Episode 40: Vision and Values

Last episode, we talked about creating vision and values for your church. Today I want to talk about how to live them out.

How do you keep the mission and vision from becoming just “words on a wall?”

1.        Regular Evaluation: Frequently ask, does what we’re doing align with our mission?

2.        Celebrate Wins: When you see a value being accomplished, tell the story.

3.        Engagement: Are your people involved in these initiatives and are they accomplishing what we hoped?

4.        Data: There are some things that can be tracked.

o   Example: A good metric for measuring evangelistic effectiveness is 12 conversions for every 100 people in attendance yearly.

Quote: “If you don’t know what direction your people are moving in, then you’re missing an opportunity to grow the Kingdom of God.”

When has staying aligned with your vision made a big difference?

·      One of our values is “The Next Generation Matters.”

·      In a season of searching for a Student Pastor, we saw staff, volunteers, leaders, and coaches step up to fill in gaps.

·      Because the value had already been taught and celebrated, our people rallied around it organically.

·      If a crisis comes and you don’t see people rise up, you have to ask, do we really value this? We must not have cast the vision accurately.

How do you adapt mission and vision over time without losing focus?

·      Your church will potentially change over time, and that’s ok.

·      In his book “Unique Church,” Will Mancini writes about things written in granite and sand.

·      Things written in granite do not change, such as core doctrines and beliefs.

·      Things written in sand do change, like programs and ways you communicate.

·      Spend adequate time creating your vision and values so you’re not ready to change them next year.

How do you stay passionate about the mission and values?

·      Maybe you’re discouraged, tired, not seeing the fruit of your labor. 

·      The mission is the Great Commission and that is where you need to get your fuel.

·      The “why” behind what you’re doing is your love for God and your calling to make disciples.

Quote:  “It’s great when churches grow, but if that’s your ‘why,’ you’re going to be disappointed.”

Quote: “God never called you to carry the weight of the ministry. He called you to be

faithful and to trust Him with the rest.”

Follow us on Instagram @busypastor or on Facebook and also, if you found today's episode to be helpful, leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcast. Until next time, be busy with the right things!