TN32 What do you mean by 'vision'?

First published on this website in August 2006 and last updated in June 2024

Synopsis

These notes seek to bring some clarity to a confused understanding of what is meant by 'vision' in a planning context. They introduce six themes to explain what a vision should be about. Test your own church's or mission's vision against these.

1. Destination: a description of where you want to get to
2. Changed lives: "with a vision you are seeking to change the world"
3. Ends not means: opening a building is not a church vision
4. One clear vision: you can have visionaries without one uniting vision
5. God at work: vision is about our faith in what God might do, not our achievements
6. Leadership: you need a leader to move you from A to B

The is followed by footnotes on time-scale in vision, and on the idea of a vision statement.

A church purpose is all about what we should be or do. A church vision is our prayer for what God might do if we remain faithful to our purpose.

These notes have been updated in June 2024 with minor amendments to the text and layout.