What is the mission? Ultimately, the mission of the church was assigned to us by Jesus in the form of the Great Commission as he commanded us to go into all the world and to share the good news about his kingdom becoming a reality for all who want to be included in it.
A strong vision sermon series reminds us that, regardless of our differences of opinion, personality, or culture, we’ve been brought together to show the world the love of God, share the message of Christ, and shape our culture and communities.
Church vision reminds a church of its core values.
As Angie and I gave a decade of our lives to the planting of a church, we found over and over that the most important aspect of who we were and how we did ministry came back to the core values we had written before starting. We re-worded them over time, but the values we talked about shaped the life of our congregation.
Your church’s core values may or may not be written down or communicated verbally in some set form, but they do exist. Every church values some things.
When you repeat your values, make decisions using your values as guardrails, and protect your values over the years, the culture of your church will be shaped according to those values. And a vision series is an excellent opportunity to remind people of what those values are.
A church vision sermon series points out the strategies your church uses.
I really believe it takes all kinds of churches to reach all kinds of people. Some churches are especially gifted at creating an atmosphere in which people can encounter God in worship. Others are fantastic when it comes to serving families and children. And other churches may specialize in serving those who are disabled or part of a marginalized population.
While churches may share a common theology and a commitment to the same biblical purposes, every church tends to have a unique personality and a unique strategy for carrying out the mission in its surroundings.
A strong vision series will communicate not only the why of the church’s existence but the how of the church’s approach to ministry. This is the part of our preaching that calls people to commit to personal involvement.
4 Tips for Making an Impact with a Vision Series
You obviously want to make the most difference possible with a vision series. Your hope is to move the body forward on mission while calling for involvement from those who are committed or considering their place in the congregation. So how do you maximize the moment and make the most impact possible with a vision series?
These words of advice won’t apply equally to every situation and if you’re a pastor or church leader, you must craft your own unique approach, but these are principles I’ve seen work in my own ministry and in the ministries of those I’ve observed.
1. Let the bulk of the messages be from the lead pastor.
I definitely appreciate churches that utilize a plurality of teachers and preachers, and who wish to avoid creating a cult of personality. I also know that from the perspective of what makes for effective leadership, someone will garner the trust of the congregation and that leader should craft the vocabulary of the church’s culture, values, and vision.
