A lot of pastors talk about vision casting. Some people pushback on that as a business concept that has infiltrated the church. But what happens if pastors and other leaders choose not to cast a vision?
Is that even possible?
Sometimes we speak as if a church or other organization can be in a neutral position when it comes to vision. The leader then steps in and out of the nothingness creates a vision which they try to sell to the people.
I would say that a church has a vision as soon as it begins to exist, likely even before the first Sunday it meets.
When we say a church lacks a vision, what we mean is that they lack an intentional and well-articulated vision. But just because there is no vision statement listed in the bulletin or on the website, does not mean that the church lacks a vision.
There may be multiple and conflicting visions within the congregations, but there is likely one main vision that is guiding the organization, promoted implicitly if not explicitly by the power brokers in the church.
That vision could be “Let’s hope for the best” or “We will try to keep things the way they have always been (at least within our memory).”
The pastors and leaders need to sort through the competing visions, challenge unhealthy visions, and help steer the church toward a vision that is compatible with God’s plan for the church.
So even if you do not like “vision casting” language because it feels to much like the business world, if you are a church leader, you are dealing in visions.
What is the vision of your church?
