This is the time of year when many people begin to reevaluate and refine goals and vision for the upcoming year. While the start of the new year often ignites renewed energy and motivation to pursue our goals, by February the grind of everyday life begins to wear many of us out. We feel like failures when we look back at those goals we set, but this does not have to be the case!
I would submit to you that our issue is not goal setting, because many people have goals. The issue is a lack of strategic vision and plans to achieve the goals. By adopting a more strategic approach, individuals, companies and churches can maximize their impact.
Strategic Vision paints a vivid portrait of your preferred future so that leaders can be clear and consistent with future direction.1 Psalm 90:12 says, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”2 The wise leader knows their days are numbered, but the Lord gives wisdom to be strategic and make the most of his or her time.
SEVEN REASONS WHY STRATEGIC VISION MATTERS IN LIFE AND MINISTRY:
1. Strategic Vision is a step towards preventing burnout in leaders.
Strategic vision empowers leaders to know their direction, understand their purpose and enjoy the journey toward God’s vision. Vision allows leaders to prioritize what has to be done by them and what can be delegated. Moses was doing too much in Exodus 18. His father-in-law Jethro came along and said you have to redefine the way you lead. They put a plan in place that allowed Moses to lead the people toward a greater future, not personal burnout. Are you on the verge of spiritual burnout because you are doing too much? Strategic vision allows leaders to reassess the path they are on.
2. Strategic Vision gives leaders the target to aim for the future.
When we can identify the target, greater clarity on the best work we can do is brought forward. Often leaders get bogged down in things that bring little to no value to accomplishing their goals instead of focusing on the ideas that bring the greatest growth to them personally and organizationally.
3. Strategic Vision allows leaders to leverage ministry or personal-growth momentum.
Proverbs 21:5 says, “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” Strategic plans allow the leader to gain momentum going forward and meet specific goals. To have no plans leads people to stagnation. The vision fuels our progress, and it becomes unstoppable as leaders achieve more and more.
4. Strategic Vision allows leaders to allot resources to fulfill the vision.
What happens if we look at our budgets and dictate how we let the vision impact the resources? Often in youth ministry, we have certain events we want to do every year such as mission trips, summer camps and Disciple Now. Leaders need to leverage the resources given by the Lord not just to do a trip but to do a trip with a purpose.
5. Strategic Vision motivates other leaders to be involved in the growth process.3
Proverbs 15:22 tells us “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” Leaders can show other leaders where they fit in the growth process. Husbands and wives can be on the same page and know their individual roles in the growth of the home.
6. Strategic Vision allows leaders to be unified around the mission and vision.4
What would happen if everybody in your church family or student ministry were on the same page? Rather than having many independent activities and ministries, we will accomplish much more when leadership is moving forward together in unity. The ministry is better, the ministry is more fun together and the ministry grows. Our marriages are better, and our families are better when we walk in unity.
7. Strategic Vision forces the leader to depend on the Lord.5
In the church, if the leaders’ dreams can be accomplished without the Lord, it begs the question, was that dream big enough? I would challenge you to set a strategic vision that, for it to happen, the Lord must show up and work. When was the last time you really depended on the Lord?
Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans” and Proverbs 16:9 says, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” Take your plans to the Lord, and rest in the way He determines your steps. As Psalm 143:8 teaches, “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.” May we continue to entrust our lives to the Lord with all our plans and dreams.
The reward for church leaders and followers of Jesus comes when we make more disciples and raise up leaders who invest in the kingdom. Our churches are stronger, have more unity and are better suited to make an impact on a lost and dying culture around us. The reward for being strategic in our vision far outweighs just trying to wing it!
1 George L. Morrisey and George L. Morrisey, Morrisey on Planning: A Guide to Strategic Thinking: Building Your Planning Foundation, 1st ed, The Jossey-Bass Business and Management Series (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1996). Pg. 4
2 Unless otherwise noted, all scripture is taken from the NIV translation.
3 Rick Howerton, The Perpetually Growing Church: Best Practices of America’s Most Influential Churches, First (Birmingham: Iron Stream, 2024). Pg. 11
4 Howerton. Pg. 21
5 Will Mancini and Warren Bird, God Dreams: 12 Vision Templates for Finding and Focusing Your Church’s Future (Independently published, 2016). Pg. 2
