The Advantage of a Shared Vision

Perhaps the most powerful adhesive in any relationship, whether that relationship involves two, twenty, or two-hundred people, is summed up in what some would say is a cold term used by analytical consultants. The term is Shared Vision.

In Proverbs 29:18, a father explains to his son that, "Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, But happy is he who keeps the law." In other words, if there is going to be joy and peace in the living we do, vision has a role to play.

When I was in the position of counseling couples before marriage, one of the exercises that I insisted upon was for the engaged couple to describe their home life in five years. What would it feel like when a guest came to the house? Would that guest be welcomed? Would there be tension in the home? Would it be relaxed? What smells would there be? Answers to these kinds of questions precipitated interesting discussions. How you are going to make your vision happen was a strategic question. But you can't ask "how" until you answer "what." During these conversations, priorities and values were considered, revisited and challenged. The product of these discussions was a developing shared vision for the couple's relationship and for their family.

There is another value to this exercise. As the father of Proverbs indicates, there is a delight in shared vision. My experience tells me that Shared Vision brings purpose in community, peace in relationships, and builds trust as time goes on. A genuinely shared vision insists upon articulating values and priorities and finally calls for action.

While there is much in this to offer married couples this dynamic is no less important for congregations who are pursing the missio dei (mission of God). Vision, in this context, is not some mystical immediate revelation from God. To say it plainly, Shared Vision is simply everyone being on "the same page" when it comes to where the community is headed and agreeing, generally speaking, on what is important.

In fact, here are some bullet points and statements concerning Shared Vision:

• Shared vision is not an idea. It is a driving force in people's hearts.
• At its most basic, shared vision asks the question "What do we want to create?"
• Accompanying Shared Vision is a sense of commonality, purpose, and cohesion to diverse activities that one can find in any congregation.
• A Shared Vision realizes a commitment to one another in the congregation.
• A Shared Vision is not imposed by an individual or a committee. One does not comply with the vision if it is to be shared. One is committed to the vision.
• Commitment implies sacrifice by members in order to realize the Vision.

Extrinsic v. Intrinsic Vision
One last thing to mention at this point is in the question, "What drives the Vision?" There are two options One is extrinsic and the other is intrinsic.

A vision that is extrinsic means that it comes from the outside. In other words, it is most often related to the context, in this case, of the local congregation. An extrinsic vision is competitive by nature. A local congregation wants to be bigger and better than the other congregations in town. Such competition, however, ultimately ends up becoming a defensive position where creativity declines, risk is discouraged, and security is valued. The congregation ends up protecting their "number one" position, if they ever arrived at that position in the first place. A vision predicated upon "defeating the competition" will, in the long run, weaken the congregation or the institution.

There is another kind of vision. It is called intrinsic. This means that the vision reflects the essential nature of the congregation. This kind of vision, issued from a Christ-centered congregation, embraces the call to faith, the giftedness by the Holy Spirit, and the unity of the body of Christ. It also agrees with Paul when he wrote to the Galatians and said, Galatians 2:20 20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me."

"Christ in me" is who we are in our Baptism and in our confession. Who we are now lifts us up to the mission of Christ, namely "to seek and save" those who are lost.

In the context of this truth, there is created a climate, a style, and a spirit that seeks to honor Christ and His call in everything that is done. How can there not be joy when we share together the vision and the mission of God?

Developing a Shared Vision takes time and it is not easy to do. But it is worth the investment of a congregation, no matter how small or large. The result will include clarity of call and resting in purpose.