Thursday, May 31, 2007

Visioneering

As I am praying about what my part is in the Vision God has for 5 stones I am reminded of Andy Stanley's excellent book on the subject. It is worth all of our time to think about some of these concepts. So I am including them here for you to percolate on. I have adjust these concepts to make it more understandable, and I have subtracted some redundant ideas and added a few as well from other sources. You will also see many of these concepts fleshed out in the book of Nehemiah.

  1. A vision begins as a concern: Jesus primary concern is the lost becoming found, and the found becoming mature followers.
  2. A vision has a timetable contingent upon providence and obedience: God's timing cannot be sped up or slowed down...but our obedience can.
  3. Pray for opportunities and plan with wisdom and a sense of expectation: God desires that His kingdom be fleshed out. He allows our personalities, passions, and purposes to be a part of that kingdom.
  4. God is using your circumstances to prepare and position you to fulfill His purposes for your life: Nothing is an accident, everything is redeemable.
  5. What God originates He orchestrates: He WILL build His church; He will open and close doors; Miracles are normative for Him. He cannot concieve of an obstacle or challenge.
  6. Walk before you talk; investigate before you initiate; listen before you leverage: The wise builder calculates, case-studies, and dialogues with others.
  7. Communicate the vision as the solution to a problem that is imperative: Gods vision is never trivial, it is always epic.
  8. Leaders must be the greatest risk takers: Your level of sacrifice, courage, and obedience sets the standard for everyone else.
  9. Account for the flesh and Satan to devise sabotages to the plan: We battle not with flesh and blood, but with powers and principalities...who often manifest through the flesh.
  10. Good ideas will always sap the energy, resources and momentum needed for the great things: Saying no is just as strategic as saying yes.
  11. Unity is only possible when everyone is focused on something besides themselves: "It's not about you...it IS about God and others."
  12. Consistency and character trump charismatic personality and "cool" fads.
  13. Kingdom visions are often most misunderstood and criticized by the "religious" people within and without your church.
  14. Allign all resources with a solid strategy and timeline: God owns everything so everything needed for the vision is available. However, God's means to that end is through human beings whom he seeks to deliver from selfishness, materialism, and slavery to self.
  15. The Vision comes from God and always leads back to God: Anything that doesn't do that isn't His vision.

food for thought.

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