A Travel Free Learning Article
By Bill Howard at BHoward@TheColumbiaPartnership.org. [Contact Bill for information on all five steps.]
Download Howard, Five Critical Steps of Communicating Vision, Step Two
Have you wondered how successful pastors get their people to follow a vision? Have you ever wanted to share a vision, but feared it would get voted down by your congregation?
Successful vision casting is a skill every leader needs to learn. Read on to learn step two of the five critical steps of communicating a vision that will get a YES! from your congregation or ministry organization.
Last month I shared with you
· Two critical mistakes pastors make while communicating vision
· One critical core belief you must answer about receiving vision
· The three parts of a vision with a future
A minister who has properly communicated vision should go into a church decision process with a 95 percent certainty of how the vote will turn out. If there is a strong chance the vote may turn out negatively, that vote should never be taken.
As a leader, you must do your homework. You should know long before any voting process what the Lord is saying to your church and what your people are going to do as a result.
Here’s how the process works.
Step One: State Clearly to Your People How You Received the Vision
Step Two: Cast the Vision to the Loving Three (from 3 to 6 people)
Four requirements for the Loving Three:
- You know they love God.
- You know they love the church.
- You know they love you.
- You know that they will be honest with you.
This is vision testing on training wheels. If you cannot get the approval and support of the vision from the people who love you the most, your vision cannot succeed.
Initial Meeting:
- Invite them all to your home.
- Tell them you chose them because you love and trust each one of them, and you know they love you, the church and the Lord.
- Tell them you are asking them to help you determine God’s will for your church.
- Step-by-step share the vision God gave you.
- Assure them you are seeking only God’s will.
- If you believe it, say these words, “I believe the Lord speaks to you, just like he speaks to me. And if He’s telling me this, I believe He will tell you as well.”
- Ask “What are your initial thoughts?”
Action Step:
· Ask them if they pray for 14 days and meet back together on a certain date to share what they’ve heard from the Lord?
At a Follow-Up Meeting, Ask them, “What did you hear from God?”
· Remember, when you ask someone’s opinion, it is essential that you listen without interruption; no debate, no disagreement, no correction.
· Take good notes on what is said.
· During this time, questions concerning the “how” of the vision may come up. Remember, the goal is to discover the vision, not to plan how the vision will be fulfilled. All the “how's” will need to be discussed at a later time. Now is the time for discerning vision.
If their feedback is less than positive,
· Remember, these people love you, the Lord, and the church. Determine if they disagree with the vision as a whole, or only parts of it.
· Find out what changes they would make.
· Assure them you will pray over their suggestions and get back with them.
· Pray over what they have said. Ask God to give you an open spirit and mind.
Do your best to incorporate their ideas and suggestions into the vision. If you can you are ready to go on to the next step. If you cannot and you do not have the support of the three people who love you the most, go back to the Lord and wait until clarity comes. You cannot move forward without your Loving Three. The Lord has put them there to assist you and protect you. Value the Lord’s leadership in their life.
If their feedback is positive,
· Thank them for their support and love for the church.
· Ask for their continued prayers and support.
· Share with them Step #3 and ask them to attend
Note: To request a copy of the entire manuscript, including all five steps, contact Bill Howard at bhoward@thecolumbiapartnership.org. At The Columbia Partnership we are committed to your success.
If you would like a personal coach to walk with you through the vision casting process,
contact Bill Howard at bhoward@thecolumbiapartnership.org.
Important Things to Know
Bill Howard is a Ministry Partner with The Columbia Partnership. He is also Lead Pastor with Willow Ridge Church in Lexington, SC. He is the Capital Campaign Coordinator for The Columbia Partnership and would be glad to talk with any congregations, denomination, or parachurch organization considering a campaign.
The Columbia Partnership is a non-profit Christian ministry organization focused on transforming the capacity of the North American Church to pursue and sustain Christ-centered ministry. Travel Free Learning is a leadership development emphasis of The Columbia Partnership. For more information about products and services check out the web site at www.TheColumbiaPartnership.org, send an e-mail to Client.Care@TheColumbiaPartnership.org, or call 803.622.0923.
