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Vision: The Essentials by Rev. Roger Smalling, D.Min DefinitionsWhat is vision? From where does it come? How do we implement it? To answer these questions, we must take a look at three leadership styles often found in Christian circles: Pioneers, a Manager and Janitors. This list is not exhaustive, others exist. Some individuals may be a mixture. Pioneers have a vision for something new. He is the trail-blazer, taking the risks to go where nobody has gone before or do something in a new place. He has enthusiasm, drive and creativity. He is impervious to criticism and impatient with the petty people who play it safer. Though pioneers are great for getting things going, they usually make poor administrators. This is because they have little patience for the minutia necessary in administration. They also tend to lose interest in projects once they are started, preferring to go on to something else. Managers follow in the footsteps of a pioneer, carrying forward the vision the pioneer has established. He puts order into the vision. Though he also owns the vision, he may be dissatisfied with the implementation. He sees more clearly the means to accomplish the goals. Janitors are conservative types who want to institutionalize the vision to maintain results are they are. In a church setting, these people tend to lack vision for anything new. We call them "Janitors" because their primary concern is to see everything is kept clean and safe. If the congregation is morally clean, with sound doctrine and committed to the status quo, they are content. They spend time dealing with disciplinary cases, discontent people or people with deep problems. Leadership development is not their priority. They perceive themselves as spiritual leaders because they have success dealing with these types of problems. It is questionable if they may be called leaders at all. They tend to resist new projects because they themselves have no compelling goals. Their focus is keeping everyone happy so that they stay in the church. If spiritual janitors are allowed primary leadership in the church, it is highly unlikely the church will grow numerically. WHAT IS A "VISION"?"Vision" Is An Attainable Dream. It involves two aspects:
Both must exist to qualify as "vision." A plan without a dream lacks the momentum to attract the necessary leaders to make it work. A dream without a plan is merely visionary and never gets off the ground. The Protestant Reformation was the result of the vision of several men like Luther, Calvin and Knox. It was a goal of immense value, costing many lives over three generations. The religious freedom and prosperity many countries enjoy today is the direct result of that vision. In the political domain, the Latin American revolution under Simon Bolivar was the result of a vision. Bolivar dreamed of the liberation of an entire continent. It was costly and required a life-time investment of resources, a continent was worth it. A vision need not be as ambitious as the above examples. Every successful church or Christian organization was started by a person with the vision to see it happen. A vision without a plan is merely visionaryListening to a visionary may be entertaining but so are movies. Eloquence does not equal vision, either. Certain articulate and intelligent people discourse eloquently about what needs to be done. They seem more adept at analyzing the deficiencies of others than creating workable plans. Though they appear knowledgeable and confident, one never quite grasps exactly what they are saying. It is like catching smoke. (Politicians are often like that.) These are visionaries at best and leaders, not at all...wind-bags to be ignored. A dream and a plan is not quite enoughSome may have a dream and a plan and still not be leaders. A third element must enter in...the personal drive and commitment to implement it. Without this, all they will only be trying to persuade others to do the work. A dream and a plan without 'drive' is like a sports car with a driver who won't turn on the key. Elements of a sensible visionA. Simplicity
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