The McKnight Group speaks often about vision. We talk about it in our i3 webinars. We talk about it here on our blog. We even talk about it when church leaders reach out to us about their church buildings. We do it so frequently because we know how important a clear vision is when seeking to build your ministry on the right foundations. And we recognize that the right vision is a key foundation for any successful church building project.
What Does a Church Vision Do?
Imagine that an overcrowded sanctuary has become an issue for your church’s attendees. When sharing a church vision for ministry and your new church design plans, you’re giving those attendees hope for the future, that the overcrowding won’t last forever. When you share your vision, people also become engaged with your plan for the future, and thus more involved with your church. You can more easily bring people together around this vision for ministry.
The Impact of Not Having a Church Vision
Another reason every church should have a vision is because of what happens if you don’t. Without a shared church vision, everyone tends to think their ministry is the most important. Ministry leaders can begin to question why another ministry is getting preferential treatment or a better meeting place.
With a clear church vision and explanation of the people you want to reach for Christ, each ministry leader knows where their particular ministry fits within the overall plan. Some might not be happy about it, but they will have trouble making waves about it because everyone else is on board. Publicizing your vision can serve as a tool to help spot the people who want your church to go in a different direction. Then you can explain the reasons behind your church vision and help to bring them on board.
We also recognize that one church cannot do every ministry, so it’s possible that the process of sharing your church vision might cause some people to go elsewhere. There will always be other churches, and other ministries, and that’s okay. There’s a limit to the ministry that any one church can effectivity provide — and a church vision will clarify those limits.
The Financial Effect of a Church Building Vision
Finally, a church vision is especially important in determining the scope of any church building project. It gives you a template that helps you check what you’re spending, how big you’re making spaces in your church design, and what your priorities are for the new church building. It also makes those tough decisions easier. You might have a church design that costs $5 million if you were to build everything at once, but you can only afford $1 million. With a church vision and church design master plan, you can easily determine your highest priorities, and select which part of your new church building to begin first.
There’s much to consider at every stage of a church building project. This is why we share our free i3 webinars every year. Our latest lineup is available here and you can register for upcoming webinars here.