important enought to talk about it here. God has uniquely made everyone one of us. We have unique giftings, passions, experiences-good and bad, and personalities. I believe God allows us to go through life in such a way that we are wired to do that one thing that no one else can do. That is calling. God calls us to a ministry that fits us. I know that is not always true. There are people who are called to a ministry that is so far from who they are it can only be called a God thing. But that is the exception not the rule. When you find out how God has SHAPED (Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences), you then you can get a clearer understanding of what He may be calling you to do.
Lastly, no one is an expert on vision. So we need to learn from one another. What have you learned about vision?
I'm sure I will have more to share on this as more thoughts come to me. But right now my mind has been emptied. I know, there wasn't much there to begin with. Thanks.
This is something that God has been birthing in me for years. Sometimes people think you just have to go into a closet or isolation to get vision from God. And that may be true in some cases but not for me. God has been developing this vision in me all the way back to when He first called me into ministry.
God allowed me to pastor in two different churches to solidify what He wanted to do in me and through me to reach my hometown. Although I really think He set me up big time because I didn't see it coming. It wasn't until I came to CT that I really started to get a grasp on what God was calling me to do. I learned a few things concerning vision and how it comes to fruition.
1. When God gives you a vision for the future it doesn't mean that He wants you to do it in your current ministry at that moment. Obviously God gives us vision for our ministries but I found that God was speaking to my heart for years about what He wants me to do in Claremont. He used people and places to clearify exactly what He wanted me to do. I made the mistake of trying to lead my church into the vision that God was calling me too and it didn't fit that church. Although some people bought into it many resisted by their lack of participation. As a whole they did not have the heart or passion for the vision that God gave me.
2. Vision is not always a team sport. Another mistake I made early on was trying to develop a vision for the church through committee. What I mean by that is I believed God gave me a vision for the future of the church and I shared it with a few people in the church and we prayed and debated about what that vision was. Although this can be a good thing with the right people it becomes much more complicated when you are trying to do it with people who don't share the same vision as you and try to tweak it to their way of thinking. The end result was a vision statement that was farther from what God was calling me to do and without any power to it.
3. Vision is caught more than taught. No one can teach you about the vision God gives you but God. I often read 5 books at a time on top of all the other stuff I am reading and doing. I love getting insights from God's people about what He spoke to them but they do not have the same vision as I although it may be similar. In my situation I caught the vision by actually doing ministry and finding out what I am passionate about and what I am gifted to do. Even Nehemiah had caught a vision to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. He wasn't taught to do it. And it moved him. Vision that is caught then can be taught to those who are willing to become part of it. That part becomes difficult if the "owner" of the vision hasn't caught it. You can only lead people where you have been.
4. Not everyone who says they agree with your vision has your best interest in mind. I have found over the years that some people will actually pretend to buy into your vision in order to get close to you for various reasons. Some just wanted to be seen as "friends" of the pastor. Others were looking for ways to get into positions of power. And some of the worst actually tried to destroy the vision because they believed they heard from God and I didn't. The principle here is to be careful who you let in. Guard your heart and your vision. Not everyone who calls themselves Christians are actually sheep. Not everyone who calls you friend is actually a friend. I know people who actually believe it is their jobs to destroy pastors and protect the church from them. That is the most devilish thing I have ever heard. I never saw the spiritual gift of destruction in Gal.5:22.
5. Vision is more often times than not tied to your passions. I have already mentioned this above but it is important enought to talk about it here. God has uniquely made everyone one of us. We have unique giftings, passions, experiences-good and bad, and personalities. I believe God allows us to go through life in such a way that we are wired to do that one thing that no one else can do. That is calling. God calls us to a ministry that fits us. I know that is not always true. There are people who are called to a ministry that is so far from who they are it can only be called a God thing. But that is the exception not the rule. When you find out how God has SHAPED (Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences), you then you can get a clearer understanding of what He may be calling you to do.
Lastly, no one is an expert on vision. So we need to learn from one another. What have you learned about vision?
I'm sure I will have more to share on this as more thoughts come to me. But right now my mind has been emptied. I know, there wasn't much there to begin with. Thanks.
Comments
In the preparation process God has often given me a certain set of circumstances to learn in, and then things changed so I was going in a related, but slightlt different direction.
What I am doing now is the result of a set of experiences and training covering many years, but always having a component, like yours, of the same basic Ephesians 4 ministry gifts.
May God bless your work in Claremont for His glory.
Sometimes those circumstances aren't exactly fun when going through them yet God chooses to use them to build us. Thank God He never wastes a hurt. One church I was in I learned a lot of things not to do in ministry. If you are open you can learn from anyone. Thanks for sharing.