Recap and application of Church Fuel’s master class on vision. 

Vision sketches out a potential future: “Can you see what I’m saying?” Vision needs to be both BIG and small. The big side of vision is your purpose for existing as a church. It will be along the lines of the Great Commission or the Great Commandment. It won’t change much, if ever. The small side of vision is your mission: What are you trying to accomplish this year or over the next few years? It is tangible and specific. For example, it could mean sharing the gospel with 500 people this year.

The secret sauce to casting vision is speaking to both the big side of vision and the small side. If you only speak to the big vision, then you will lose all the people who aren’t big thinkers. If you only speak to the big side of vision, people may believe you are out of touch with their actual lives.

Examples:

1. Giving: People give to both vision and need.
2. Volunteers: People want to serve to change the world, but some people just need to know what the holes are.
3. Programming: Having a specific mission for the year helps filter out what you will and won’t do as a church. Almost anything can fit with the purpose of the church. But your specific mission will filter out good ideas from the ones that are only average. I think of Cal Newport’s “Craftsman Mindset” here. Just because something can be done, doesn’t mean it should be done. What will give the biggest impact?