In part 2 of our discussions on 5 Characteristics of Organizational Impact, we'll focus on Embracing the Vision. As people begin to hear the vision and buy in to it, it shows in their attitude and actions. Obviously, the first critical part of embracing a vision is whether or not you can clearly articulate the vision at Harvest Church.
There's a distinct difference between mission and vision. We've spent a good bit of time in the past months speaking to our mission as a church.
Mission: "Living life as though Jesus were living through us."
Mission answers the question, "What are we doing?" It is a compass that gives clear direction and action.
Vision is like a developing Polaroid picture of the adventure our mission places us on.
A great biblical example of this is God's direction to Moses. At the burning bush experience, God tells Moses that he is to be the point leader to deliver His children from Egypt to the Land of Promise. God's direction or compass to Moses is to deliver His people, but later in Deuteronomy 8:7-10 (NIV) no less than 14 times, God describes the better future of what's in store for His children:
"For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills. When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you."
This is one of the most picturesque descriptions in scripture. It is living language that illustrates the anticipated better and intermediate future. "Clear mission, while critical, never creates a heroic sacrifice in and of itself. It is vision that moves the heart on a deep level and engages the imagination with God-sized dreams" (Mancini, Church Unique, p. 180)
In your area of leadership, how would you describe the "land of milk and honey" of the better future? Does that align with Harvest's overall vision? Are your thoughts, actions, conversation, stewardship, etc. reflective of embracing this vision? Are you contagious in your passion for the vision?
Discuss one action this week that is reflective of your Embracing the Vision.