Lesson 24/the Leaders Vision
Lesson 24/the Leaders Vision
Lesson 24/the Leaders Vision
Henry Epps
founder
HARVEST LIFE
GLOBAL NETWORK
Overseer Course Lesson 24
Lesson Twenty-Four
The Leaders Vision
Chapter Twenty- Four. The Leader's Vision Where Do Leaders Get It and How Do They
Communicate It?
When it comes to vision, no statement is more frequently quoted (or misquoted) by Christians and
non-Christians alike than King Solomon's observation: "Where there is no vision, the people
perish" (Prov. 29:18 KJV). Scripture's timeless wisdom once again proves relevant to modern life.
Leadership pundits claim vision is crucial for an obvious reason: if you can't see where you are
going, you are unlikely to get there. Vision can serve as the North Star for organizations, helping
leaders keep their bearings as they move their people forward. Hence, any organization that does
not have a clear vision of where it is going is in danger of becoming sidetracked and failing to
accomplish its purpose.
How do contemporary leaders respond to this need for vision? Many inundate their organizations
with discussions, memos, meetings, seminars, retreats, and slogans, all about vision. Vision
statements are in vogue. They are everywhere—on letterheads, on business cards, posted in offices
and in advertisements. Leaders spend extensive energy encouraging their people to buy in to their
vision. Those who don't embrace the corporate vision are often eventually forced out of the
organization.
Vision is critical for organizations, so it stands to reason that leaders must be visionaries. Visionary
leaders understand at least three fundamental issues: Where does vision come from? How does
vision inspire people? How do leaders communicate vision?
Where Do Leaders Obtain Their Vision?
If it is true that great visions inspire great people and great organizations, the crucial task for leaders
is to develop the loftiest vision possible for their organizations. Walt Disney had a broad vision—
to make people happy—and he redefined the entertainment industry. Henry Ford sought to
democratize the automobile, and the result was a prodigiously successful automotive empire.
George Marshall's vision was to develop the mightiest army in the world; he began with an army
of 200,000 men in 1939 and by 1945 had created a force of 8.3 million. Bill Gates had a vision
that every computer in the world would use Microsoft software; his success is legendary. When
people consider the examples of great business leaders, they feel pressured to develop grandiose
visions that will likewise propel their organization to greatness. But where do leaders find visions
that inspire people and unite them to great accomplishments? There are many sources from which
leaders draw their vision.
"Because It's There"
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In 1924, George Leigh Mallory, a British schoolmaster and socialite, determined he would ascend
the as-yet unconquered peak of Mount Everest. When a reporter asked why he intended to climb
the formidable mountain, he replied: "Because it's there." On June 8, the thirty-eight-year-old
father of three young children was last sighted trudging up the mountain with his companion
Andrew Irvine. Seventy-five years later, in 1999, an American climbing team discovered Mallory's
perfectly preserved body on the slopes of the mountain. Mallory had sacrificed his life in an
attempt to accomplish an unnecessary goal.
While it is one thing for people to risk their lives in pursuit of a dream, it is quite another for leaders
to take their organizations on a misguided and unnecessary quest just because the opportunity lies
before them. The only vision some leaders have is for their organizations to conquer the obstacles
immediately in front of them. They do not reflect on why they are doing what they are doing. They
do not consider the long-term ramifications to them personally or to the organizations they lead.
They hardly consider their alternatives. They value action over reflection—or more precisely,
reaction over reflection. They assume that moving forward is always better than standing still.
Hence, when a challenge suddenly presents itself, they impulsively charge forward. Many of these
leaders eventually collapse on the slopes of their mountains, never realizing that their labors and
the sacrifices of their followers have been for naught.
How can you identify leaders who subscribe to this reactionary approach to vision? A leader may
launch into a new building program without considering its long-term cost or effect. Once the
expense of the building project escalates and the people begin to grumble, these leaders find
themselves halfway up a mountain without resources to complete the climb. They may also begin
new programs or hire more staff simply because opportunities arise. Christians often call these
opportunities "open doors." Because an opportunity presents itself, the leader assumes it must be
God's will to move forward. This is an undiscerning approach to leadership. There is much more
to determining God's will than merely assuming that every "open door" is an invitation from God.
Duplicating Success
Some leaders borrow their visions. A bountiful source of vision for some is the past. They do
things the way they do because that's the way they've always done it. The easiest course of action
is often the one taken previously, especially if it was successful. But sometimes success becomes
the leader's greatest enemy. Max Dupree warns: "Success can close a mind faster than prejudice."
A leader may be reluctant to reject previously successful methods in order to lead in a new
direction. It's too risky. Peter Drucker observed: "No one has much difficulty getting rid of the
total failures. They liquidate themselves. Yesterday's successes, however, always linger on long
beyond their productive life." Christian organizations should take careful note that, throughout
Scripture, God rarely worked in the same way twice. God's activity was always unique to the
people with whom he was dealing and the time in which he was working. God's activity cannot be
reduced to a formula because God is always more concerned with peoples' obedient response to
his will than with the means of communicating his will. Churches are remiss if they assume that
because God worked mightily in a particular way in the past, he will choose to work in exactly the
same way in the present. Many organizations today are locked into doing things a certain way, not
because it is still effective, but because it was effective yesterday. This is the curse of success.
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Just as depending on past successes can be futile, adopting the current methods of others can be
equally impotent. Businesses often imitate others' successful marketing techniques or acquire
similar technology in order to keep up with their competition. If one church develops an innovative
way to enlist new members, other pastors jump on board and lead their people to do the same thing.
Mimicking the successful strategies of others is enticing to some leaders because it eliminates the
need to think reflectively. They merely react to whatever opportunities lie before them. Martin
Luther King Jr. lamented the shortage of leaders willing to pay the price of prolonged, creative,
problem-solving thinking. He concluded: "There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and
half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think."
In the case of churches emulating the success of other churches, it seemingly eliminates the need
for Christian leaders to cultivate an intimate relationship with God. While there is nothing wrong
with churches making use of successful programs and methods developed by others when they
sense God has led them to use them, church leaders can be seduced into thinking all they need to
lead their church is the latest seminar or popular book. They spend their energy chasing after
whatever new program or fad gains their attention. Such leaders spend too little time examining
and evaluating the effectiveness of their own organizations and cultivating their relationship with
the Head of the church while spending an inordinate amount of time focusing on the activities of
others. Pity the people who follow such thoughtless leadership.
Vanity
Although it is not always readily apparent, vanity is a source of vision that motivates many leaders.
Some leaders set the goals for their organization based on what will bring them the most personal
success or praise. Business leaders may choose a course of action more out of a desire to expand
their reputations and advance their careers than from concern for what will benefit their companies.
Religious leaders may lead their churches to build larger auditoriums or to televise their services,
not because they genuinely sense God's leadership to do these things but in order to enhance their
reputation as preachers. Such egocentric leadership is generally cloaked in statements of loyalty
to the organization or in pious proclamations about the kingdom of God. But in truth, the growth
of the organization merely feeds the leader's pride. Countless businesses have crumbled under
leaders who were motivated by vanity rather than by vision. Churches have been saddled with
crippling debts as they sought to repay bills incurred by former pastors looking to make a name
for themselves.
Napoleon Bonaparte was constantly involved in warfare as he led the French Empire in its attempt
to conquer Europe. In defeat, Napoleon surmised, "If I had succeeded, I should have been the
greatest man known to history." There is no doubt that Napoleon made a name for himself in
history, but it's questionable whether his soldiers would have willingly sacrificed their lives on the
battlefields of Europe had they known the primary cause was to secure their emperor's fame.
Today, many are called upon to make sacrifices and to give their best efforts on behalf of their
organizations, hut they do so with nagging doubts that their personal sacrifices are for no more
noble purpose than furthering their leader's career.
Need
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A popular basis for setting vision is perceived needs. Need-based visions are established by
surveying target groups to determine their desires. Businesses find out what people are seeking,
then they develop a product to meet the expressed need. While this has long been a profitable
practice for secular businesses, Christian organizations are increasingly favoring the need-based
approach in determining their vision. Churches survey their communities to discover the needs of
the people, then compile, categorize, and prioritize the data. Then they set the church's agenda in
response to the survey's results.
The advantage of the need-based approach is obvious. In the marketplace, producers are assured
that consumers consider their product necessary. Organizations gain a sense of relevance when
they are equipped to meet the expressed desires of the general public. Churches reap a similar
benefit—those churches most in touch with their community's expressed needs will be viewed as
a more relevant, viable option by those whose needs they address.
Using the expressed needs of a target audience to establish an organization's vision is not a
foolproof approach, however. Successful companies are not entirely market-driven. Rather,
successful businesses sometimes drive the market. Many of the popular inventions and products
of history came, not from the expressed need of the public but from the creative innovation of an
enterprising company. Companies that simply respond to society's expressed needs find
themselves in a large pool of similar companies, all competing for the same consumers. Innovative
companies, however, look to the future to anticipate eventual needs, or they create a sense of need
in the public. Then they position themselves to lead the industry in meeting the resulting demand.
Need-inspired visions, while relevant to a point in the marketplace, are only one aspect of
successful businesses. Religious organizations should be cautioned about basing their ministries
solely on meeting the needs being expressed by people. While churches must be sensitive to the
needs in their communities, a need expressed is not the same thing as a call by God.
Moreover, when churches survey their neighborhoods, they are generally talking with
unregenerate people. People who are not born again cannot fully understand their own spiritual
needs. One church, surveying its community, found the greatest need expressed was for a bridge
to be built across a river to provide easier neighborhood access to the downtown. The church asked,
and the people responded. But the church was left in an awkward position because it could not
possibly meet the need expressed. As a result, some in the community continued to view the
church as irrelevant.
Non-Christians may recognize the symptoms of evil in society, but they probably do not
understand the root cause. For example, when parents run their families by worldly standards, their
children may experiment with the temptations of the world. The parents may believe what they
need is a community center to keep their teenagers off the streets. In reality, what they need is to
have Christ as the head of their home and to raise their children using God's standard instead of
the world's. Need-based visions not only allow unregenerate people to set the agenda for churches,
but they also tempt churches to focus on symptoms rather than causes.
God's assignment for a church may not include meeting every need being expressed in that church's
community. God equips each church for particular assignments (1 Cor. 12:12-31). The church
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must discover its vision not by seeking the opinions of people but by seeking God's will. Often,
need-based church visions cause Christians to neglect their relationship with the Head of the
church as they focus their energies on meeting people's needs. Jesus addressed this problem when
Mary took a pound of costly perfume and freely poured it on his feet. She then humbly wiped
Jesus' feet with her own hair. Judas was indignant. "Why was this perfume not sold for three
hundred denarii, and given to poor people?" he asked. Jesus' response was pointed: "For the poor
you always have with you, but you do not always have Me" (John 12:5, 7). A relationship with
Jesus is always a higher priority than meeting people's physical needs. Jesus did not conduct his
ministry based on what people wanted, but on where he saw his Father at work (Mark 1:23-39;
Luke 19:1-10; John 5:17, 19-20). If his Father was working with the multitude, that is where the
Son invested himself. If the Father was working in the life of a lone sinner, that is where Jesus
directed his efforts. If determining vision is nothing more than the result of tabulating a door-to-
door survey, a relationship with the heavenly Father is unnecessary to growing a church.
Business leaders need to understand that their companies' needs are not the sole determining
motivator for their leadership. Certainly, making a profit and increasing productivity are desirable
and necessary. But even secular writers on leadership have conceded that profit cannot be the only
determining factor in business. Warren Bennis observed, "Too many Americans believe that the
bottom line isn't everything, it's the only thing, and America is strangling on that lack of vision."
Bennis also noted, "It isn't either a bull or a bear market anymore, it's a pig market."
Spiritual leaders should be motivated by the Holy Spirit. As Henry regularly consults with
Christian CEOs, it is startling what they share God is revealing to them about his purposes.
Corporate CEOs are finding that when they meet with world leaders, they are not only able to
transact multimillion-dollar business deals, but also to give their witness for Christ. For example,
some Christian business leaders have found that God's agenda was for them to give Bibles to
foreign business and political leaders, or to invest company funds in providing community centers
for underprivileged children. Some privately owned businesses are using a substantial portion of
their profits to support orphanages or to provide food internationally, or to translate the Bible into
foreign languages, or to sponsor missionaries. These CEOs have found that profits are merely a
means to the end rather than an end in itself and that their need to make a profit to satisfy investors
is not the only driving force for their leadership.
Available Resources
The availability of resources sometimes induces vision. That is, organizations gravitate toward
certain activities or priorities simply because resources such as manpower, or finances, or
equipment are available to them. Church programs are often motivated in this manner.
A church is informed that its denomination is making copies of evangelistic videos available for
distribution in the community. The church decides this opportunity is too good to pass up, and it
orders one thousand videos. For the next four Saturdays, church members are enlisted to go door
to door in their community handing them out.
A church hosts several young missionaries each summer for the simple reason that Christian
college students are made available to them for the summer by a local campus ministry.
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A foreign missions agency offers free literature if the church will conduct a mission fair, so the
church schedules one.
The denomination alerts the church that funds are available for starting a new church in the area,
so the missions committee begins surveying neighborhoods, seeking interest in a new church plant.
When an elderly member donates a piano to the church in memory of her deceased husband, the
auditorium is rearranged and the worship program is adjusted to accommodate the new equipment.
Churches are eager to take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself, but in time find
themselves burdened by the weight of trying to use available resources. Rather than the resources
serving the churches, the churches become enslaved to the resources.
Such a reactionary response to available resources can also occur in the business world.
The head office makes certain sales incentives available, so the branch manager decides to promote
a competition among her salespeople, though this method goes against her personal views of team
building.
A business experiences a profitable quarter, so it purchases new equipment and hires additional
personnel, simply because the money is currently available.
Incredibly, military commanders have engaged in battles simply because troops were available to
fight!
Wise leaders do not allow the availability of resources to determine the direction of their
organization. For one thing, such resources often come with strings attached. Accepting
equipment, volunteers, or program funds may mean committing one's organization to a philosophy
of operations that runs counter to the leader's personal values. Moreover, such "gifts" might
directly contradict a company's corporate values.
As a general rule, resources should follow vision, not determine it. Leaders must first decide the
vision for their organization and then marshal the necessary resources to achieve it. Foolish leaders
will thoughtlessly accept resources and then try to piece together a vision that uses the resources
they have accumulated.
Leader-Driven
Many people assume that being a visionary leader involves personally developing a vision for
one's organization. The imagery is that of a solitary figure ascending a mountain seeking a vision
with the combustibility to spark a significant movement among the people below. Such leaders
take on the responsibility of creating a vision apart from those they lead, assuming that vision
casting is one job they cannot delegate or share. Many well-known writers support leader-based
vision development. Warren Bennis notes: "Just as no great painting has ever been created by a
committee, no great vision has ever emerged from the herd." While Barna believes God gives
vision to leaders, he notes: "God never gave a vision to a committee." While most leaders know
that vision is important, understanding how to achieve that vision is not a simple endeavor. Burt
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Nanus asks, "So where does a leader's vision come from? Vision is composed of one part foresight,
one part insight, plenty of imagination and judgment, and often, a healthy dose of chutzpah."
Kouzes and Posner claim that visions "flow from the reservoir of our knowledge and experience."
How do leaders generate vision? They envision a desirable future for their organization and then
develop a plan to achieve the results. This venture can put enormous pressure on leaders as they
assume responsibility for interpreting the rapid, global changes around them and for peering into
the future to determine the best approach for their organizations.
What kind of person is qualified for such a demanding task? Leaders who have had a broad range
of experiences, who have traveled extensively, have read broadly, who know a wide variety of
people, and who have stretched their thinking through education and a mosaic of life experiences
are thought to have a good chance of developing compelling and innovative visions. But the job
doesn't end there. Once leaders develop a vision, they have the onerous task of selling it to their
constituents.
Often, leaders put their reputations and credibility on the line as they seek to win support for their
vision. When people reject leaders' visions they are expressing a lack of trust in their leaders.
Leaders feel pressured to develop visions that are grand enough and compelling enough that
people want to "sign up." If people still refuse to follow, leaders may attempt to develop a still
more impressive and attractive vision that will enlist people's commitment. James C. Collins and
Jerry I. Porras in their book, Built to Last, talk about "Big Hairy Audacious Goals," or BHAGs.
These are organizational goals that are so large and so challenging they compel people to unite
together to achieve the seemingly impossible. Companies have embraced such goals and the results
have, on occasion, been impressive.
Many Christian leaders have adopted BHAGs with gusto. Yet, at times, there seems to be a
hollowness to their rhetoric. They say, "We need to dream big dreams for God," or "We must set
goals that are worthy of the mighty God we serve." This all sounds exciting and can generally
elicit a chorus of amens from the audience, but is it biblical? Isaiah 55:8-9 cautions: "'For My
thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,' declares the Lord. 'For as the
heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than
your thoughts.' "
The message is clear. Leaders' best thinking will not build the kingdom of God. Why? Because
people do not naturally think the way God does. The apostle Paul observed, "Where is the wise
man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom
of the world?" (1 Cor. 1:20). God's ways are completely different from man's ways. He has
different priorities, different values. When people "think great thoughts for God" and "dream great
dreams for God," the emphasis is on dreams and goals that originate from people rather than from
God. The danger is in believing that human reasoning can build God's kingdom. It cannot.
Jesus demonstrated this truth throughout his ministry. In the wilderness Satan tried to entice Jesus
into using the world's methods to accomplish God's will (Matt. 4:1-11). Satan said in effect,
"Provide food, and you'll attract a large following. Use dramatic miracles, and you'll win followers.
Worship me, and you'll provide Christianity without a cross." Of course Jesus saw through Satan's
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guise and recognized his reasoning as unscriptural. In fact, Jesus identified many of the world's
commonly accepted principles as being contrary to God's ways. The world says being first is
preferable. Jesus said the last shall be first. The world idolizes strength. Jesus said God
demonstrates his strength through people's weakness. The world values large numbers. Jesus chose
a small group to be his disciples and often ignored the crowds to focus on individuals. The world
seeks happiness. Jesus said blessed are they that mourn. The world is attracted to large, spectacular
performances. Jesus said his kingdom would be like a mustard seed. The world does good deeds
in order to win people's praise. Jesus said, do your good deeds in secret, because the Father will
see them and give a reward. The world uses slick marketing campaigns to attract people. Jesus
said no one can come to him unless the Father draws them. Over and over again Jesus rejected
human reasoning in favor of God's wisdom. What is the difference between human reasoning and
God's wisdom? Ephesians 3:20 says:
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his
power that is at work within us" (NIV).
This Scripture ought to motivate Christian leaders as they seek God's will for their organizations.
How significant are our Big Hairy Audacious Goals when viewed in light of this verse? Can leaders
impress God with their grandiose visions? Is it possible for a leader to dream any dream that is
worthy of God? Can even the most perceptive leader look into the future and determine what would
be the most desirable outcome for their organization to achieve? The apostle Paul's words put
vision into its proper perspective. God remains unimpressed with leaders' grandiose schemes and
dreams because he is able to do immeasurably more than mortals can comprehend. Spiritual
leaders who develop their own visions, no matter how extensive, rather than understanding God's
will, are settling for their best thinking instead of God's plans. It's a sure way to shortchange their
followers.
A poignant account of vision casting is found in Luke 9:51-56:
And it came about, when the days were approaching for His ascension, that He resolutely set His
face to go to Jerusalem; and He sent messengers on ahead of Him. And they went, and entered a
village of the Samaritans, to make arrangements for Him. And they did not receive Him, because
He was journeying with His face toward Jerusalem. And when His disciples James and John saw
this, they said, "Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume
them?"
But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; for
the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." And they went on to another
village.
When Jesus and his disciples encountered a rude reception from the Samaritan villagers, how did
James and John respond? Call down fire! Incinerate them all! What were these overzealous "Sons
of Thunder" thinking? The Bible doesn't say. Perhaps this account reveals racism on the brothers'
part, for Jewish people and Samaritans had a mutually contemptuous relationship. Here was an
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opportunity to destroy an entire community of Samaritans! It is interesting that James and John
never suggested such a drastic action against the Pharisees, even after Jesus called them a brood
of snakes.
James and John may have had good motives. Perhaps they saw this as an opportunity for Jesus to
demonstrate his power so that, in sacrificing one village, many others would come to believe. It
could be they were acting out of misguided protectiveness toward Jesus. They would not stand for
their Lord to be mistreated. Whatever their reasoning was, Jesus rebuked the brothers. Their best
thinking was completely out of line with the Father's plan.
Acts 8:14-17 provides an interesting epilogue to this event. The gospel message began to spread
rapidly out from Jerusalem. Word came back to the apostles that the Samaritans were receiving
the gospel, so the Jerusalem church sent Peter and John to investigate. One can only imagine what
was going through John's mind as he entered the same Samaritan villages he had passed through
with Jesus. Perhaps he came upon the village he and James had sought to destroy. This time, rather
than fire coming down, the Holy Spirit came down and filled the Samaritan believers. What a
contrast! Man's vision for that place would have wreaked total destruction. God's plan produced
joyful deliverance. Man's vision would have brought death. God's agenda brought eternal life.
There is perhaps no more graphic depiction of the difference between man's best thinking and
God's way than in this account. Every time leaders choose to develop their own vision for their
people instead of seeking God's will, they are giving their people their best thinking instead of
God's. That is a poor exchange indeed.
God's Revelation
The previous six sources of vision have one thing in common—they are all generated by worldly
thinking. This is not surprising; the world functions by vision. But God does not ask his followers
to operate by vision. God's people live by revelation. Proverbs 29:18, although widely used, is also
widely misapplied. The popular translation is, "Where there is no vision, the people perish" (KJV).
A more accurate translation of the Hebrew is: "Where there is no revelation, the people cast off
restraint" (NIV). There is a significant difference between revelation and vision. Vision is
something people produce; revelation is something people receive. Leaders can dream up a vision,
but they cannot discover God's will. God must reveal it. The secular world ignores God's will, so
nonbelievers are left with one alternative—to project their own vision. Christians are called to a
totally different approach. For Christians, God alone sets the agenda. Throughout the remainder of
this book, the term vision will continue to be used, but it will not connote the popular idea of a
leader-generated goal or dream. Instead, vision will be used to refer to what God has revealed and
promised about the future. The visions that drive spiritual leaders must be derived from God.
Wise leaders recognize that life is far too complex to comprehend apart from God's revelation and
guidance. Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee has faced this reality many times. Huckabee was a
prominent pastor of a twenty-five-hundred-member church in Texarkana. By all accounts he was
a successful spiritual leader, yet there was an uneasiness in his soul. In talking with Henry
Blackaby, Huckabee acknowledged that God clearly led him to resign his church and enter
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Arkansas politics. Later, while governor of Arkansas, Huckabee regularly faced situations that
were beyond his wisdom to know what to do. Huckabee notes: "Being governor has led me to
depend on faith with a new sense of urgency. I face situations every day that would be
insurmountable without using the faith God has given me to make decisions." Huckabee's career
and leadership of his state was dependent in large part on God's revelation of his will to Huckabee
and Huckabee's subsequent response of obedience to what he believed God was revealing. Is it
possible for a governor to be led by God's revelation? Certainly!
John Beckett, CEO of R. W. Beckett Corporation, faced a crisis. An Arab oil embargo had caused
oil prices to double, dramatically affecting his company's sales of oil heating products. Beckett's
competitors followed a predictable course, curtailing sales initiatives, laying off staff, and adopting
a siege mentality. Beckett, however, was a part of a men's prayer group that regularly prayed for
God's guidance for the company. As they sought God's will for the present situation, they all felt
impressed that God was revealing to them that the embargo would be short-lived and that the
company should continue with its operations and even increase sales efforts. The group sensed
God saying, "Take one day at a time and let me lead." God's guidance, though completely contrary
to generally accepted business logic, proved brilliant. The company emerged from the crisis
stronger than ever and ready to assume the position as the undisputed leader in their industry.
Vision was born out of the revelation of God, not a textbook approach to crisis management.
Yet many Christian leaders adopt the world's approach to vision and miss out on God's way. In
seeking to serve God, they inadvertently try to take on the responsibility of God. The truth is, God
is on mission to redeem humanity. He is the only one who knows how to do it. Leaders must
understand, as Christ did, that their role is to seek the Father's will and to adjust their lives to him.
Too often Christian leaders operate under a false sense of assurance that they are seeking God's
will. Being proactive by nature, leaders want to rush into action. As a result, they don't spend
enough time seeking to hear clearly from God. Instead, they simply have a cursory moment of
prayer and then begin making their plans. They seek out a few relevant Scriptures and hurry into
the goal-setting phase, falsely confident that because they incorporated prayer and Scripture into
their goal-setting process, their plans are "of God."
Asking God to set one's goals and to bless one's dreams does not ensure that they are from God.
Only God can reveal his plans and he does so in his way, on his time schedule, and to whom he
wills. How often do Christian leaders claim to have received their vision from God when in fact
they have simply dreamed up the most desirable future they could imagine and then prayed for
God to bless their efforts as they set out to achieve it? It is critical for leaders to walk closely with
the Father, so they are keenly aware of his revelation and are ready to respond in obedience to his
initiatives. The role of spiritual leaders is not to dream up dreams for God but to be the vanguard
for their people in understanding God's revelation. The Christian leader is far better described as a
servant of God.
The manner in which God leads his people is best understood by examining the Scriptures. When
God revealed his plans, he frequently did so in the form of a promise accompanied by vivid
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imagery. Thus, when God spoke, his people clearly knew what he planned to accomplish and could
often describe God's coming activity in rich symbolism. For example, when God revealed to Noah
his plans for the earth, God made a promise—he would destroy all the peoples of the earth. He
also gave Noah a clear picture of how this promise would be fulfilled—a terrible flood would
consume and cover the earth (Gen. 6:17). Noah's ministry of preaching and constructing the ark
was not driven by his vision of how he could best serve his community; neither was it his imagining
the best possible future for his society. Noah's vision came from God's promise of an imminent
flood. After the flood subsided, God made another promise to Noah. This time the symbol of God's
promise was a rainbow (Gen. 9:12-13).
God also approached Abraham with a promise. Not only would Abraham have a son in his old
age, but God also promised to produce through Abraham a multitude of descendants who would
bless all nations of the earth (Gen. 12:1-3). God provided several images to help Abraham grasp
the enormity of the promise. Abraham's descendents would be as countless as dust particles (Gen.
13:16), as numerous as the stars (Gen. 15:5), as innumerable as the grains of sand on the seashore
(Gen. 22:17). God's revelation to Abraham came as a promise, clothed in vivid imagery.
When God promised to deliver the Israelites from their bondage in Egypt, he referred to a land
flowing with milk and honey, giving the downtrodden slaves an inspiring vision of comfort and
prosperity (Exod. 3:8). When the risen Christ promised his followers an eternal home in heaven,
he used the imagery of a groom coming for his bride and of a spectacular celebration feast (Rev.
19:7-9). God often presents his promises in images that captivate people's imaginations.
An examination of God's promises, as seen through the Scriptures, makes two things obvious: (1)
God's promises are impossible to achieve apart from him, and (2) God's promises are absolute.
They are not open for discussion or amendment. Apart from a miracle, Abraham could not even
become the father of one, let alone the father of a multitude. God supplied the miracle—Isaac, in
fulfillment of his promise to Abraham and in accordance with his desire to use Abraham's life for
his divine purposes. On the surface, God's promise to Abraham and Sarah was laughable (Gen.
17:17; 18:12). Perhaps that is why they named their child Isaac, meaning "laughter." Then,
incredibly, after giving Abraham a son, God commanded him to sacrifice Isaac on an altar. God
was telling Abraham to give up what appeared to be the one key ingredient to God's promise.
Why? Because the real key to God's promises is not people or physical resources, but God.
Abraham needed to understand that, as long as he had an intimate relationship with God, God's
promises were assured, no matter how impossible his situation appeared.
Abraham learned that God's promises are perfect. God does not need man's wisdom to help get the
job done. On at least two occasions Abraham attempted to modify God's promise in order to make
it more attainable. First, Abraham suggested using his adopted son, Eliezer of Damascus, as his
heir (Gen. 15:2-3). This was an accepted custom in Abraham's day. But God refused. God's
promise was for Abraham's descendent to come through Abraham and Sarah. After living in
Canaan for ten years without a child, Abraham then attempted to produce an heir through his
servant Hagar (Gen. 16:1-4). Hagar did bear a son, Ishmael, but using him as Abraham's heir was
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not in accordance with God's promise. Even when Abraham pleaded, "Oh that Ishmael might live
before Thee!" God stood firm to his original promise (Gen. 17:18).
Spiritual leaders must resist the temptation to insert their own best thinking where God has
promised a miracle. Attempting to hurry the process or to adjust God's plan to make it more
achievable are both signs of immature spiritual leadership. Spiritual leaders must continually
remind themselves that what God has promised, God will accomplish completely in his time and
in his way (Phil. 1:6). The leader's job is to communicate God's promise to the people, not to create
the vision and then strive to enlist people to buy in to it.
Sources of Vision
Because it's there
Duplicating success
Vanity
Need-based
Available Resources
Leader-driven
God's revelation
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less waste next year." These goals may be worthwhile, but they do not carry with them any obvious
personal benefit to those being asked to do the work.
Churches do the same thing: "10 percent increase in membership" or "reach the second phase of
our capital campaign." In reality, visions consisting of numbers rarely have the same impact as a
vision involving vivid imagery As James Champy said, "Numbers by themselves never mobilize
anyone but an accountant." Just as God used memorable images to symbolize his promises, so
wise spiritual leaders will attempt to put into pictures the promise they believe God has given their
organization. Vision must be clear, compelling, and common to all the people.
The problem with many organizations is that they ask their people to make great sacrifices on
behalf of puny visions. They encourage their people to give their best but fail to spell out any clear
benefit. Moreover, it can appear to those laboring in support of the vision that those benefiting the
most from their efforts are the ones promoting the vision. Leaders often fail to appeal to people's
innate need to believe they have made a valuable contribution to society. People want their lives
to make a difference. George Bernard Shaw's poignant message rings true: "This is true joy in life,
the being used up for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being a force of nature
instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will
not devote itself to making you happy And also the only real tragedy in life is the being used by
personally minded men for purposes which you recognize to be base."
To the world, a good vision is an image of something that is both desirable and attainable. The
difference between worldly visions and God-given visions is that God-given visions are always
impossible to achieve apart from God. In this regard, Christian leaders have a tremendous
advantage over secular leaders. People want to be a part of something significant. People want
their lives to make a difference in their world. People want to be a part of something God is doing.
If it is clear that God has made a promise to a group of people, there should be little difficulty in
enlisting the support of group members.
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People may change their behavior in response to a leader's encouragement, but that doesn't mean
they have changed their core values and beliefs. Values go deep—they will not be altered by a
memo or sales pitch—people either believe something or they don't. God's people either hear from
God or they don't. Either people have moved on to God's agenda or they haven't.
Establishing that the leader's role is not to set the vision or to sell the vision begs the question:
"What is the spiritual leader's role?" It is to bear witness to what God says. Spiritual leaders must
bring followers into a face-to-face encounter with God so they hear from God directly, not
indirectly through their leader. Jesus shared the Father's revelation with his disciples corporately
(John 15:15). Spiritual leaders may never convince their people they have heard from God
personally, but once their people hear from God themselves, there will be no stopping them from
participating in the work God is doing. That is because the Holy Spirit will take the truth, as shared
by the leader, and confirm it in the hearts of the people. The leader cannot convince people that a
particular direction is from God. This is the Holy Spirit's task.
As people grow in their relationship with God, they will hear from God themselves and want to
follow him. No one will have to cajole them or entice them into following. It will be a natural heart
response. The key to spiritual leadership, then, is to encourage followers to grow in their
relationship with their Lord. This cannot be done by talking about God. It cannot be accomplished
by exhorting people to love God. It can only be achieved when leaders bring their people face to
face with God and God convinces them that he is a God of love who can be trusted.
We met with an extremely frustrated pastor. Let's call him Jim. Jim believed he knew what God
wanted his church to do, but the people refused to follow his leadership. He asked whether we
thought he should resign his church and find a group of people who were willing to follow God.
We sensed that, in his heart, Jim truly wanted to be involved in God's activity. We empathized
with his frustration as his people resisted his efforts to lead them forward. Nevertheless, we had to
ask, "Jim, what is it about your leadership that your people are unwilling to follow?" The question
caught him by surprise. He had assumed the problem lay with his church members, not with his
leadership. What became evident as we talked, however, was that this eager young pastor was not
taking the time to help his people grow in their relationship with God. Jim had been asking his
church to follow a God they did not know very well.
We advised him to worry less about the people's activity in the church and to concentrate instead
on encouraging their walk with God. If their relationship with God grew strong, their obedience
would follow. We further encouraged Jim to present his church's activities in terms of what God
was doing in their midst, rather than in terms of programs to support or activities to attend. This
enthusiastic pastor had been urging his congregation to participate in church outreach events and
mission activities, but he had made no connection between what he was asking them to do and the
activity of God. Jim was asking his busy people to give up their valuable time to support church
programs. Then he wondered why they were not enthusiastically complying. Jim was neglecting
an important truth: a church program never changed a life. Only God does that. Church activities
are nothing more than busywork unless God initiates them. As people see God at work around
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them and as they are encouraged to join him, they will demonstrate much more than compliance.
They will enthusiastically participate in the things they sense God is doing.
As Jim discovered, people are willing to adjust their lives when they are helped to see God at work.
We have observed people make enormous sacrifices in direct response to the activity of God.
Doctors have relinquished successful practices for the mission field because they sensed God
leading them to do so. We have seen successful businessmen give up lucrative jobs rather than
transfer to another city with their companies. Why? Because they would not leave their church at
a time when they sensed God was mightily at work. If people are not following a vision, the
problem may not lie with the people. For a vision to move people, the people must be convinced
the vision is a promise from almighty God and is not merely the dream of an ambitious leader.
When people sense they are a part of something God is doing, there is no limit to what they will
be willing to do in response.
Communicating Vision Through Symbols
Although leaders should not sell their vision to their people, and although they cannot prove their
vision is from God, leaders can relate what they have seen and experienced from God to their
people. There are at least two ways leaders communicate vision: by using symbols and telling
stories. As the saying goes, "A picture is worth a thousand words." Good symbols can be powerful
vehicles for communicating the values and the vision of organizations. For example, we are aware
of a new church that is currently renting a public school each week in order to hold services. Their
vision is to eventually construct a multipurpose recreation facility. They intend to be a unique kind
of church. They will conduct weekly worship services, but they will do much more. They will also
provide a wide variety of recreational and educational opportunities to their community each week.
There will be an indoor track and an indoor soccer field in their future facility. There will be
exercise equipment as well as various seminars on practical subjects offered. The conceptual
drawing of their future facility is an important symbol. It is not simply a drawing of a future
building. It is a symbol of an entire philosophy of ministry that sets them apart from other churches
in their city.
Mahatma Ghandi used symbols for powerful effect to mobilize his followers in their quest to
liberate India from British domination. Ghandi adopted the spinning wheel as a symbol of how
people in India could pull themselves out of dire poverty. By making homespun products on their
spinning wheels, the Indian people could become more economically self-sufficient, and they
could boycott British-made products at the same time. Ghandi chose to use salt as a symbol of his
people's desire for freedom in their own country. The British had a monopoly on salt in India and
made it illegal for Indians to produce it for themselves. In response, Ghandi led the "salt march"
beginning March 12, 1930. Hundreds of people marched with him to the sea, where he
symbolically picked up some dried salt on the beach. Salt became an electrifying symbol of
freedom to the people of India.
Winston Churchill also knew how to use symbols. During England's bleakest moments during
World War II, Churchill's upraised hand making the sign for victory became a rallying symbol for
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his demoralized nation. One of the most memorable images of World War II is that of the
determined Churchill holding out his hand in the sign of victory.
When Duncan Campbell, the great revivalist of the Hebrides in Scotland, was visiting Saskatoon,
Canada, in 1969, he shared the vision God had given him. He described flames spreading across
western Canada. He did not know when this would occur, but the imagery of a great fire sweeping
across the Canadian prairies was graphically vivid. Within five years a revival swept across
western Canada, and when it came, people recognized that the image God had given Campbell
was beginning to be fulfilled.
A helpful exercise for leaders is to attempt to draw a picture of the promise they believe God has
given them of the future. It is one thing to describe in words what leaders believe God has
promised; it is another to portray it in a symbol. One church's symbol may be a multipurpose
church facility. Another church might symbolize their efforts to set people in their community free
from sin. Another church might portray their church as a lighthouse in a sin-darkened community.
Leaders discover symbols that summarize what the organization believes about itself and its future
and use them to communicate their vision to others.
Communicating Vision Through Stories
One of the most effective ways for leaders to relate what God is doing is through the telling of
stories. Often when leaders see God at work around their organization, they neglect to relate what
has happened to their people. This robs the people of an exciting opportunity to experience the
powerful activity of God. It also prevents them from making the connection between what God is
doing and their own involvement in the organization. The power of stories is that they appeal both
to the mind and the heart. A PowerPoint presentation with a series of graphs appeals to the mind.
An impassioned story appeals to both mind and heart. When the people of God are making
decisions, it is not enough to simply know in their minds they are making the logical decision.
They also need to know in their hearts that God is the author of their activity.
Wise leaders continually help their people see how God is working in their midst. Leaders can do
this by telling stories—true stories of how God has worked in the past and how God is working at
present. Leaders also link what God has done and is doing with what he has promised to do in the
future. Moses did this for his followers. The Book of Deuteronomy is essentially a series of
sermons in which Moses recounted to the Israelites all God had done for them up to that point.
Joshua, Moses' successor, continued the tradition. In Joshua 24:1-13, the old warrior recalled all
that God had done for his people over the years. God spoke through Joshua saying, "I took your
father Abraham... led him through all the land of Canaan... multiplied his descendents... I gave
Jacob and Esau... to Esau I gave Mount Seir... I sent Moses and Aaron... I plagued Egypt by what
I did... I brought you out... I brought your fathers out... I brought you in to the land of the
Amorites... I gave them into your hand... I destroyed them... I delivered you... I gave them into
your hand... I sent the hornet... I gave you a land." Incredible! Joshua recounted the entire history
of the Israelites in a story in which God was the central character. After hearing all that God had
done, the people were motivated to move forward to see what God would do next!
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When Stephen gave a defense of his faith shortly before his martyrdom, he recited the account of
God's activity through the ages (Acts 7:1-53). When the apostle Paul defended his mission work
among the Gentiles, he would always recount the story of God's call and commissioning of his
life. The Bible is essentially the story of how God has related to mankind throughout history. The
telling of stories has always been an essential component to leading God's people.
Howard Gardner claims that leaders are essentially storytellers. But, Gardner notes, "It is important
that a leader be a good storyteller, but equally crucial that the leader embody that story in his or
her life." The leader is a symbol as well as a "keeper of the stories" concerning what God has been
doing in that organization. It is said that revival is spread on the wings of the testimonies of those
whose lives have been changed in revival. The leader is both the messenger and the message.
A story is a compelling method of communicating vision. Graphs and charts can convey data and
engage people's minds, but a story detailing God's activity in the midst of a secular world can
engage people's hearts and gain their commitment. There are at least three kinds of stories leaders
need to regularly share with their people.
1. Stories from the past. Leaders should relate stories from the past as Moses and Joshua did. What
has God done for that organization throughout its history? (Ps. 111:3-4). God's activity is never
haphazard. He always builds on what he has done before. Winston Churchill claimed the farther
one looked back in history, the farther into the future one could see. Based on that truth, Churchill
said he wished Adolph Hitler would read British history so he would know what his fate would
be!
2. Stories for the present. Leaders should also share stories relating to the present. What is God
doing right now? Leaders should never assume their people will automatically make the
connection between what is happening in their midst and God's activity. The leader's role is to help
people make the connection.
3. Stories that light the future. Third, leaders should hold before the people images of the future.
God himself did this, using such imagery as the "land flowing with milk and honey" to help his
people grasp the essence of what he was promising. The difference between secular storytelling
and God-centered stories is their source. When Coca-Cola envisioned people all over the world
drinking a Coca-Cola product, or when Bill Gates envisioned personal computers worldwide using
Microsoft products, the images were people-generated for the purpose of making a greater profit
and defeating the competition. When spiritual leaders relate stories of the future, they are not
simply describing a desirable future. Rather, they are relating what God has indicated he intends
to do. For spiritual leaders, all past, present, and future stories should come from God and be God-
centered.
A School in Canada
In 1993, Richard became president of a small seminary in Canada. At that time, the school was in
critical condition. There were few students. Resources were scarce. Facilities were limited. Some
of the school's constituents and donors were becoming hesitant in their support, wondering whether
the school would have a legitimate role to play. Richard sensed that God did want to use the school
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to impact Canada and the world for Christ. Nevertheless, he realized that if people were going to
support the work of the seminary, they needed to see that God was actively at work in that place.
Richard began to collect a repertoire of stories that demonstrated God's continuing involvement in
the school.
During Richard's second year as president, events began to unfold that gave him a compelling story
to tell of God's activity in the past year. While Richard was praying for God to show him what he
should do as the school president, he received a call from Wilton, a man in Texas, who indicated
that his organization felt led by God to construct a new academic building for the seminary.
Richard met with Wilton and told him that the building, with volunteer help, would cost $1.4
million. He informed Wilton that the seminary did not have a dime to put into such a project.
Wilton smiled and said, "I still believe God is in this." He then told Richard about a godly woman
who, if she were willing, could give some significant funds to get the project started. "But," Wilton
exclaimed, "I have been trying to talk with her for over three years to see if she would help our
organization, but I have never been able to meet with her." The two men prayed and then opened
the door to leave the conference room. As the door swung open, it almost knocked over a woman
walking down the hall. It was the woman Wilton had just mentioned. She did give generous
support, which enabled the project to be completed. During the construction project, Richard
would often relate this story to the trustees and seminary staff to reaffirm with them that God had
been the author of the project from the very beginning.
During the construction of the facility, several events arose that could have discouraged the many
volunteers working at the seminary. These men and women were mostly retirees who could have
been enjoying a restful summer. When difficulties arose, it was crucial that everyone connected
with the project be reminded that God had not only initiated the project but that he was also
sustaining it. One incident that demonstrated this truth occurred while the volunteers were
attempting to hang trusses. On the day the trusses were to be hung, a violent wind was blowing.
Even for the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, it was unusually strong. Its force was so powerful
that the men had to hold on to their hats to keep them from blowing off and disappearing across
the field. As the volunteers gathered to pray that morning, they knew their situation was serious.
An expensive crane had been rented that was quickly consuming what little building funds there
were. To delay hanging the trusses would throw the entire schedule of volunteers into disarray.
Everyone knew it would be too dangerous to hang the trusses with the wind blowing as violently
as it was. At the close of the prayer time, the men stepped outside. There was an eerie calm. Not a
trace of wind. For the next three days, while the trusses were hammered into place, not even a
breeze was felt. As the last two trusses were hung, the wind returned and, as the last nail was
hammered, the wind was back to full strength.
Richard told that story over and over again. It was more than just a story; it was a dramatic symbol,
confirming that the work of the seminary was not something people were doing, but something
God was authoring and sustaining. That made all the difference.
As the seminary was completing the academic building, God gave Richard a promise for the future.
This promise came in the form of a vivid picture. In the future, as people walked down the hallway
of the academic building, they would pass by one classroom where students were studying at the
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college level, another classroom where students were studying Religious Education at a Master's
level, another classroom filled with students in the Master of Divinity program, and still another
room where students were doing doctoral work. Richard could have simply concluded, "The
seminary needs to expand and diversify its academic programs," but what God gave him was an
image that symbolized a promise. Richard repeated this image of the future many times, and it
became apparent that others, too, were convinced of God's promise. Richard often heard his
professors and staff sharing this vision with visitors to the seminary. In November 1999, this image
became a reality.
Leadership Is Communication
You cannot be a poor communicator and a good leader. Max Depree observed: "I learned that if
you are a leader and you're not sick and tired of communicating, you probably aren't doing a good
enough job." Spiritual leaders don't just tell stories for the sake of telling stories. They rehearse
what God has done, they relate what God is doing, and they share what God has promised to do.
If the story is about God's activity and promises, the Holy Spirit will affirm its authenticity in
people's hearts. People don't have to buy into a vision; they simply have to see that God is making
a promise. Leaders cannot grow weary of bearing witness to God's activity. Some stories need to
be repeated over and over again so that each member of the organization is familiar with them.
Churches ought to have stories that all the members know and recite that remind the people of
God's ongoing activity in their midst. As the stories of God's activity are recounted, the people will
see that God is the one who has led them thus far, and that God is currently leading them and he
has a plan for their future.
Conclusion
Vision is crucial for an organization. Its source is God's revelation of his activity. God's revelation
can usually be stated as a promise and can be expressed through an image. When leaders
successfully communicate vision to their people, it will be God who sets the agenda for the
organization, not the leader, and the people will know it is God.
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The role of spiritual leaders is not to dream up dreams for God, but to be the vanguard for their
people in understanding God's revelation.
When God revealed his plans, he frequently did so in the form of a promise accompanied by vivid
imagery.
God's promises are impossible to achieve apart from him.
The real key to God's promises is not people or physical resources, but God.
The problem with many organizations is that they ask their people to make great sacrifices on
behalf of puny visions.
People want to be a part of something God is doing.
Spiritual leaders cannot prove that God has spoken to them. They can only bear witness to what
God said. The key to spiritual leadership is bringing your people into a face-to-face encounter with
God so that they hear from God directly and not indirectly through you.
If you have to "sell" your vision and are having to encourage people to "buy in" to it, then perhaps
the vision is not from God.
Proverbs 29:18
Isaiah 55:8-9
Ephesians 3:20
Luke 9:51-56
Joshua 24:1-13
Genesis 12:1-3; 13:16; 15:5; 17:17; 18:12; 22:17
Psalm 111:3-4
Mark 1:23-39; John 5:17; 19-20
John 15:15
Spiritual Leadership: Moving People on to God's Agenda.
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