KevinChilds.com

Vision “leaks.” It evaporates.  It gets diluted.  Even polluted.  Sometimes vision is hard to define and even harder to squeeze into a few easily communicated words.  But even when it is clarified and posterized, … it leaks.  A few days ago, I blogged that “there is no such thing as talking too much about our vision.” Let me add this for the pastors, church planters, and key leaders who read this blog:  There is also no such thing as reminding ourselves too often that vision leaks. Here are some causes, indicators, and warning signs about leaky vision:

• Vision leaks when the Chief Vision Defender (the Pastor) does not have balls enough to take a stand for it.
• Vision leaks when the Chief Vision Defender would rather please people (even good people … valuable people) than please the God who provided the vision.
• Vision leaks when it is confusingly communicated.
• Vision leaks when it is so wordy and cumbersome and theologically precise that the average person cannot define it because it is hidden somewhere in the lofty verbiage of the church that wants to  reach teach touch baptize disciple sanctify every person to obey the Great Commission and the Great Commandment in the power of the Spirit in an effort to glorify the Triune God and reach the nations with the unchanging gospel of grace through changing methods in a changing world that  … (I think you get the message).
• Vision leaks when the first question asked is, “Can we afford it?”
• Vision leaks when vision-casting is relegated to an annual sermon or sermon series.
• Vision leaks when the Pastor, Staff, Elders, and Leadership Team do not TOTALLY understand that actually chasing after the vision will inevitably become unpopular with some.
• Vision leaks when the core vision is compromised to start good programs that distract from the vision.
• In other words, vision leaks when greatness is sacrificed for the sake of goodness.
• Vision leaks when vision is forfeited for the allure of more warm bodies, hot talent, or cold cash (Props to my friend Ronnie Byrd for verbalizing that to me).
• Vision leaks when leaders think in terms of programs instead of process … immediate stop-gap needs instead of system … short-term instead of long-term strategies to accomplish the vision.
• Vision leaks when it is not conjoined to the ministry plan and process.
• Vision leaks inevitably.

I am convinced that we cannot stop the leakage of vision.  We can instead identify and plug any gaping holes in the vision buckets.  And we can keep pouring and pouring and pouring to constantly refill.  And we can so instill vision in our co-laborers that they constantly refill others.  And then we can do that again.  And again …

Our Vision at The ROCK? Pick one:

• We want to make this community the hardest place on Earth to get to Hell from.
  
• We want to change your mind about Jesus and His church.
  
• We want a church that church-haters LOVE to be part of.
  
• We are turning skeptics into missionaries.
  
• And we will do anything except sin to reach those farthest from God.