We’re less than a week out from our annual church vision night, when I share with our church family opportunities to serve the Lord as a church in the coming year. It’s always an exciting time as I attempt to cast vision for what God has placed on my heart and we dream together as a church family.
We need biblical vision—in our lives, our churches, and any sphere of influence God has given to us. Proverbs 29:18 warns, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”
But as you prepare to cast vision, remember that biblical vision isn’t simply listing what you want to do. That is a list of goals. If our vision is not drawn from God’s Word and embraced by faith, it’s not a vision at all; it is simply a to do list.
How can you tell the difference between a biblical vision and a to do list?
- Biblical vision comes from God’s Word; a to do list comes from personal dreams. Spiritual vision is viewing my life and ministry through the lens of God’s Word. It is centered around obeying God’s commands and fulfilling the Great Commission.
- Biblical vision requires faith; a to do list requires only good administration. To be sure, a visionary must implement wise and careful administration for a vision to succeed. Without a strategy of faith, no biblical vision will see the light of day. However, biblical vision always requires faith. It requires dependence upon God—knowing that without God’s intervention you are wasting your time.
- Biblical vision invents the future; a to do list predicts the future. We can set goals that will help us be more effective in what we already know we should be doing. Setting wise, measurable goals and following through on them will impact the future. Biblical vision, however, is different in that it doesn’t just predict the future; it invents the future. Biblical vision forecasts our faith-filled obedience to God’s Word. It stretches more than our resolve; it stretches our faith.
Over the years, as I’ve planned to cast vision for our church, the Lord has often convicted me that I was planning with little faith. And I’ve often needed to pray with the disciples, “Lord increase our faith” (Luke 17:5)!
The temptation to plan without faith doesn’t lessen as you grow older. It actually becomes easier to coast and continue to see the results of past faith. But I don’t want to enjoy the past. I want to see God use our church in the coming year as never before. I want to claim the blessings of faith!
How about you? Do you have biblical vision or a to do list? Remember, “But without faith it is impossible to please him…” (Hebrews 11:6).
