Perhaps you have a clear, shared, and compelling vision, but you’re not seeing the momentum or results that you expected. Does that mean the vision is “wrong”? While lack of progress may point to a problem with the vision, it more frequently points to confusion about the visionpath.

If vision describes “where we are going,” visionpath describes “how we will get there.” The ministry world is often full of vision but deficient when it comes to developing a visionpath. Churches and other Christian organizations fall into one of two fatal visionpath traps. The first is producing a mind-numbing list of new initiatives in response to the vision. This approach spares the leaders from making hard choices about priorities in which they must choose to implement certain plans ahead of others. The end result is that nothing happens because the organization is overwhelmed, is incapable of doing all that is required, and doesn’t know how to allocate resources.

The second common problem is a complete lack of a visionpath. This often happens when a charismatic, visionary leader pronounces victory upon articulation of the vision. This leader tends to think the vision statement is all that is needed and that everyone will “get it.” But when he or she leaves the room, the rest of the troops look at each other with puzzled expressions and ask, “Now what?” They aren’t sure how to translate a motivating slogan into concrete plans.

The best visions are linked with visionpaths that are practical and feasible. Ministry leaders must be realistic about the human and financial resources that they have to work with. (This doesn’t mean that God is left out at this point.) A visionpath should describe who is responsible for an initiative, what is being done, and when it will be completed. When this happens, your ministry should be well on the road to getting unstuck. If not, the next blog will deal with a final obstacle to consider – divisions in the team.

If you truly want to get your ministry unstuck, the next thing to examine is your vision. In Leading Congregational Change, my co-authors and I define vision as a “clear, shared, and compelling picture of the preferred future to which God is calling your congregation [organization].” This definition points to several questions that can be used to examine whether your vision is the reason that you’re feeling stuck:

• Your congregation/organization: Vision cannot be copied from someone else. It needs to reflect the unique DNA of your ministry. Does your vision uniquely reflect your organization?
• God’s preferred future: A vision must be grounded in “who we are” but it must also describe “where God is leading us.” This does not mean that leaders see 3-5 years into the future, but when they prayerfully seek God, He will give enough glimpses for them to begin painting the picture of what that future will look like. Is your vision birthed out of prayer and pointing to the future?
• Clear: “Clear” implies that the vision has been made explicit, not just a vague concept. But beyond that, it also implies choices of what will and won’t be done as a result of the vision. That’s important because an effective vision should focus your efforts on the essentials and allow you to prune the non-essentials. Does your vision create this kind of clarity?
• Shared and compelling: This speaks to the high level of excitement and commitment that should be generated by the vision. It requires the right vision, but it also requires the right process and the involvement of the right people in discerning the vision. Is your vision shared and compelling?

Let me close with 3 common vision killers:

• Vision du jour is the tendency to create a new vision every 6-12 months. This may be a change in the formal vision statement or it may simply be a new emphasis that seems disconnected from previous ones. The best organizations have visions that drive their major decisions for years.
• Vision by committee is the kind of wordy, punchless vision that comes from having “too many cooks in the kitchen.” “Shared” is important, but powerful visions have one (or at most, two) human authors who have sought God and listened closely to the input of other leaders.
• Vision by accommodation is a vague, watered-down vision that attempts to please everyone. In doing so, it provides no direction and generates little excitement.

Is your ministry stuck because it lacks a real vision? If vision isn’t the issue, the next blog will consider another common problem: failure to turn vision into action.

As we enter a new year, a key question to ask is, “Do I really want to get unstuck?” While no one will publicly say that they want to remain frozen in place, choosing to get unstuck is an intentional, courageous act. It starts with admitting that the organization is stuck, that things are not what they should be. This simple admission is difficult for two reasons. First, it’s much more challenging to measure results in ministry than in business. That means it’s easier for you (or other leaders) to argue that you’re not really stuck. Second, you’re the leader, and acknowledging a problem requires accepting at least some of the responsibility.

Please  note, being stuck is not synonymous with being inactive. Your ministry can be stuck and be frantically busy at the same time. Think of a car stuck in the sand at the beach. The driver keeps stepping on the gas pedal and the wheels are spinning, but the car isn’t moving. Some organizations are stuck just like the car, with lots of activity but no forward movement.

Admitting the problem is an important step, but it’s not enough. Getting unstuck requires leaders who are willing to pay a price. That price includes the extra time and energy to establish new direction and momentum. It means facing criticism from those who are happy with the status quo. It often means admitting that you don’t have all the answer and asking for help.

If you’re ready to pay the price to get unstuck, then consider the three more common issues that cause ministries to be stuck:

• Lack of a clear, shared, compelling vision
• Lack of concrete plans to achieve the vision
• Lack of a cohesive, high-trust team

I’ll dig into these in my next three blogs.

One of our mantras as parents is, “If you know the right thing to do, then do it.” But am I passing the “do the right thing” test in my ministry? I am not talking about obvious ethical boundaries, such as propriety in relationships or appropriate financial dealings. Instead, I am asking about the important, direction-setting decisions that will drive or influence the church’s future. In most churches and most roles, it takes extra time and energy to do the right thing. Not only that, but many of us serve in churches that don’t seem to appreciate (or even want) boldness from us.  Instead, they prefer the status quo.

At the end of the day, it’s the internal – not external – factors that are the biggest impediment to my boldness. I could make a long and convincing list of the things that keep me from acting boldly. But what I need to do is to ignore the spirit of timidity (it’s not from God) and listen to the Spirit of power that’s calling me forward.

But more and more I find myself asking the question, “Am I leaving room for God, or have I left Him out of this process?” Many years of education, training, and life experience have taught me to rely on myself, and only go to God as a last resort. It’s easy to do this in leadership. Many competing demands scream for attention. And they’re usually not saying “Seek God in this” – they just say, “Fix it now!” It’s the tension of staying in our leadership chair or getting on our knees in prayer.

I believe the best answer is a balancing act in which we do both. God called us to be good stewards of all that He has given us, and that includes our abilities to take charge, make decisions, and solve problems. But He also wants us to be dependent on Him, to ask Him for wisdom and for His power to be made perfect in our weakness. So in the future, I hope you’ll find me in my chair AND on my knees.

Ever been in this situation?

As we’re rushing around preparing for Christmas – or gearing up for a new year full of ministry goals – we’d all do well to remember Simeon. We acts as if true joy and fulfillment is wrapped up in things and accomplishments. Simeon wants us to know that all of this fades away when we focus on and encounter the Messiah.

On the executive side, we’re running the operations, managing people, and making things happen. When there’s a financial shortfall, we’re figuring out where to cut. When a staff member under-performs, we’re giving clear feedback or sometimes letting someone go. When a new ministry is being launched, we’re thinking through the details that will enable it to succeed. And if we’re not careful, it will feel like we’re running a business rather than a Kingdom-minded enterprise.

On the pastor side, we’re caring for people or teaching God’s Word or “equipping the saints” to serve in areas that fit their gifts and passions. In a church that is large enough to have an executive pastor, there are endless opportunities to jump in and “do” ministry. And if we’re not careful, we may fill our schedules with these ministries, only to miss the more strategic opportunities that will help the entire organization function more effectively.

Those who come to an executive pastor role from the business realm need to quickly learn that their valuable skills must be adapted to be effective. The church cannot be run just like a business. Those who come into the role as trained clergy must acknowledge that business has valuable lessons to offer and that their leadership repertoire probably needs to be broadened.

Regardless of your background or how you came into the role, it’s important to understand the tension. In many ways, anyone in congregational leadership needs to wrestle with the question of executive or pastor? Those who are most successful will not choose one over the other, but will blend the two into a both/and solution.

Patrick Lencioni offers some great thoughts related to this subject in his current “Point of View” article entitled “Humbled by Sins of Omission.” He underscores the danger of leaders who are unwilling or unable to see that they may be part of the problem in their organizations. Lencioni focuses on issues related to managing people, but his point is broadly applicable.

Please note – I’m emphasizing the importance of self-assessment, but I’m not saying that it is a solo endeavor. Certainly you should examine where you need to improve as a leader and should pay attention to the clues around you. But the best leaders have one or two trusted friends who can point out the positive and negative qualities in the leader’s life. Who is doing that for you?

The 10+ years that I’ve served on staff have been a tremendous time of blessing and growth for me, and we’re excited to see what God has in store for us in this new chapter. As we prepare to turn the page, I’m reminded of God’s great promise in Lamentations: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (3:22-23). That’s a promise any of us can cling to, whether starting something new or not.