Lecture 2 Vison

• The central importance of belief: our entire worldview rests upon it
• 2.1.1. The bottom line: we do what we believe
• 2.1.2. Establishing our fundamental belief system and the sense of purpose and mission that arises from it is the key to long term stability and focus
• The biblical mission:
• 2.2.1. The Great Commandment and the Great Commission
• 2.2.2. The great strength of our biblical mission is that it is good for all and for a lifetime; the challenge of this mission is that it is hard to be passionate for a lifetime

• Vision: a compelling view from God of the future
• -It is describing the future in the present tense
• - Getting God’s vision for this future requires revelation
• The power of vision (2 Cor. 4:16-18)
• -It integrates the past, present and future. It collects the best of the past, draws upon our highest dreams and longings for the future and brings both powerfully into the present

1. Living encounters with God (Acts 9:1-9; 2 Cor. 5:14)

2. Caring, committed community (Eph. 2:14-18)

3. A powerful expression of God’s heart of invitation (2 Cor. 5:11-20)

• -The key to an empowering vision statement is authorization and connection, God-centered rather than leader-centered
• -These statements are more uncovered than constructed
• -Digging for buried treasure
• -Covey’s funeral illustration

• The dual task of a visionary leader
• Our first task: to be “binding agents” that prophetically calls the body of Christ together. We grow in our authority to do this by:
• -Recognizing it isn’t “our” community (1 Cor. 3:5-9)
• -Leaving everyone / everything better than we found it (Eph. 4:16, 29)
• -Being willing to take the loss (Eph. 4:32-5:2)
• -Never manipulating (Eph. 4:25; 2 Cor. 1:12)
• Our second visionary task is together to call the community forward toward God’s future for it. Some keys to doing this effectively are:
• - Living our vision
• -Calling others to obedience to Christ, not to ourselves (Col. 1:28, 29)
• -Realizing the essential combination of humility / perseverance (Phil. 3:12-14)
• -Learning to achieve shared vision at all levels of maturity

• Old Science
• 1. Based on Newtonian physics and the scientific principles of the Industrial Revolution
• 2. Approaches the universe as a machine with component parts, animated by energy, controlled by regulating and / or replacing its components
• 3. Described by mechanistic metaphors
• 4. Relationship is incidental to the system
• 5. Leadership functions above or outside the system
• 6. Operative term is control
• New Science
• 1. Influenced by Quantum Physics and Chaos Theory which has much more “room” for mystery
• 2. Sees the universe in constant interaction, filled with fluid and ever-changing living organisms requiring nurture
• 3. Described often by biological, organic metaphors
• 4. Relationship is central to the system
• 5. Leadership functions best within the network of relationships central to the system
• 6. Operative term is influence

1) tell 2) sell 3) test 4) consult 5) co-discern