QUESTION
Our pastor is leading a vision process—for the third time. We spend three years talking about vision, but nothing comes of it. I’m ready to quit my leadership position because I don’t want to waste time, but I don’t want to leave my church. Any advice?
ANSWER
Hopefully, as the pastor meets with the church’s leadership team, he can be encouraged in the vision he is trying to share. But there is nothing wrong with asking about action steps and goals. In other words, clearly define the metrics that will be used to measure the success of the vision.
Consider what steps need to be taken, what assignments need to be given, what results should be expected, and what timetable is realistic. Those are all reasonable questions when inviting others to invest their time and energy in a vision. A vision involves much more than just saying “let’s go someplace;” it also means saying “let’s do something!”
QUESTION
I heard Bill Hybels say that in church, when push comes to shove, evangelism is the first thing to go. What does he mean by that? Is it true?
ANSWER
Looking at a church’s budget will reveal what’s really important to the church. It’s hard to argue that evangelism is a priority when the church has $200 designated under evangelism for the entire year, for example.
Another indicator of a church’s priorities is the calendar. How many things in last month’s bulletin and schedule of events had to do with things inside the church instead of outside the church?
If the church is not careful, its focus will shift to becoming a “hotel for saints” instead of a “hospital for sinners.” Of all the purposes for why the church exists, evangelism must be the number-one priority or it will, as Bill Hybels says, “be the first thing to go!”
Pat Pajak is IBSA’s associate executive director for evangelism. Send questions for Pat to IllinoisBaptist@IBSA.org.