5 Components to Creating a Great Vision Statement
“You won’t do ministry that really matters until you define what matters.” — Aubrey Malphurs
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Creating a vision statement for your ministry might be the most important thing you do as a ministry leader. A vision statement answers, “Why do we do this?” It drives you to a specific destination and motivates you and your team towards the calling God has given you.
Do you have a vision statement for your ministry?
Ministry workers tend to get tied up in how, where and when they do ministry. But if you never answer why, you will get lost. In his book Church Unique, William Mancini says, “We need the vision to raise our sight to see the why behind the program to begin with.” A vision statement lifts your eyes and keeps you on track. It shows you why you do what you do so you know where you and your team are going. It gives your work purpose.
A vision statement in its simplest form is what motivates you to go to work in your community. It’s what you tell yourself to keep going when ministry gets tough.
A vision statement in its complex form is a well thought out, single sentence describing why your ministry exists. Below are a few examples we like from an article at Church Relevance titled, 30+ Examples of Church Vision Statements. Out of the 30+ vision statements, here are the ones we liked best:
- “To see people saved, healed, set free, discipled, equipped, empowered and serving.”
- “To continue growing, impacting lives and using technology and the arts to reach 100,000 people for Jesus Christ.”
- “To be a Christ-centred Church in an influential City, which multiplies and helps other Churches towards these shared goals, across the region, Western Europe and beyond.”
These statements are brief but incredibly motivating and certainly offer their ministry clarity of purpose.
The content of your vision statement can only come from seeking God and asking what he wants your ministry to accomplish for his Kingdom. But once you have that vision, it is worth your time and energy to write it out into a great vision statement. It will maximize your ministry efforts and drive you to your pin-point desired destination.
How do you start?
We recommend going on this journey with a team of top ministry volunteers. Going on this journey alone can result in a written vision that doesn’t resonate with the other people on the team, which will derail your efforts. The more collaboration you have with your team the greater your chance of successfully fulfilling the vision.
There are 2 important factors to successfully arriving at a solid vision statement. First, it will require a humble submission to the Lord to hear his purpose for your ministry. Be sure to gather only your top leaders who display humility and a submission to the Lord. And second, you will need to adopt clear parameters to help you arrive at a great vision statement.
We will spend the rest of this blog post giving you 5 key parameters to implement in your vision statement meetings. We have adapted them from Church Unique. Mancini calls them the 5 C’s. We believe if you and your team commit to these 5 C’s you will successfully create a great vision statement for your ministry.
5 C’s to creating a great vision statement
Clear
o Is the language clear enough that a twelve-year-old boy with no church experience could understand it?
o To create a clear statement, use simple words and eliminate jargon or words only known within the ministry. Somebody from outside the ministry should be able to understand what it says.
Concise
o Is it brief enough that it can be stated in one breath?
o To create a concise statement you will have to decide what is most important. You probably have several goals for your ministry, but having 1 simple vision will bring clarity to your minstry. Keep your statement brief by deciding what is most important.
Compelling
o When you talk about the vision, does it make others want to hear more?
o A compelling statement should be exciting to say and hear. Does it get your heart pounding? Or does it feel like a mundane task? To create a compelling statement, define the most motivating and engaging purpose of your ministry.
Catalytic
o Does the vision statement remind people to act verses define success?
o A catalytic statement implies, encourages and infuses movement. The reader should feel that they have been called to an action. To do this, use action verbs like “influence”, “serve”, “go”, “restore”, “mobilize”, “advance”, and “plant.”
Contextual
o Does your vision statement communicate biblical truth for your specific people, time and place?
o Contextual statements simultaneously considers scripture and the context of the ministry. Here are some helpful questions to ask: Who is being served? What do they need? How does Christ offer relief to their situation?
The actual vision for your ministry can only come from God as revealed through scripture and prayer. You will have to uncover it with your team. But when you have clearly identified your ministry’s vision, write it down. Frame it into a clear, concise, compelling, catalytic and contextual 1-sentence phrase.
Your vision statement will become a driving force to seeing your ministry purpose come into reality.
UHappy is a ministry in the Philippines that knows how to solidfy their vision and communicate it in order to make the greatest impact for their cause. Watch this video and gain inspiration for your own ministry.
Looking for more ways to make a difference in your Children’s or Youth Ministry? Check out some of our other blogs. Here are two of our latest posts:
3 Ways to Unleash the Best Resources in Your Children’s Ministry
WellConnected is a gathering place for children and youth ministers to access resources, research, and content to raise up the next generation. It’s a collaborative platform to equip leaders and influencers to effectively reach the kids in their communities. We invite churches and ministers to join one another in coming up with innovative solutions for today’s realities. We are continually learning and growing from each other — sharing knowledge, insight, and best practices.
