Article
Effective Vision Casting
Seeing Clearly
The word vision is commonly associated with eyesight. When I think about vision, I picture myself in the eye doctor’s office, covering one eye with a plastic spoon and calling out small lines of letters and numbers, guessing at the shapes and hoping for the best. Let’s be honest, the letter we all feel confident repeating is the large “E” at the top. Vision is an incredible gift that God has given us to clearly see the world.
The Ultimate Vision Caster
However, vision isn’t limited to our eyesight. In ministry, vision is a term commonly thrown around and associated with the mission of the church. Vision casting isn’t limited to pastors or leaders within the church. We cast vision every day. Whether we cast mediocrity or unhealthy thoughts, we create and live out vision in our daily lives.
Derwin defines vision casting as “the art of persuasively creating a mental image of a future that should be, but is not in the hearts and minds of those you want to influence.” One of the biggest responsibilities of church leaders is to cast a vision that serves Jesus. There is no better example as a vision caster than Jesus Himself. Jesus calls us to love God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength and to go and make disciples. His followers are still living out the vision He cast over 2,000 years ago.
Four Parts of Vision Casting
When creating a vision for your church, here are four things to consider.
1. What is the problem?
Derwin states that if America were made up of only 100 human beings, 77 would not be born-again Christians. That is a huge problem. It was a problem for God, and should be a problem for us. To remedy this problem, God sent His one and only son to die for our sins. He offered the greatest sacrifice to rescue us from ourselves. The number of people who do not know Jesus is a huge problem. And for that problem, we need a solution.
2. What is the solution?
The solution to the problem is the vision of the church. The vision of the church should be empowered by Jesus. A church’s mission and vision should be to reach the unreached and make disciples of the nations. This was Jesus’ commission and commandment to each and every one of us as His followers.
So how are you doing this as a church? Is Jesus’ command encompassed in your church’s vision statement? If your church isn’t living out Jesus’ command to go and make disciples, what are you chasing after?
3. Why the vision must be implemented
The vision must be implemented because people matter to God. Jesus was sent from Heaven to rescue us from our sinful nature so that God could create a new family on earth. Your role as a vision caster in your church is to preach the good news and the gospel and equip your people to carry it out.
4. Why the vision must be implemented now
How does a church grow? If people recognize that there is a problem, the vision becomes the solution. And the vision needs to be implemented now because people matter to God. Because people matter to God, people matter to us as a church. The vision of Jesus should be the vision that guides our churches and our lives. That is a vision that deserves to be put into practice today.
You don’t have to have 20/20 vision in order to see why being an effective vision caster is important. Life is too short to be visionless. As a church leader, it is your responsibility to cast the vision of the church. To do this, answer the four parts of vision casting specifically for your church: the problem, the solution, the vision being implemented, and it being implemented now. Then go and make disciples in your community and around the world, just as Jesus has called us to do.
This article was adapted from content provided on Ministry Grid by Derwin Gray. To read more from Derwin Gray click HERE.
Tweetables:
- Jesus is the ultimate vision caster.
- Vision casting is the art of persuasively creating a mental image of a future that should be.
- We all vision cast, let’s be effective in our vision casting.
- A church’s vision should be the answer to making disciples of the nation. People matter to God, so people should matter to us.
- Life is too short to be visionless.
- People recognize that there is a problem. The vision is the solution to the problem. And the vision needs to be implemented now, because people matter to God.