church vision presentation

Methods: Planning consistently happens in three areas, personal, ministry and organization and on three levels, strategic, tactical and operational

12 free resources for church vision and strategic planning.

Today there are many definitions for vision and strategic planning but for the purpose of church based planning the definition I prefer is:

“The process of determining the visionary direction of the church or ministry and then breaking down that overall direction into broad objectives, that are then divided into smaller measurable goals and ultimately to specific tactics.”

And, just as there are many definitions for strategic planning there are a variety of proven approaches to strategic planning. And it can be challenging to discern which approach is right for your church or ministry. Our purpose here is not to recommend a specific approach. But rather to provide a variety of vision and strategic planning examples and exercises that may be used by church leadership to stimulate thinking and to identify high impact strategies and tactics for inclusion in the church’s ministry plan.

• Ministry Plan Example
• Church Vision Strategy Development Exercise
• Four Decisions And Four Questions Of Church Strategic Planning
• Church Vision And Organizational Planning Process EXAMPLE
• Corporate Spiritual Discernment MAP
• Easy to Use Focus Group Feedback Questions for Church Strategic Planning
• 30 Sure-Fire Exercises For Church Strategic Planning
• Where We Stand Now Current Realities Exercise
• Divine DNA Discernment Exercise
• Optimize, Change, Clarify, Or Add Church Strategic Planning Exercise Template
• Start, Stop, Continue Decision Making Worksheet
• Church Or Ministry SWOT Analysis Worksheet

Click HERE to read more of my blogs on vision and strategic planning.

Posted on December 23, 2020 Tags: church strategic planning Church Vision

Jim is a Church Organizational Leadership and Management Coach, Consultant and Trainer. Throughout his career Jim has demonstrated a passion for showing Pastors and Ministers how to use organizational tools for church and personal growth and health.

“For I may be absent in body, but I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see how well ordered you are and the strength of your faith in Christ.” Colossians 2:5

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Proven Practices for a Better, Bigger Church

Church Vision: How to Find It and What to do With It

Would you like to have a vision for your church that brings meaning, momentum, fruit, and growth?

It’s possible – and likely – for you to see the fruit that comes when your church is united behind a compelling vision.

You may wonder what vision is, how to get it, and what to do with it once you find it. You may question how to find a God-driven vision, how to get your church onboard, and why it’s worth all the effort.

It’s worth figuring out your church vision because God has great plans for you.

Keep reading and I’ll unpack the how, the what, and the why. You’ll see how to be a leader with vision. I’ll tell you my story of finding and raising vision.

7 Key Questions about Church Vision

Let’s start by answering these key questions leaders ask about church vision.

1. What exactly is a church vision?

Your vision is different than your mission. Your mission should be closely tied to the Great Commission: making disciples, baptizing, and teaching.

Your vision is what the mission will look like when it is lived out in your church and your community. It is the desired change, or the end result.

But it’s more than the business world’s “picture of a preferable future.” Your vision, according to Rick Warren , is your faith dream for your church.

Church Relevance outlines key findings and  gives examples of 30 church vision statements . Their article will give you some facts and examples of church vision statements.

Just to be clear, a church vision statement is not equal to your vision for your church. A vision statement is a memorable summary of the church vision.

2. Where do you get a vision for your church?

Some recommend that you schedule an off-site with your key leaders, bring in a facilitator if you can afford it or if your leaders are cantankerous, and use easel paper and post-it notes to come to consensus on a new vision statement.

I disagree.

I believe that the lead pastor gets the vision from God. Frankly, being the bearer of the vision is one of the most essential functions of the senior pastor. It can’t be done by committee.

Here’s how Rick Warren explains it:

“So you as a leader and as a pastor must have God’s vision for your church. The very first task of leadership is to set the vision for the organization. If you don’t set the vision, you’re not the leader. Whoever is establishing the vision in your church is the leader of that particular church. A church will never outgrow its vision and the vision of a church will never outgrow the vision of the pastor.”

The vision for the church must come out of the senior pastor’s heart, faith, and dream of what God wants to do through your church. It comes to life and is lived out in community, but the source of the vision is the calling of God on the senior pastor to lead your church.

3. Why do we need a vision for our church?

More pragmatically, what does a vision do for a church?

Aubrey Malpurs, in his classic book Advanced Strategic Planning,  says that vision encourages unity, creates energy, provides purpose, fosters risk taking, enhances leadership, promotes excellence, and sustains ministry.

And I’ll add another reason why you need a vision for your church: vision creates confidence in the pastor and the congregation.

A pastor without vision feels the lack of direction and privately questions his ability to lead. And a lack of vision from the pastor opens a leadership void that others will be happy to rush into, creating a cacophony of vision which ultimately leads to division and dissension.

A pastor leading the charge on a church-wide vision builds confidence and brings momentum, fruit, and growth.

4. What if I don’t have a vision for my church in my heart?

You’re not alone if you don’t have a vision for your church. George Barna found that only 2% of pastors could articulate a vision for their churches.

A couple of things are possible if you are one of the 98% who doesn’t have a clear vision to communicate.

Either you are not called to lead this movement. If that’s the case, you should pray about stepping down as primary leader and volunteering to join someone else’s team.

Or you need to spend a season reading vision, studying vision-casters in the Bible like Joshua, Noah, David, Solomon, Josiah, Hezekiah, Paul, and Peter.

And sit at the feet of God listening to him for his vision for your church.

Study movements of the Bible and you’ll see that there is always only one vision carrier who gets alone with God and wrestles with him for a vision. Others will supplement or help refine the vision, but the leader must give birth to it so that he is fully committed to it.

5. How committed do I need to be to reaching my church’s vision?

No one will be as committed to the vision as the leader who receives it.

• Would you be willing to give your life for this? That’s a vision.
• Would you be willing to give your life savings? That’s a vision.
• Would you be willing to say, “Though none go with me, still I will follow”? That’s a vision.

If you don’t care much about it, it will sit as a vision statement in a binder on a shelf, or it may be a slogan on a wall, but it won’t make a difference in your church or your community.

If you want people to bleed for the vision, you must be willing to hemorrage for it.

6. What if my vision sounds like the visions other churches have?

It’s a good thing if your vision for your church is similar to other churches.

Vision doesn’t develop in a vacuum. Very few of us will create vision out of nothing. We are better at adapting and adopting than at creating from scratch.

“What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun.”    – Ecclesiastes 1:9

We’re on safer ground if our vision looks similar to that of other dynamic, orthodox churches.

7. How can I make a vision more compelling?

A vision should have a wow and a how.

The wow compels people. It’s bigger than us. We must rely on God to fulfill it. The how describes how we accomplish our vision.

New Song’s vision is simple: we want to reach as many as possible come to Jesus in our neighborhoods and throughout the world. If possible, we would like see every New Songer, young and old, have the privilege of leading someone to Christ. And we’d like to help in a lot of elsewheres by planting 100 churches and teaching 100 other churches to plant 100 churches.

We express the vision this way:  Each One Reach One, 100 x 100. “Each One Reach One” is the how. “100 x 100” is the wow. 100 x 100 = 10,000 new churches.

Ground your vision in a phrase that’s compelling to you and it will become captivating for your people.

Brothers Chip and Dan Heath, in Made to Stick , teach us how to communicate ideas in ways that make them memorable.

“…We’ve seen that a credible idea makes people believe. An emotional idea makes people care. And… we’ll see that the right stories make people act.”

It’s our responsibility to find the words and stories that make the vision compelling.

How to Spread a Vision for your Church

Have you ever tried to cast vision for something and no one joined in? That’s no bueno. Here are four ways to see your vision take root and spread.

1. Pray over everything.

You can’t make your church grab hold of a new vision, but God can. So pray. Daily. Constantly. Frequently. Fervently.

I pray about the fulfillment of our vision every day.

2. Introduce the vision in concentric circles.

How you introduce the vision has a big influence on its adoption.

Start by “shopping” the vision to your lay leaders, staff and Board members. Cast the vision tentatively.

• I’m thinking that God might want us to…
• Here are some of my reasons for thinking this…
• Here are some of the benefits if we pursue this….
• What part of this excites you?

They’ll tell you. They will help you refine the wording of your strategy. This “shopping” process will also let you know the objections you will need to overcome in order for the church to embrace your vision.

Visions are adopted in concentric circles. Start with your closest friends and most likely adopters.

With them on board, shop the vision to your next most likely adopters. Mention that John, Peter, and James are already on board and excited. Get their input. Refine the wording and presentation more.

Leak the potential vision to one larger circle at a time:

• Loyal friends
• Other opinion leaders
• Congregation

By the time you’ve presented to every level, your words will have changed some, and the scope and sequence of the vision’s implementation will have improved.

3. Now write it out and announce a Vision Sunday.

Preach the vision. Be compelling. Use Biblical examples of  those who practiced this process.

With our “Each One Reach One” vision, I use John 1 to show how each one brought one to Jesus.

And I use Luke 15 to show how much God cares for the one. In a third message, I use the Six Styles of Evangelism to show how each one of us can reach one in ways that are natural to each of us.

When I explain where we want to plant those churches, I say “In Temecula, Tennessee, and Timbuktu.” We’ve learned from experience that daughter churches planted closer than 30 minutes away can get competitive. Temecula is 45 minutes from us. Tennessee represents anywhere else in the United States, and Timbuktu represents anywhere in the world.

4. Once the vision is out there, embed the vision.

Discuss its implementation at every board meeting. Talk through how it can be featured in every worship service. Develop a logo or graphic for it. Post the logo on your walls.

Talk about the vision constantly. Reinforce it by telling stories about how the vision is being fulfilled.

Because vision leaks, you must reinforce it every month. Every week is better.

When you’re getting sick of talking about the vision, others are just starting to catch on.

What’s Next?

• If you’re reading this because you don’t have a vision for your church, dig into the Bible and pray. Learn about vision and study other church’s visions.
• If you have some thoughts about what you believe God wants your church to do, start sharing what you’re thinking, getting feedback, and refining it.
• If you have some level of consensus, embed the vision in your church  through preaching, at meetings, in prayer, and in your ministries. Start something new that embodies the vision for your church.
• And keep learning how to lead your congregation to go after the vision God has given your church.

Further Reading

• The Power of Vision: Discover  and Apply God’s Plan for your Life and Ministry by George Barna
• The Leadership Challenge by James Kouzes and Barry Posner
• Developing Vision , compiled by David Goetz and Bob Moeller, published by Christianity Today.
• The Pastor’s Role in Vision-Based Leadership by Tim Nicols

Start Here to learn more about the resources available for you at PastorMentor.

Reader Interactions

November 13, 2018 at 8:43 AM

I am pastor from Bhutan and these days I am working for the church’s vision and mission statement. So your guide line is very much helpful, I want to say thank you very much.

October 16, 2019 at 4:35 AM

God bless you Sir for this wonderful guide.

October 16, 2019 at 9:57 PM

You are welcome Esther. 1,000 blessings on you!

January 8, 2020 at 9:13 AM

Having a good leadership quality is of utmost import when you people working under you and this is a quality I would love to have. Your article has been tremendously helpful and I am grateful so thank you for sharing.

January 8, 2020 at 10:52 AM

I’m so glad to hear this Igbudu! 1,000 blessings on you!

July 14, 2023 at 11:08 PM

As a Pastor I am seeking God’s guidance for the future of the church. Your article has been very helpful. God bless you as you encourage fellow ministers.

April 11, 2020 at 12:57 AM

This article is really a wow, this is amongst few articles that I read in full including coma and points lol. May God bless you abundantly Pastor Seed for this article, it is actually more than what I was searching for. You are so precious to The Body of Christ.

April 11, 2020 at 12:03 PM

My pleasure Taty! May God bless your ministry richly!

July 31, 2020 at 7:09 AM

Thanks for sharing

September 15, 2020 at 3:29 AM

Thank you very much for your powerful and reviving teachings. I feel so much recharged as a pastor and founder of Showers of Mercy Ministries International based in Leeds United Kingdom. I feel very much encouraged and feel gaining confidence and boldness to face the demands of the ministry; believing God that lam not alone but that God is with me side by side to see me through in the assignment that He has laid upon my heart to fulfil the Great Commission. I will continue visiting your website for more encouragement.

September 15, 2020 at 3:45 PM

Welcome to Pastormentor Watson! You are not alone! “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zeph. 3:17) His deepest desire that all men might be saved. 1,000 blessings!

September 18, 2020 at 1:00 AM

I have been studying on the vision mission statement and prayerfully writing down the core values. I have found your article to be very helpful and compelling. I recommend every servant of God to read this article. I am reading a few books on discovering the vision and mission of the church. I agree most of the pastors are not clear on vision mission statement! This is a serious thing to study on the vision and mission of the church.

September 18, 2020 at 9:55 AM

I commend you Shyamjai. Vision is incredibly important! If you don’t know where you are going, it’s hard to get there.

December 21, 2020 at 1:38 AM

This is wonderful and very inspiring. Right now am working on the vision and the mission of the church. My question is,can my vision/mission be taken from maybe the area of calling because that’s what I clearly heard God communicate to me?A little bit confused

December 23, 2020 at 10:10 AM

Your vision should definitely be connected to your calling Keith. And your calling should be connected to Jesus’ Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20), and His stated intention to build His church (Matthew 16:18).

January 6, 2021 at 11:33 AM

Great article indeed. Working in the ministry without a clear vision leads to unnecessary barriers in proclaiming the gospel. I have learnt a lot Sir, thank you very much.

January 6, 2021 at 4:32 PM

You are welcome. I hope you’ll hear clearly from the Lord and cast the vision compellingly to your people.

December 17, 2021 at 5:31 AM

I love your blog and thanks a lot for sharing this post.

April 28, 2023 at 6:14 AM

This article was more than I was expecting. Powerful, intuitive, and clear. I’m a campus pastor and it’s a tension to share and lead the vision. I have learned over the years it is not enough to just use the overall vision of the church without making it specific to your community and personal. This article is helping me to go deeper with the overall vision to effect our campus in a way they can grab a hold of.

May 11, 2023 at 6:19 PM

Thanks for your kind words Taylor. I’m glad the article was helpful. As a Campus Pastor, you get to steward someone else’s vision. That’s not easy. I hope you’ll be able to faithfully own your Sr. Pastor’s vision as your own, and infect your campus with it!

1,000 blessings! Hal

November 7, 2023 at 6:43 PM

The outreach and charity work your church engages in are truly inspiring. Your organization’s commitment to making a positive impact in the lives of those less fortunate is a shining example of selflessness and compassion.

December 4, 2023 at 2:45 AM

Thank you very much for the amazing work you are doing. The Article was really helpful.

January 26, 2024 at 2:07 AM

Was encouraged profoundly by this blog. I mean thank you very much for sharing guidelines and thoughts on how to formulate a vision. As for me I thought oh my, my vision is similar a bit to other visions I heard and I was kind of confused whether it makes sense. However…having read this helped me and challenged me to to pray more and ask God to guide me in this. I am based in Zimbabwe and I feel a call of God upon my life to start a Church. I will visit your website frequently for ideas and guidance. Thanks again

January 26, 2024 at 1:35 PM

I’m glad the blog was helpful to you Simon. As you are thinking about planting a church, I encourage you to contact DCPI.org and attend one of their free church planter training events. They will teach you, step by step, how to plant a healthy, dynamic church. 1,000 blessings! Hal

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Church Vision: Planning for Growth in 2025

To grow effectively in 2025, churches are setting clear, actionable visions that align with their mission, attract new members, and strengthen their communities.

As 2025 approaches, churches worldwide are considering ways to grow and impact their communities more effectively. A critical aspect of achieving this growth is setting a clear and actionable vision for the upcoming year. This vision serves as a roadmap, guiding the church’s efforts and ensuring that all initiatives align with its mission and values. By carefully planning for growth in 2025, churches can better fulfill their purpose, attract new members, and strengthen their existing congregations.

Church vision table of contents

What is a Vision Statement? What is the Goal of a Church Vision? How to Plan for Church Growth in 2025 Top Church Goals To Achieve How to Find the Vision for Your Church and Write an Inspiring Vision Statement FAQ Key Takeaways

Here’s what we’ll cover: 

• Setting a clear and actionable church vision is vital for growth.
• A church vision guides decision-making, resource allocation, and member alignment.
• Strategic planning for 2025 should be rooted in the church’s mission and involve all departments.
• SMART goals help in achieving measurable and realistic growth targets.
• Community outreach and staff development are key components of church growth.

A well-crafted vision isn’t just about setting goals; it’s about creating a shared understanding of where the church is headed and why. It should inspire and unify both the leadership and congregation, creating a sense of purpose and direction that motivates people to take action. As churches face new challenges and opportunities in 2025, having a focused vision will be more important than ever to ensure that all efforts are directed toward meaningful growth.

“A well-crafted vision isn’t just about setting goals; it’s about creating a shared understanding of where the church is headed and why.”

What is a Vision Statement?

A church’s vision statement is a forward-looking statement that declares where the church aims to be in the future. It serves as a guiding principle that informs decision-making, strategic planning, and the allocation of resources. The vision is not just about what the church wants to achieve but also reflects the values and mission that define its identity.

Examples of Successful Church Vision Statements

Redeemer Presbyterian Church : “We dream of seeing lives, relationships, and our city flourishing anew through the redemptive love of Jesus Christ.”

New Life Covenant : “A church for the hurting.”

NewSpring Church : “We want everyone, everywhere, to have an everyday relationship with Jesus.”

Saddleback Church : “We exist to urgently lead people to say “yes” to Jesus and his purposes for their lives.”

Our Lady of Perpetual Help : “A Roman Catholic church that is actively visible in the Community, shares its spirituality through fellowship, and is committed to serving God.”

First AME Church, Los Angeles : “To be a biblically functioning church which is empowered by the Holy Spirit and bound together in Jesus Christ to minister to the soul, body, mind, and spirit of every believer and seeker.”

These vision statements have played a crucial role in shaping the direction of these churches, providing a clear focus for their ministries and outreach efforts.

“We want everyone, everywhere, to have an everyday relationship with Jesus.”

What is the Goal of a Church Vision?

The primary objective of having a church vision is to set a clear direction for the church’s future. It helps align the efforts of leadership and members, ensuring that everyone is working towards the same goals. A well-defined vision provides a sense of purpose and motivates the church community to strive for collective achievements.

A clearly articulated church vision provides a clear path toward future initiatives, ensuring that all activities and programs align with the overarching goals. It inspires greater participation and commitment from the congregation and guides the effective use of resources such as time, money, and volunteer efforts. Additionally, a strong vision facilitates strategic decision-making consistent with the church’s long-term objectives.

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How to Plan for Church Growth in 2025

Planning for church growth in 2025 requires a strategic approach that starts with clearly understanding the church’s vision. Here are the steps to develop a strategic plan based on this vision:

Steps to Develop a Strategic Plan

• Assess Current State : Review the church’s current situation, including strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT analysis).
• Define the Vision : Ensure that the vision is clear, inspiring, and aligned with the church’s mission and values.
• Set Specific Goals : Develop SMART goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
• Develop Action Plans : Create detailed plans for how each goal will be achieved, including timelines, responsibilities, and resource needs.
• Engage Stakeholders : Involve church leadership, departments, and congregation members in the planning process to ensure buy-in and collective ownership.
• Implement and Monitor : Roll out the plan, regularly review progress, and make adjustments as needed to stay on track.

Methods for Involving Various Ministries

Involving each of your church’s ministries in the planning process is essential to ensuring that all aspects of the church are aligned with the vision. Departments like worship, outreach, education, and administration should each contribute to the strategic plan. Regular meetings, workshops, and feedback sessions can be organized to facilitate collaboration and idea-sharing among departments.

Be Focused on the Mission

It’s crucial that all growth plans for 2025 remain firmly rooted in the church’s core mission. The mission serves as the foundation upon which the vision is built, ensuring that all initiatives align with the church’s purpose. Whether the mission is to spread the gospel, serve the community, or foster spiritual growth, every plan and activity should support this overarching goal.

Mission-Focused Activities or Programs

• Community Service Projects : Regularly scheduled events where members can serve the local community.
• Discipleship Programs : Initiatives that focus on spiritual growth and mentoring within the congregation.
• Evangelism Outreach : Efforts to share the gospel with the broader community through various means.
• Youth and Children’s Ministry : Programs that cater specifically to the younger members of the church.
• Global Missions : Support for international missions that align with the church’s mission and values.

Be Strategic and Specific in Goal Setting

When setting goals for church growth in 2025, it’s essential to be strategic and specific. This can be achieved by adopting the SMART framework, which ensures that goals are well-defined and attainable.

FREE DOWNLOAD ➡️ SMART Goal Setting Template

SMART Goal Setting

To effectively set goals, the church should clearly define its desired outcomes, establish criteria for measuring progress, and ensure that these goals are realistic given its resources and constraints. It’s crucial that these goals align with the church’s mission and vision, and deadlines should be set to create a sense of urgency and maintain focus on achieving them.

Goal-Setting Tools and Templates

• Goal-Setting Worksheets : Printable templates for church leaders to outline and track progress on goals.
• Project Management Software : Tools like Trello or Asana can be used to assign tasks, set deadlines, and monitor progress.
• Vision Board : A visual representation of the church’s goals and vision, which can be displayed in a prominent place.
• Progress Tracking Sheets : Spreadsheets that allow leaders to track progress against set benchmarks.

Keep Success in Mind

Maintaining a positive outlook and focus on success is vital throughout the year. Celebrating small wins and keeping the church motivated will contribute significantly to achieving larger goals. Some motivational strategies you can use are:

• Regular Celebrations : Acknowledge and celebrate milestones and achievements, no matter how small.
• Inspirational Sermons : Deliver sermons that reinforce the church’s vision and encourage the congregation to stay committed.
• Testimonies : Share success stories and testimonies from members to inspire and motivate others.
• Leadership Retreats : Organize retreats for church leaders to recharge and refocus on the vision.
• Vision Reminders : Regularly remind the congregation of the vision and progress toward achieving it.

Top Church Goals To Achieve

Church growth in 2025 can be driven by setting innovative yet attainable goals. These goals should reflect the church’s vision while also addressing the needs of the congregation and the community.

Innovative ideas could include expanding digital outreach, developing community partnerships, or launching new ministry programs. Encouraging brainstorming sessions within church leadership can help adapt these ideas to the church’s specific context and ensure that they are actionable and relevant.

Look for a New Church Vision or Strategy

As the world changes, so too should the church’s vision. Periodically revising the church vision is essential to ensure it remains relevant and responsive to the needs of the congregation and the broader community.

Ways to gather feedback:

• Congregational Surveys : Regular surveys to gather input from members on what they feel should be the church’s priorities.
• Focus Groups : Small groups of members who can provide more in-depth feedback on specific issues.
• Community Forums : Open forums where both church members and community residents can share their thoughts.
• Suggestion Boxes : Physical or digital suggestion boxes where members can anonymously submit their ideas.

Prepare a New Church Goal List

Drafting a comprehensive and actionable goal list is crucial for implementing the church vision in 2025.

Steps to Draft a Goal List

• Identify Core Areas : Determine the key areas where growth is needed (e.g., membership, outreach, spiritual education).
• Set Priorities : Rank goals by importance and impact.
• Define Actions : For each goal, outline the specific actions that must be taken.
• Assign Responsibilities : Allocate tasks to specific ministries and/or ministry leaders.
• Set Deadlines : Establish timelines for achieving each goal.

Making these goals clear and accessible to all church members helps everyone understand the direction the church is heading and can contribute to achieving these objectives.

Understand the Strengths and Weaknesses of Your Church

An honest assessment of the church’s current strengths and weaknesses is essential for effective planning. By conducting a SWOT analysis, church leaders can make informed decisions and develop strategies that leverage strengths, address weaknesses, capitalize on opportunities, and mitigate threats, ultimately guiding the church toward its vision and goals.

Key Components to Conduct a SWOT Analysis

• Strengths : Identify what the church does well, such as strong community ties or a thriving youth ministry.
• Weaknesses : Recognize areas where the church could improve, like member engagement or financial management.
• Opportunities : Look for external opportunities that could benefit the church, such as community partnerships.
• Threats : Be aware of external challenges that could hinder growth, such as local demographic changes.

Make Use of the Church Calendar

Strategically planning church activities using the church calendar can help ensure that all events support your church’s growth goals. Schedule regular outreach events, coordinate ministry activities, plan special services, organize training sessions, set dates for leadership meetings, and track annual church goals.

Plan the Messaging

Messaging and ministry curriculum should be developed or revised to align with your church’s vision for 2025. Whether you’re using discipleship curriculum, children’s ministry guides , teaching aides for youth, denominational Sunday School curriculum, or Bible study literature, strategic placement and planning of your 2025 vision will help keep it fresh and in front of your parishioners.

If you’re planting a church this year, now is a great time to develop a rhythm of teaching that helps your people know your vision and values. You probably don’t have a stockpile of teaching to update, or handouts to revise, but you can begin to plan the process for guiding attenders toward the vision God has for reaching the people around you.

Steps to Develop Messaging Around Your 2025 Vision

• Review Current Curriculum : Assess what’s currently being taught and how it aligns with the church’s vision.
• Identify Gaps : Determine areas where the curriculum needs to be expanded or updated.
• Consult Experts : Seek input from ministry leaders and educators.
• Draft Curriculum : Create a curriculum that supports the church’s goals and mission.
• Implement and Monitor : Roll out the new curriculum and regularly review its effectiveness.

Equip Church Staff

Ongoing training and development for church staff is critical to ensure that they are well-equipped to support the church’s vision.

Suggested Training Programs

• Leadership Development : Workshops on effective leadership and management.
• Ministry Training : Specialized training for different ministry areas (e.g., youth, worship, counseling).
• Technology Use : Training on using digital tools for ministry and outreach.
• Conflict Resolution : Workshops on managing conflicts within the church.
• Financial Management : Courses on budgeting, fundraising, and resource allocation.

How to Find the Vision for Your Church and Write an Inspiring Vision Statement

Creating a compelling vision statement requires equal parts thought and action. Inclusivity and representation from all church demographics are crucial to ensure the vision resonates with the entire congregation and reflects the diversity of the church community.

Steps to Write a Vision Statement

1. Pray for Guidance : Seek spiritual direction in crafting the vision.

2. Engage Leadership : Involve church leaders in the vision-crafting process.

3. Gather Input : Solicit ideas and feedback from the congregation.

4. Draft the Statement : Create a draft that reflects the church’s mission and aspirations.

5. Review and Revise : Refine the statement based on feedback and reflection.

6. Communicate the Vision : Share the final vision statement with the church and ensure it is visible and referenced in all planning.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are "good" church goals.

Good church goals are those that are clear, achievable, and aligned with the church’s mission. They should address both spiritual growth and community impact, ensuring that the church remains relevant and effective.

What are SMART Goals for Christians?

SMART goals for Christians are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. These goals can be used in the discipleship process to help Christians focus their efforts on meaningful spiritual and community-driven outcomes.

What is Vision Sunday at Church?

Vision Sunday is a special service dedicated to presenting and celebrating the church’s vision for the coming year. It is an opportunity for the congregation to unite around the vision, commit to the church’s goals, and begin the year with a shared sense of purpose and direction.

Key Takeaways

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Church growth today, same vision, new approach

• Church Growth - Definition • Our Driving Motive As A Church • Revisiting The Church’s Vision And Mission • A Change Of Strategy Is Needful • We Need Commitment of Ministers • Church Research Inevitable Today • Understanding the Millennials • The Need for Spiritual Entrepreneurs in churches Read less

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• 1. Church Growth Today: Same Vision, New Approach Dr. Oyewole O. Sarumi Pastor Oyewole O. Sarumi
• 2. The Redeemed Christian Church of God Lagos Province 25 Province Based Minister’s Conference [PBMC]
• 3. Scope • Introduction • Church Growth - Definition • Our Driving Motive As A Church • Revisiting The Church’s Vision And Mission • A Change Of Strategy Is Needful • We Need Commitment of Ministers • Church Research Inevitable Today • Understanding the Millennials • The Need for Spiritual Entrepreneurs! • Conclusion
• 4. Introduction • Since Lekki ’98, we have experienced phenomenal growth • We have over 41k churches spread across Nigeria by October 2017, and still growing! • In spite of this result, we’ve many grounds to conquer. Why? Every growth that will remain healthy, must be sustained, or else……DEATH!!
• 5. What is Church Growth? Church Growth is a study that: “Investigates the nature, function and health of Christian churches as they relate to the effective implementation of the Great Commission”.
• 6. • It is a careful study of growing churches (both in the Bible and history) and applying the knowledge for the growth of our churches. • Growth is the will of God for His church, and as a living organism, every church must grow since the only evidence of life in the church is growth.
• 7. The 8 Areas for Church Growth SPIRITUAL NUMERICAL FINANCIAL PHYSICAL SOCIAL MATERIAL EXTENSION HEALTH
• 8. NUMERICAL – More people joining the church. FINANCIAL - More money flows into the church. SPIRITUAL – People are growing in the Lord – spiritual things. PHYSICAL – The structure of the church is growing and improving. SOCIAL – The church is becoming more community oriented (A Community Church). MATERIAL – The material resources like Equipment are growing and essential. EXTENSION – More new/satellite churches are being planted. HEALTH – The church must not be sick or diseased.
• 9. Caution on Growth!!! • Growth in churches could be: • Rapid • Gradual • Silent • Noticeable • Natural • Supernatural • We must note that growth is not negotiable, as God expects His church to grow. (Psa.92:12-14, Acts 2:46, 5:14).
• 10. Our Driving Motive • As minister of the Gospel situated in this church, our over riding motive should be: • Conversion of sinners from the world of sin • Nurturing them for eternal life with God. • Our Main Front Doors: • The Sacrifice of our founding Fathers • The ancient landmarks bequeathed to us • The brand name of the Church
• 11. Revisiting our Vision/Mission Statements • Our commitment to save the world from sin and Satan are eloquently borne through our Vision and Mission Statement:
• 13. OUR VISION 1.To make heaven. 2. To take as many people with us. 3. To have a member of RCCG in every family of all nations.
• 14. MISSION • To accomplish No. 1 above, holiness will be our lifestyle. • To accomplish No. 2 and 3 above, we will plant churches within five minutes walking distance in every city and town of developing countries and within five minutes driving distance in every city and town of developed countries. • We will pursue these objectives until every Nation in the World is reached for the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
• 15. • It is the benefits that heaven offers and more that our founding fathers knew AND saw when they came up with the Vision and Mission statements for RCCG. • HALLELUYAH!!!
• 16. A change of Strategy is Needful • It’s “The grace of God” that has enabled us to pursue our Vision and Mission thus far & attain this wonderful growth since 1952 • In this 21st Century, our approach and strategy need to change without stuffocating our Vision. • Today’s ministers must be well equipped and trained to lead to Christ the millennials and those growing up in the digital age and disciple them effectively.
• 17. No Need for Message Change • Our message of eternal salvation through a lifestyle of holiness must never change. • What is to change: Our approach in: • Attracting • Retaining • Transforming [ART] new converts to become disciples.
• 18. Increase Commitment Required • NOTE the following: • We can’t renege or compromise our vision of making heaven and taking as many with us. • No one best way of pursuing growth in the church • Minister has to do today’s Ministry work in a way that is relevant • Hence, the need for renewed COMMITMENT!
• 19. Commitment to What?? • We must increase our commitment to: • The “Ministry of the Word” (Acts 6:4) by “sharing the full gospel of Christ about God’s grace” (Acts 20:24). • Lead the way in preaching the message of peace and reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18) because hate speeches, terror and strife. • We must passionately propagate the doctrine of purity and “ministry that brings righteousness” (2 Corinthians 3:8-9) using all platforms of communication as crimes, wickedness and perversions permeates our day.
• 20. Church Research Inevitable Today • The sophistication of millennials and today’s unchurched due to ICT require that churches embrace the reality of the day. • How many churches has conducted mini-research in their locality to understand the demographics, habits, tastes, appearance, attitudes, peculiarities, preferences and challenges of those living in their community?? [Africa =<10%, US/EU = >40%] • The tools: GSM data base for text and Telephone interview, FB, Twitter, E-mail, Opinion Polls, etc.
• 21. NOTE: “We cannot attract people who neither appear nor desire to appear like us.”
• 22. Who are the Millennials?
• 23. *Who Are the Millennials? • The term Millennials generally refers to the generation of people born between the early 1980s and 1990s, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Some people also include children born in the early 2000s. • The Millennial Generation is also known as Generation Y, because it comes after Generation X — those people between the early 1960s and the 1980s. The publication Ad Age was one of the first to coin the term "Generation Y," in an editorial in August 1993. But the term didn't age well, and "Millennials" has largely overtaken it. *Douglas Main, https://www.livescience.com
• 24. • A story in Time magazine said polls show that Millennials "want flexible work schedules, more 'me time' on the job, and nearly nonstop feedback and career advice from managers." Another Time story in May 2013, titled "The Me Me Me Generation," begins: "They're narcissistic. They're lazy. They're coddled. They're even a bit delusional. Those aren't just unfounded negative stereotypes about 80 million Americans born roughly between 1980 and 2000. They're backed up by a decade of sociological research." The article also points out that Millennials may be simply adapting quickly to a world undergoing rapid technological change. Douglas Main, https://www.livescience.com
• 25. • A 2012 study found Millennials to be "more civically and politically disengaged, more focused on materialistic values, and less concerned about helping the larger community than were Gen X (born 1962- 1981) and Baby Boomers (born 1946 to about 1961) at the same ages," according to USA Today. "The trend is more of an emphasis on extrinsic values such as money, fame, and image, and less emphasis on intrinsic values such as self-acceptance, group affiliation and community." The study was based on an analysis of two large databases of 9 million high school seniors or entering college students. Douglas Main, https://www.livescience.com
• 26. The Millennials – Who are They? Phillip Bump 2014, https://www.theatlantic.com/ • In the official demarcation of generational boundaries six different generations were identified, and labelled their eras thus: • Greatest Generation. These are the people that fought and died in World War II for our freedom. • Baby Boomers: It began when the Greatest Generation got home and started having sex with everyone. • Generation X. George Masnick, of the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies puts this generation in the timeframe of 1965 to 1984. • Generation Y. Masnick addresses this group, too, putting it "anywhere from the mid-1970s when the oldest were born to the mid-2000s when the youngest were. • Millennials. In October 2004, researchers Neil Howe and William Strauss called Millennials "the next great generation. • TBD. But that means that kids born in the last 10 years lack a designation. They are not Millennials.
• 28. 16 Positive Qualities Of Millennials Adventurous Ambitious Confident Conscious
• 29. Collaborative Educated Idealistic Motivated Independent Multi-tasking
• 30. Open-mindedness Tech-Savvy Problem Solving Polite Passionate Trailblazing
• 31. Still on the Millennials….. • The millennial are the centre of development in today's world. They: • Are Technology freaks who love to appear casual. • Have short attention span. • Are impatient • Cannot put up with mediocrity. • Every manufacturer and service provider have them in mind as they design new products and services. • Any growth loving church must adopt strategies that will reach, attract and retain the millennial. • Their habits and preferences must be taken into consideration.
• 32. How to attract the Millennials • Pastoral leaders need to adopt Entrepreneurial Church Management Approach [ECMA] to draw the millennial to their churches. • If the church is going to reverse some trends and maximize potential, we need more entrepreneurial pastors, not more shepherds. • Who them is an Entrepreneur? • What is ECMA?
• 33. We Need Spiritual Entrepreneurs! • The Apostle Paul, as he became known, left a huge impact not just on the church, but on millions of lives (and on human history) because he possessed the spiritual gift of apostleship. • What’s an apostle? To put it into today’s idiom, an apostle is a spiritual entrepreneur. (Nieuwhof, 2017). • A shepherd cares for a (usually) small group. An apostle launches dozens, hundreds or thousands of new communities of Christ-followers.
• 34. • The church today is flooded with leaders who • Fit the shepherd model, caring for people who are already assembled, • Managing what’s been built and • Helping to meet people’s needs. (This is also a spiritual gift.) • But we have far too few leaders who have the spiritual gift of apostleship.
• 35. Are we against Small Churches?? • NO! and NO! According to Karl, 90% of the churches in the world have less than 200 people, while 80% have less than 100 people. • “If your attitude to your being small is I’ve tried my best, or I think God is saying that’s all we need, that’s OK. Or are saying that your gifting works better in a small setting? That’s OK also.”
• 36. Innovative attitude is about mindset! • However, I want people who want to innovate… who realize that maybe because of their gifting it works better in a small setting, but they refuse to settle for that as they explore new horizon! It is such shepherd that God supports with help! • It’s not about settling down. It’s about mindset. It’s about attitude! So, Never settle. Never settle.
• 37. The Crucial Skills (Gifts) Entrepreneurial Church Leaders
• 38. • If your church [small or not] as a whole is going to grow, the leadership cadre and the laity must be part of innovation – it must even come from the people with the gift of apostleship or else…?? • According to Carey Nieuwhof, there are five crucial skills (gifts) entrepreneurial church leaders demonstrate for ECMA to bear fruits in their domain.
• 39. 1. The Willingness To Risk • The early church took incredible risks. People risked their health, safety, financial security and their very lives for the sake of the Gospel. • In a time when too many churches are trying to figure out how to survive, we need leaders who will change the question to how the church is going to thrive. • You can’t do that without risk. Being willing to risk what you have today is the best way to get to a different tomorrow.
• 40. 2. Experimentation • Have you ever asked yourself what it would have been like to be in the New Testament church? • It was an audacious experiment that God was completely behind. Everything changed in a generation; the place of worship, who worshipped, where people worshipped, how they worshipped, how they connected to each other, how they gave and how they forgave. • There isn’t a single element of everyday life that looked the same after a decade of life in the church. • If the church is going to grow, it’s going to have to change.
• 41. 3. A Restless Discontent With The Status Quo • Entrepreneurs and apostles are never satisfied. While it can be frustrating to work with someone who is never satisfied, it’s an essential gift in birthing what’s new and expanding a current mission. • Entrepreneurs are not only discontent with what others have created; they’re soon discontent with what they’ve helped create. • Paul died in prison longing to do more. Why do we make fun of church leaders today who have the same sense of urgency?
• 42. 4. Boldness • Boldness can be seen in the New Testament as a hallmark of early church leaders. • The church culture of many churches today can’t be describes as bold. Anaemic, maybe. Bold, No. • When people become bold, people criticize them for being arrogant or in it for themselves. Sometimes yes, but often No. They’re just exercising a God-given gift. Paul, after all, was no stranger to that criticism. • Boldness moved the cause of Christ forward in a remarkable way, changing millions of lives.
• 43. 5. A Bias For Action • We have plenty of thinkers in the church and not enough doers. • Entrepreneurs bring a bias for action that is often astonishing. Spiritual entrepreneurs accomplish things nobody else accomplishes because they do things nobody else is willing to do. • If you think about the (much criticized) innovations in today’s church (video venues, multisite churches, online campuses etc.) you realize that you open yourself to a world of criticism when you start bold new things. So what?
• 44. The Missing Link! • We are loaded with the gift of shepherding, but we’re desperately missing the gift of spiritual entrepreneurship in the church today. • It is time for today’s church to let leaders lead and care for fifties, hundreds, or thousands, of people through volunteer shepherd (some call them small group leaders). • Through this let off, those with gifts of spiritual entrepreneurship will have the space to innovate and grow their people physically and spiritually.
• 45. “When it comes to spiritual gifting in today’s church, we are quite literally missing the boat.” Carey Nieuwhof
• 46. What Spiritual Entrepreneurs Should Do! Generation
• 47. 1. The Location of new Parishes • The Location of new Parishes can no longer be done without considerable thinking. • Accessibility as well as ease of parking without constituting a nuisance to the host community must be of prime consideration in the decision to plant a Parish.
• 48. 2. Appearance and Outlook: • First timers often make up their minds about their stay in a Church within the first five minutes of their first visit. • The appearance of most people in the Church and the general outlook of the Church form the basis of the decision of the fresher to return after service.
• 49. 3. Communication: • Communication is the life wire of relationships. • How you communicate in your Church matters. • Adults tend to retain only 30% of what they hear while over 60% of what adults see is retained. • You therefore must learn to create pictures with words that endure.
• 50. 4. Problem Solving: • Any Pastor who hopes to sustainably grow His or her Church must transform to a “Mega Pastor”. • Today’s congregation expects their pastor to combine the attributes of a spiritual adviser, counsellor, financial adviser, medical guide, trainer, coach and engineer. • You must develop yourself to be multi-skilled and multi-talented apart from possessing an entrepreneurial mindset.
• 51. 5. Being technologically savvy • Technology is the default tool in today’s world. • If you want to grow your Church you must be open- minded and embrace technological platforms as well as social media for the purpose of the gospel. • You have to be able to hold e-meetings using such tools as GoToMeeting, Moodle, Skype, Facebook, WhatsApp etc. These are tools that are used to reduce physical contact time in management and social interactions. • The era of spiritualizing every issue has gone.
• 53. What Millennials Want from Church • Millennials are noted as belonging to a generation that: • Is extremely tech savvy and tech-dependent • Is driven towards career advancement in a particular field rather than loyalty to a company or organization • Sees instant gratification as a right not a privilege • Is team-oriented when it comes to completing job tasks • Desires and expects transparency and to be treated with equality by their supervisors and superiors • Is interested in knowing what is real and relevant
• 54. Research Reveals What Keeps Millennials in Church: An interview with the authors of "Growing Young." • The Fuller Youth Institute, a research institute in California that equips leaders in the church with best practices, conducted research to uncover what the biggest challenges facing the church in this area are. • Their strategy of leveraging the high-level research into practical resources has led to one of the most comprehensive and collaborative studies to date of churches that are thriving with young people.
• 55. • After nearly four years, 10,000 hours of research time, 1,300 interviews, more meetings of people with PhDs than you’d want to imagine and translating all of this data into an accessible format, Kara Powell, Jake Mulder, and Brad Griffin have released Growing Young: 6 Essential Strategies to Help Young People Discover and Love Your Church. • The study centred around 250 churches that have been the most effective in reaching young people in America today, particularly those between ages 15-29. The purpose of their study was to understand why these churches are growing young, countering the “growing old” effect most churches are experiencing.
• 56. Growing Young: A Book • “Multiple studies highlight that 40 to 50 percent of youth group seniors—like the young people in your church—drift from God and the faith community after they graduate from high school.” • Kara Powell, Jake Mulder, and Brad Griffin cite this statistic at the outset of their new book, Growing Young.
• 57. • What the research did not reveal was as interesting to me as what it did reveal. In the first chapter, the authors briefly outline “10 Qualities Your Church Doesn’t Need in Order to Grow Young.” That list includes: • A precise size • A trendy location or region • An exact age • A popular denomination…or lack of denomination • An off-the-charts cool quotient • A big, modern building • A big budget • A “contemporary” worship service • A watered-down teaching style • A hyper-entertaining ministry program • Some churches effectively engaging young people had these ten qualities, others didn’t. In other words, they weren’t necessary or sufficient for engaging young people.
• 58. Growing Young: Six Essential Strategies to Help Young People • What did the research reveal? It showed that churches that are “growing young” make six “core commitments”: • Unlock keychain leadership. Instead of centralizing authority, empower others—especially young people. • Empathize with today’s young people. Instead of judging or criticizing, step into the shoes of this generation. • Take Jesus’ message seriously. Instead of asserting formulaic gospel claims, welcome young people into a Jesus-centred way of life. • Fuel a warm community. Instead of focusing on cool worship or programs, aim for warm peer and intergenerational friendships. • Prioritize young people (and families) everywhere. Instead of giving lip service to how much young people matter, look for creative ways to tangibly support, resource, and involve them in all facets of your congregation. • Be the best neighbours. Instead of condemning the world outside your walls, enable young people to neighbour well locally and globally.
• 59. • Who should read Growing Young? • Whoever cares about young people—clergy or laity, paid staff or volunteer, young or old. • We especially encourage senior pastors to read it. Why? They’re the church’s primary vision caster, mission bearer, and values leader. • Engaging young people today can’t be delegated (or relegated). • Growing young must become part of the church’s culture.
• 60. **What the Millennials says: • Millennials are not interested in a celestial Jesus with a permanent smile and open arms, unconcerned with the goings-on of planet Earth. We’ve heard about that Jesus our entire lives, and we’re not buying it. • Do you know what we would buy? Jesus the man, Jesus the prophet, the Jesus that fashioned a whip of cords and overturned the tables of the money changers for making God’s house a den of robbers. The Jesus that challenged the establishment and paid the ultimate price. The Jesus that took up the cross of the poor, the weak, and the marginalized in the name of God. **https://www.huffingtonpost.com/christian-chiakulas/churches-millennials-if-they-just-did-this_b_8215846.html
• 61. • I’m all for love and a personal relationship with God, but I choose to follow the man who teaches that political action is worship, that social justice is love. • What I and people my age are looking for is a church that preaches not just transcendental love, but that prophetic fire that makes Jesus so appealing. **https://www.huffingtonpost.com/christian-chiakulas/churches-millennials-if-they-just-did-this_b_8215846.html
• 62. Conclusion • As we prepare for the harvest that the Lord Jesus promised His Church, the Ministers must double their efforts to position themselves and the gospel to Attract and Retain the souls who Jesus Christ died for without compromising the message of the cross.
• 63. “Truth be told, there is no way we can double without doubling our efforts, and without changing our approaches and strategies.”
• 64. References Consulted • RCCG 2017 Province-Based Ministers Conference Handbook. CRM Press, Redemption Camp, Move, Nigeria. Pgs 2-3 • Philip Bump. Here Is When Each Generation Begins and Ends, According to Fact. Retrieved on Oct.14/17 from https://www.theatlantic.com/ national/archive/2014/03/ • 16 Positive Qualities Of Millennial. Retrieved 14/10/17 from https://www.theodysseyonline.com/positive-qualities-millennials • Carey Nieuwhof. Why We Need More Entrepreneurial Church Leaders, Not More Shepherds. Retrieved from https://careynieuwhof.com on Oct.14/17 • Why We Need an Entrepreneurial Church. A Q&A with Chris Lowney. Retrieved from https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/ on Oct.14/2017. • Douglas Main. Who are the millennials? Retrieved on Oct.14, 2017 from https://www.livescience.com/38061-millennials-generation-y.html • The Review of Growing Young By Kara Powell, Jake Mulder and Brad Griffin, from https://georgepwood.com/2016/09/20

How 12 Templates for Church Vision Will Transform Your Leadership

The 12 Templates for church vision as a resource made the subtitle of God Dreams — my first major book release since Church Unique in 2008. God Dreams is toolbox for installing a visionary planning model in your church. The master tool of the book is called the Horizon Storyline and it fits inside of the Vision Frame–more on that to come. SO WHAT ARE THE 12 TEMPLATES? The Horizon Storyline will engage your thinking on church vision 5-20 years into the future depending on the age and life stage of your ministry. When it comes to thinking this far away, I have found that it is very difficult getting people on the same page. Vision that distance into the future can seem fuzzy or unnecessary to think about.  The 12 templates were designed as an on-ramp to vibrant imagination and dialogue as a leadership team. Think of the 12 templates as a vision typology. When believers sit together and dream about the impact they want to have in the world, I believe any dream can be ultimately defined by one of the templates. It's church vision made that simple. In fact, that's how the templates emerged in my mind. About 4 years ago I had crossed the 10,000 hour mark of facilitating with church teams. I began to see the patterns crystallize in my mind. We have been using these tools for about 4 years at Auxano, and a year ago, I decided that we needed to put it in a book. The visuals and definitions of the 12 templates are available on the free download below. HOW WILL THEY TRANSFORM YOUR LEADERSHIP? Most teams select and relate the top two templates for their church. For example, New Break in San Diego uses the "leadership multiplication leading to targeted transformation" as their picture idea. From there you build out a vivid description of your long-range vision horizon. (God Dreams walks through this process). In the end, the transformative nature of having a long-range vision comes from the brand new ability to:

• Increase your confidence as a leader
• Shape the destiny of the whole congregation
• Create deeper meaning for individuals
• Cultivate heroic sacrifice among people
• Focus the resource base of the church 
• Guide the development of long-term strategy

The state of church vision is so anorexic with regard to this kind of long-range thinking that it's hard to recognize it any more. We are trafficking in such general ideas, we no longer recognize the lack of meaning of anything beyond sermon series planning or the next annual budget. Where does that leave our people? They are not emotionally connected to anything that our church represents or the impact we can have, beyond the next weekend service or small group. Let me ask you: What kind of dramatic gospel impact will your church have in your community, in your lifetime?  Download the  12 Templates Overview Templates that ADVANCE (arrow)

• Geographic (Gospel) Saturation
• Targeted Transformation
• People-group Penetration

Templates that RESCUE (cross)

• Institutional Renovation
• Need Adoption
• Crisis Mobilization

Templates that BECOME (circle)

• Spiritual Formation
• Presence Manifestation
• Obedient Anticipation

Templates that OVERFLOW (wave)

• Leadership Multiplication
• Cultural Replication
• Anointing Amplification

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30+ Examples of Church Vision Statements

By Church Relevance Team | Mar 27, 2013 | Communicate

Last Updated on December 9th, 2019

Church vision statements can bring meaning and direction to your team. According to  Top Non Profits , a church vision statement is  a short  statement describing the clear and inspirational long-term desired change resulting from an organization or program’s work.   

Defining your church’s desired change helps everyone to be on the same page. So what does a good vision statement look like? How do you go about writing a church vision statement? Is it possible to define your church’s goal in one sentence? Should it be a long sentence or a short sentence?  

Keep in mind that a church vision statement is different than a church mission statement. For more on church mission statements, check out this article.  

Here are findings and examples of church vision statement examples to get you started. 

General Findings 

• The best vision statements are inspirational, clear, memorable, and concise.
• The average number of words in these church vision statements is 15 words. Your church vision statement does not have to be long and strenuous. You want your church staff and church members to see the vision of what your church will look like in the future.  
• The shortest vision statement from this list contains only 4 words (Westover Hills)
• The longest vision statement from this list contains 127 words (Planetshakers) 
• Many churches intentionally or unintentionally blend elements of mission statements (what they do) into their vision statements (the desired end state). 

30 Church Vision Statement Examples 

• Westover Hills (San Antonio, TX) : A Place for Everyone. (4 words) 
• The Rock (San Diego, CA) : Living out what we believe. (5 words) 
• City on a Hill (Melbourne, Australia) : Knowing Jesus and Making Jesus Known. (6 words) 
• East 91st Street Christian Center (Indianapolis, IN) : Helping people take next steps with Jesus. (7 words) 
• Brainerd Baptist (Chattanooga, TN) : From the Scenic City to the World. (7 Words) 
• Church of Christ the King (Brighton, England) : Helping people find their way back to God. (8 words) 
• Christ Church of the Valley (Peoria, AZ) : A place where faith and real life intersect. (8 words) 
• HighPoint Church (Memphis, TN) : We believe this is His vision for us. (8 words)
• Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church (Ft Lauderdale, FL) : A Gospel-centered church that equips culture shaping Christians. (9 words) 
• Missio Dei Church (Cincinnati, OH) : We are a gospel-centered, city-focused, church community. (9 words) 
• Mars Hill (Grandville, MI) : A Jesus people for the sake of the world. (9 words) 
• NewSpring Church (Anderson, SC) : We exist to connect people to Jesus and each other. (10 words) 
• The Journey (St Louis, MO) :  Our city awakened to and transformed by the love of Jesus. (11 words) 
• Gateway Church (Southlake, TX) : To see people saved, healed, set free, discipled, equipped, empowered, and serving. (12 words) 
• Christ Fellowship (Miami, FL) : We’re a multi-cultural church that seeks to make fully devoted followers of Christ. (13 words) 
• Austin Stone Community Church (Austin, TX) : To love God, love the church, love the city, and love the nations. (13 words) 
• LifeChurch (Edmond, OK) : To make a lasting difference in your life, in our community, and in the world. (15 words) 
• Hillsong (Sydney, Australia) : Hillsong is a church that believes in Jesus, a church that loves God and people. (15 words) 
• Willow Creek (South Barrington, IL) : To be a biblically functional community of believers so Christ’s redemptive purposes can be accomplished in the world.  (18 words) 
• Perimeter Church (Johns Creek, GA) : To make and deploy mature and equipped followers of Christ for the sake of Family, Community and Global Transformation. (19 words) 
• Glide (San Francisco, CA) : GLIDE is a radically inclusive, just and loving community mobilized to alleviate suffering and break the cycles of poverty and marginalization.  (21 words) 
• Gateway Scottsdale (Scottsdale, AZ) : At Gateway, we are committed to helping every person believe in Jesus, belong to a family, become a disciple and build His kingdom. (23 words) 
• Glad Tidings (Omaha, NE) : Good News is a church where anyone can be transformed by the story of Jesus. We are a multicultural Christian congregation that meets in the Aksarben area. (27 words) 
• Saddleback (Lake Forest, CA) : To welcome the community with open arms. To train an army of people who are passionate about living out God’s purpose for their lives. To then give that army an outlet for sharing the love of Christ through outreach and missions. (41 words) 
• Redeemer Presbyterian Church (New York, NY) : The Redeemer family of churches and ministries exist to help build a great city for all people through a movement of the gospel that brings personal conversion, community formation, social justice, and cultural renewal to New York City and, through it, the world. (43 words) 
• Celebration Church (Jacksonville, FL) : “Therefore go make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you, always, to the end of the age.” -Matthew 28:19-20 NIV (50 words) 
• FairHaven  (Centerville, OH ): We believe everyone needs the hope Jesus offers, so our passion is to help people find that hope and grow in a relationship with Him. We emphasize grace and acceptance, yet we’re equally passionate about truth, as we help people understand who Jesus is and how to take the next right step in their journey of faith. (57 words) 
• Biltmore Baptist (Arden, NC) : “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:18-20 (62 words) 
• The Potter’s House (Dallas, TX) : We are a ministry founded on biblical principles. We serve in the spirit of excellence with integrity and compassion for our community, our nation, and our world. We have established a reputation for reaching the lost and broken and to minister and serve them with the utmost level of dignity and respect. We are recognized for our dedication to academic and spiritual excellence and mentoring and supporting spiritual leaders. Our environment inspires maximum participation, promotes personal satisfaction, and supports and molds effective leadership. (83 words) 
• Planetshakers (Melbourne, Australia) : To bring Christ to their world because… “the Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor, He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow to them a crown of beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for morning, and a garment of praise instead of the spirit of despair. They will be called mighty oaks, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.” – Isaiah 61:1-3 (127 words) 

Things to Keep in Mind 

If you are struggling with the idea of mission statement versus vision statement,  Bain and Company  provide a great analysis of the two: 

A Mission Statement defines the company’s business, its objectives, and its approach to reach those objectives. A Vision Statement describes the desired future position of the company.   

Your church vision statement should also complement your church mission statement. They should have the same heart and perspective so your church has unified goals. You want everyone to be running in the same direction so you can make an impact on your community.   

This communal impact is what drives your vision statement. The purpose of a church vision statement is to keep you heading in the right direction as you lay the groundwork for the future of your church. 

How This List Was Compiled 

• Churches were sorted based on the length and organized from shortest to longest (based on the number of words). 

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Seven Essentials for an Effective Church Vision

Uncategorized | Apr 17, 2017

A clear compelling vision is an essential foundation for every ministry to be effective for the long-term. For pastors and other church leaders, it requires seeing into the future your church’s Kingdom role. And for a season, the leaders will point the people toward the vision until it is reached or expanded. The church’s mission is the Great Commission, but a specific church’s vision will clarify and inspire their unique role as they live out their own Great Commission journey. The vision clarifies what the church should do or not do. It sets the agenda, priorities, and budget for the future. It guides the leaders during their season of leadership.

Aubrey Malphurs uses a list called Questioning the Dream as a means of providing clarity. I have relied on this list several times in my 21-year leadership journey at Midway Church.

Is the vision clear? Can others understand it?

In the process of crafting the vision have we used language that is clear and comprehensible? Are we using long words when short ones will do? If so, we need to edit.

Is it challenging? When other people hear it, are they inspired?

The purpose of crafting the vision will be in vain if, after hearing it, your people are unmoved. The end of the communication should be a “fire in the belly” of your church members (or organization members). They should be as passionate about it as are you.

Is it visual? Does it create mental images of a better future for the church and its community?

While I recommend graphics to support any printed material or sermon outlines, I mainly want to know, “Does it create a mental picture?” Stories of people facing crisis that tie-in to the vision are impacting. When people hear it, do they have an “a ha” moment? Does it click?

Is it future oriented?

A vision learns from the past but does not live in the past. Vision is about the future. The vision builds a bridge from the past to the future. It is a picture of a preferred future rather than whatever future happens to roll along. It’s a picture of what should be if you act, rather than what will be if you don’t. Most people do not look to the future, but to the past. They crave the stability and familiarity of the known. Your vision should give them a clear depiction of what the future should like for God to be honored.

Is it realistic yet stretching?

The vision must be big enough to inspire people but realistic enough so as to maintain credibility. If your church has 100 in attendance in a city of 5,000, your people probably will not see a goal of “1,000 More in a Year” as remotely realistic—especially if your facility’s seating capacity is only 200.

Does it inspire passion? After hearing it, do people feel energized to devote themselves to it?

When your people hear the vision they should think, “This is something I should be involved with, and I cannot imagine walking away from it.” They should not think, “I hope the preacher has fun with this.” And more important than what they think is what they feel ! Your people’s emotions should be stirred.

Is it culturally relevant? Can it be understood and embraced by the people in the church?

It must be in terms the people in your church can grasp. Think about your church, your community, your people, your gifts, your leadership ability. You may apply some things you learned at your last conference, but don’t try to turn your church into a suburban “McChurch” if “Farmville” is your people’s language.

Aubrey Malphurs, Developing a Vision for Ministry in the 21 st  Century , Baker Books, Grand Rapids, 1999, p. 75-76.

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Creating A Church Vision Statement: A Guide

When you are creating or casting church vision statements, it is essential to consider a prophetic vision that articulates the future of the church.

What is a church vision?

The vision is  where you are heading  – “we will be/see..” Vision is future-orientated and focuses on where we are going. A church vision is an idealistic dream, so it inspires and speaks to the heart. A vision is ‘seen’ with eyes of faith and is ‘felt’, bringing shape to tomorrow. The vision reveals the destination, to be steered and moved towards.

What is a church vision statement?

A church vision statement articulates the destination and direction for the church to move towards. It is the God-spoken future for the church and the ultimate goal for success. It answers the question ‘where is the church going?’

Why is a vision statement important?

It brings clarity on the long-term destination that God is leading the church, helping leaders make decisions today. Vision brings focus, after all .

What does a healthy vision statement bring to a church?

• A vision statement paints a picture of what the successful apostolic mission looks like.
• It clarifies church cultures that must be non-negotiable.
• It guides the selection and development of church structure so the right people and programs are in place for success.
• It enables the strategic setting of wise goals, targets and objectives that align with it.

What happens if a statement is lacking?

There could mean there is be no target to aim for, or defining picture of what success looks like. There can be organisational drift and leadership that comes from a place of reaction, rather than intention. There could be disunity and confusion because of an unclear or non-existent guiding picture.

How do you develop a church vision statement?

Clarifying and developing church vision statements requires time and conversation, but the rewards and benefits are worth it! I’ve developed a FREE resource – my Prophetic Vision Pulse Check – which will help you begin the process of developing your own church vision statement. You can download it from  HERE .

This post is part of a series on Healthy Principles For Church Organisational Structure. You can see links to the others posts in this series here.

• What constitutes a healthy church organisational structure?
• Be clear on the difference between mission and vision
• Develop a mission statement
• Develop a vision statement
• Develop a core values statement
• Develop a leadership structure

To find out the current health of your church in these areas, I have developed a free church health assessment. You can take it by clicking here .

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This information was very helpful. I can now assist the Team to develop our Church Vision statement.

That’s great, Miriam. How did your team get on?

I greatly appreciate your insight and will be using this inspiring content in the engaging of our church, as we push forward collectively as a body of believers with purpose within our community. GOD IS SO GOOD 🔥!!!! ALL GLORY BE TO GOD!!!! Thank You Immensely For All You Do For The Kingdom of God🙏 God Bless!!! KINGSLEY FULL GOSPEL

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Creating a Meaningful Church Vision Statement

Emma Davis September 30, 2024 Uncategorized Leave a Comment

Is your church looking to create a vision statement? Or maybe you want to cast a new vision and refresh your congregation. Our ultimate example of vision casting is Jesus Christ, and we can always go to the source for what our vision as a church should be. There are a few ways to go about writing your vision statement, and we want to help you succeed. From knowing your mission to actually writing your vision statement, we hope this article helps inspire you!

“Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction. Servants cannot be corrected by mere words; though they understand, they will not respond.” – Proverbs 29:18-19

Estimated reading time: 12 minutes

Table of contents

How to write a vision statement, does a church need a vision, 1. it clarifies purpose, 2. it unites the congregation, 3. it inspires action, 4. it guides decision-making, 5. it helps overcome obstacles, 6. it encourages generosity, 7. it facilitates growth, 32 church vision statements, more resources on vision, what is a church vision statement.

A church vision statement is a written expression of any church’s ambition. It is a clear and concise declaration of the desired change resulting from the work they do.

Every church leader longs to impact the surrounding community and change the world. Your vision statement is a proclamation of that desire. Think of your church’s vision statement as an “elevator pitch” for your church. Crafting it as a fast and simple way to communicate with a stranger about your church in a way that piques their interest is a perfect approach.

Creating a vision for your church is the process of creating a clear, inspiring and compelling statement that outlines the future direction and impact of the church. It is a process that helps align the unique gifts and resources of your organization with God’s will, and wisely plan for how to best use these resources.

The overall vision should both reflect who you are as an organization, and set direction for where you are headed. It serves as a guidepost to help the church make better decisions, prioritize spending, and get everyone moving in a unified direction.

The mission is “God’s plan for all churches.” Church mission statements are transferable from congregation to congregation. Mission statements declare a high-level and general plan. It is a good beginning point, but it is insufficient by itself.

Macquarie Life Church has a great mission statement, “To bring others ‘Towards Christ’, as we show kindness to others, and share the message of the hope of Jesus.” Specifically, a church’s mission statement differs from a vision statement as it builds upon the overall mission of your church and what you will accomplish.

The vision is “God’s specific plan for a specific church at a specific time.” This definition communicates that this vision is usually not transferrable from congregation to congregation. The vision should consider the specific context of the church and the specific context of the church’s community .

The church Dwelling Place has a specific vision statement that can pertain only to them. “We exist to see Jesus treasured by multiplying faith-filled disciples through multiplying missional/maturing Gospel Communities throughout our area in Seattle and among unreached peoples.”

Using this definition of vision, it would be possible to have more than one vision. Typically it’s recommended that a church work on one vision at a time, but some churches feel comfortable focusing on two or three.

Strategy is “a plan of action to achieve the church’s vision.” If you say you are going to pray for 5,000 homes in Texas without a plan, the vision will not become a reality.

The strategy of the church could become more focused and then be: “We will pray for 500 homes every month in 2024. To be clear, the church does not have to use an existing resource to accomplish its vision. The resource, however, can be helpful if it takes care of many of the details church members and leaders would have to do.

Tactics are the steps, actions, timetables, and responsibilities someone carries out in the strategy. To be effective, tactics should include deadlines, persons assigned to carry out or be responsible for tasks, and all the other actions necessary to accomplish the strategy,

It’s usually not feasible to have a statement of tactics similar to the vision statement, the mission statement, and the strategy. There are far too many details to consolidate into a concise statement. Many leaders find it helpful, however, to create a visual representation of how the vision and strategy will be accomplished. The visual should include all the minute details of the tactics. Again, we often recommend using existing resources since most of the details are almost already done.

If you’re getting started with the process of crafting a church vision statement, follow the tips below to help guide you.

• Pray. Apart from God, we can do nothing.
• Consult your team. Consider having each leader write their own vision statement for the church , then bring those ideas together.
• Balance big dreams with precise language. Don’t hold back on your vision, but articulate it with specificity.
• Keep it short. The goal is to make it easy to memorize.
• Use the Great Commission as your guide.

For any church, a strategic plan is not simply a projection-based exercise. It is a process that both begins and end with prayer. Ultimately, God is the one that gives vision. But we partner with God to take action toward accomplishing that vision. Our attitude in this process should always be to seek God’s will in all things and to pray that our hearts with be aligned with His.

We make space for God to move in and through our church. Creating a vision statement, then, not only aligns our actions with God’s will, it sets our church up for long-term health and helps ensure everyone is on the same page. Because having a vision to guide our ministry decisions, brings meaning, it sustains ministry, motivates those that are a part of our congregation, and energizes the growth of our organization.

Why is Vision so Important in the Church?

Having a vision is so important for the health and longevity of your church . Not only does it set direction and guide ministry decisions, it sustains ministry, motivates those who are a part of the congregation, brings meaning, and energizes the growth of your organization. We put together seven reasons why we believe vision casting is an essential part of a healthy, thriving church:

Every church has a purpose beyond Sunday services. Casting a clear vision helps members understand that larger purpose. Where there is a lack of clarity, people begin asking questions about what the goal of our church is. With a vision, the answer becomes clear.

With a shared vision, the congregation becomes united in one purpose. Instead of multiple groups pulling in different directions, everyone moves forward with a common goal in mind, fostering unity and collective strength.

When the people in your church understand the vision, they are more likely to get involved. Whether it’s joining a ministry, participating in community outreach, or giving generously, a compelling vision can motivate action.

For the church leadership team, countless decisions arise daily. Having a well-defined vision offers a touchstone against which all decisions can be measured. Does a potential program or initiative align with the vision? If not, it might be worth reconsidering.

Every church faces challenges and will continue to. But with a clear vision, these challenges become surmountable obstacles rather than impassable roadblocks. The vision reminds everyone of the bigger picture and the higher calling. 

When people have a vision to support, it builds trust in how the leaders of the church are stewarding the resources, and it gives people a reason to give. People are much more willing to support a cause when they know what that cause is and why it matters.

Benjamin Franklin once said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!” A church without a vision will stagnate. But with a vision, you provide a framework for growth, both spiritually and numerically.

• Westover Hills (San Antonio, TX) : A Place for Everyone.
• The Rock (San Diego, CA) : Living out what we believe.
• City on a Hill (Melbourne, Australia) : Knowing Jesus and Making Jesus Known.
• East 91st Street Christian Center (Indianapolis, IN) : Helping people take next steps with Jesus.
• Brainerd Baptist (Chattanooga, TN) : From the Scenic City to the World.
• Church of Christ the King (Brighton, England) : Helping people find their way back to God.
• Christ Church of the Valley (Peoria, AZ) : A place where faith and real life intersect.
• HighPoint Church (Memphis, TN) : We believe this is His vision for us.
• Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church (Ft Lauderdale, FL) : A Gospel-centered church that equips culture shaping Christians.
• Missio Dei Church (Cincinnati, OH) : We are a gospel-centered, city-focused, church community.
• Mars Hill (Grandville, MI) : A Jesus people for the sake of the world.
• NewSpring Church (Anderson, SC) : We exist to connect people to Jesus and each other.
• The Journey (St Louis, MO) :  Our city awakened to and transformed by the love of Jesus.
• Gateway Church (Southlake, TX) : To see people saved, healed, set free, discipled, equipped, empowered, and serving.
• Christ Fellowship (Miami, FL) : We’re a multi-cultural church that seeks to make fully devoted followers of Christ.
• Austin Stone Community Church (Austin, TX) : To love God, love the church, love the city, and love the nations.
• LifeChurch (Edmond, OK) : To make a lasting difference in your life, in our community, and in the world.
• Hillsong (Sydney, Australia) : Hillsong is a church that believes in Jesus, a church that loves God and people.
• Willow Creek (South Barrington, IL) : To be a biblically functional community of believers so Christ’s redemptive purposes can be accomplished in the world.
• Perimeter Church (Johns Creek, GA) : To make and deploy mature and equipped followers of Christ for the sake of Family, Community and Global Transformation.
• Glide (San Francisco, CA) : GLIDE is a radically inclusive, just and loving community mobilized to alleviate suffering and break the cycles of poverty and marginalization.  
• Gateway Scottsdale (Scottsdale, AZ) : At Gateway, we are committed to helping every person believe in Jesus, belong to a family, become a disciple and build His kingdom.
• Glad Tidings (Omaha, NE) : Good News is a church where anyone can be transformed by the story of Jesus. We are a multicultural Christian congregation that meets in the Aksarben area.
• Saddleback (Lake Forest, CA) : To welcome the community with open arms. To train an army of people who are passionate about living out God’s purpose for their lives. To then give that army an outlet for sharing the love of Christ through outreach and missions.
• Redeemer Presbyterian Church (New York, NY) : The Redeemer family of churches and ministries exist to help build a great city for all people through a movement of the gospel that brings personal conversion, community formation, social justice, and cultural renewal to New York City and, through it, the world.
• Celebration Church (Jacksonville, FL) : “Therefore go make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you, always, to the end of the age.” -Matthew 28:19-20 NIV
• FairHaven  (Centerville, OH ): We believe everyone needs the hope Jesus offers, so our passion is to help people find that hope and grow in a relationship with Him. We emphasize grace and acceptance, yet we’re equally passionate about truth, as we help people understand who Jesus is and how to take the next right step in their journey of faith.
• Biltmore Baptist (Arden, NC) : “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:18-20
• The Potter’s House (Dallas, TX) : We are a ministry founded on biblical principles. We serve in the spirit of excellence with integrity and compassion for our community, our nation, and our world. We have established a reputation for reaching the lost and broken and to minister and serve them with the utmost level of dignity and respect. We are recognized for our dedication to academic and spiritual excellence and mentoring and supporting spiritual leaders. Our environment inspires maximum participation, promotes personal satisfaction, and supports and molds effective leadership.
• Planetshakers (Melbourne, Australia) : To bring Christ to their world because… “the Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor, He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow to them a crown of beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for morning, and a garment of praise instead of the spirit of despair. They will be called mighty oaks, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.” – Isaiah 61:1-3
• Church of the Highlands (Birmingham, Alabama) : We’re here to help people Know God, Find Freedom, Discover their Purpose, and Make a Difference.
• Elevation Church (Charlotte, North Carolina) : See what God can do through you.
• How To Align Your Team With Your Vision
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• When It’s Time To Plant A Church

About The Author

Emma currently lives in Texas where she loves to write, read, and bake. She graduated from Hillsong College in Australia and received her degree in Communications from DBU in Dallas. She uses her passion for writing to communicate the love God has for his people.

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