VISION&

THE MISSIONAL CHURCH

Developing the Church’s Vision

Questions to Ask to Develop Church Vision

Why does the church exist? What are we to be as a church? What are we to do as a church? How does what we are manifest itself in and

out of the church?

Five Tasks of the Church in Mission

Love the Lord with all your heart Love your neighbor as yourself

Spiritual ministryPhysical ministry

Going – outward focus Make disciples Assist disciples in forming churches Teaching them to follow Christ

Defining the Purpose of the Church

The church represents God's purpose on earth by honoring God and making the way of reconciliation through his son known to all people through spiritual and physical service in his name.

• Mt. 28:18• Mk. 16:15-16• Jn. 17:18, 21; 20:21• Acts 1:8

Goal of Missional Church in Community

Reaching the unchurchedBecoming disciplesParticipating in the body of believers

Regular attenders (adherents)Become disciples

MembersSpiritual growth

Maturing membersFinding areas to serve

Develop serving membersSending out or releasing to ministry

Missional Church as Missionary Source

The church matures members for greater missions

The church is God’s instrument for missions The church develops missionaries and

ministers for service The church is the best training ground for

missionaries The church is the place for maturing workers The church is the sender of missionaries

Purpose for Developing Missional Vision

It’s biblical It gives the church direction It helps define the areas of ministry It guides the activities and programs It builds morale Reduces frustration Allows concentration of efforts Attracts cooperation Assists in evaluation of the church’s work

Articulating the Church’s Vision

It should be biblical It should point to God’s mission It should be specific It should be memorable It should be measurable

Stating the Envisioned MissionTo bring people to Jesus and membership in his family, develop them to Christlike maturity, and equip them for their ministry in the church and life mission in the world, in order to magnify God’s name.

Saddleback – Purpose Driven Church

Reaching out to the World...Preaching to the Unsaved...Teaching the Saved to Serve

To connect people to Jesus Christ and to each other.

Ways of Engaging the Church in the Vision

Design church programs around the vision Educate members on the vision and purpose Teach new members the vision & purpose of the

church Start small groups for implementing the vision Develop leadership in pursuing the vision (not

necessarily hired) Structure ministries around the vision Preach on the elements of the vision Budget based on the missions to reach the vision Plan times to emphasize elements of the vision Evaluate meeting the goals of the church’s mission

False Assumptions of the Church’s Mission

Only concerned with number of members You must choose between quality & quantity You must compromise the message & mission

of the church in order to grow If your dedicate enough your church will grow There is one key to church growth All God expects of us is faithfulness Growth is dependent on us