I have read a lot of church “vision statements” over the years. I came to the realization recently that every single one (including ones I have written!) gets something very important wrong. Many church vision statement go something like this:

“NAME OF CHURCH desires to impact the world for Christ’s kingdom. We will preach the gospel, serve the community, and bring the gospel to the ends of the earth.”

Or:

“Our vision is to plant 25 churches in 25 years in the surrounding metro Jacksonville area.”

Now, both of those statements—and their 1,000+ variants around the country—are good and right. It’s not so much that they are wrong for what they include. Rather, it’s about what they exclude. What these vision statements conveniently exclude is the suffering it will take to achieve that vision. Following Jesus in the world is the way of suffering, because it is the way of the cross. Yet when I think of ministry, oftentimes my mind goes toward filled rooms or spiritual breakthroughs in people’s lives. The thought has rarely occurred to me that any significant growth—whether in numbers or spiritual depth—will happen except through periods of intense suffering. But suffering is the way of Jesus.

Jesus himself promises that his church will have to walk through suffering: “In this world, you will have trouble” (John 16:33). Early church history validates Jesus’ promise, as the expansion of gospel witness happened because “a great wave of persecution” broke out against the church (Acts 8:1, 4). The apostle Paul’s own life story exemplified how the gospel progresses in the world. Paul planted many churches, and at the same time, suffered horribly. His body bore the physical toll of ministry (Galatians 6:17). He was constantly “dying” so that the life of Jesus might increase in others (2 Corinthians 4:8-10). He suffered so that others would be spared (Colossians 1:24). The pattern taught by Jesus and exemplified by Paul demonstrates that the advance of the gospel comes with suffering.

What does this all have to do with LBC? Everything, really. When we begin to envision the next year, we should keep a few things in mind:

• Let’s be realistic. Not everything is going to be easy or friction-free. Some of the changes that are happening at the church are going to be painful. Some of the good things that the church is doing are going to be met with opposition. Not everyone will be on board with every decision I make, you make, or anyone makes!
• We will have to suffer more to see the gospel advance in Monmouth County. Are we ready to pay the price? Am I ready? Are you?
• We will need to redefine success. Taking suffering into account in our “vision” of the future forces us to redefine success. I have been tempted at times to have an “Americanized” definition of success: bigger is better; every year will be better than the last, etc. etc. But sometimes God calls us into a season of pruning, instead of fruitfulness. Sometimes our efforts are stymied by suffering, both physical and spiritual. Instead of embracing a definition of success dependent on serene circumstances, the Bible calls us to embrace a definition of success as radically doing the will of God. It requires deep transformation by the gospel at the very core of who we are. Doing God’s will does not allow superficial spirituality where we can do a lot of outward, frenetic, religious activity. Instead, radically doing God’s will confronts us with the bold assertion that the only valid activity we do comes from a deep communion with Jesus.
• We will all have to crucify our egos. Everyone has an opinion on what LBC should do next: I do, Dan does, and you do too! That’s ok. Having opinions and preferences is a fact of being human. The problem comes in when we refuse to crucify our egos and allow them to dominate our thoughts and opinions. The pressure to get out of suffering is strong when you’re in it. Suffering has a way of turning us all into “fixers” where if the church just followed our preferred method of spirituality, then everything would be ok. But that’s not going to work, especially if GOD is the one who has plunged us into a season of testing. Therefore, the only way to persevere through trial is to band together, crucify our egos, and be of one mind and soul.

I’m really not trying to be a downer here. I actually found this realization to be quite liberating for myself. Because, do you know what’s on the other side of suffering? Resurrection.