I am a big believer that a clear, compelling vision is a major catalyst for effective leadership.

A leader has to have, to the best of their ability, a vivid, desirable picture of where they are headed if they want people to follow. But this picture cannot just be in their minds, I believe it is a must that this picture be put into words.

It is for that reason that I have invested the time, effort, and energy to create a vision for both the church I was privileged to start and for the staff team that I am privileged to lead. These written-out visions have been very helpful in providing a "northstar" for measuring success and determining direction.

With that in mind, as theMOVEMENT enters its fourth year as a church, we are being more intentional about making sure that our community understands that we are led by a team of pastors - not just myself! In an effort to lead the pastoral team as effectively as possible to serve the church, I have recently come up with this vision that I hope inspires us and guides us for many years to come.

THE PASTORAL TEAM I SEE

LEADS TOGETHER

The pastoral team I see leads together. We gather a sense of where God is leading and we lead our church in the same direction. The pastoral team I see leads with faith, conviction, and boldness. The pastoral team I see is convinced that the height, depth, and width of our faith-filled leadership decisions will determine the height, depth, and width of the faith of those who call theMOVEMENT their church. The pastoral team I see is unified in our leadership and we refuse to move forward on a decision or a direction until we all have a sense of peace and rightness about where we believe the Lord is leading our church community.

SHEPHERDS TOGETHER

The pastoral team I see shepherds together. We understand that no one pastor can single-handedly care for the needs of the entire flock. The pastoral team I see invests their time with the individuals and families within the congregation to the point where, as a team, we have a strong handle on how the majority of our community members are doing with their personal walks with the Lord. The pastoral team I see shepherds towards obedience in every area of a person’s life, and we do so with grace and with truth. If given the choice between speaking the truth and being liked, the pastoral team I see speaks truth every. single. time. The pastoral team I see also shepherds each other giving special attention to the health and well-being of the Lead Pastor.

TEACHES TOGETHER

The pastoral team I see teaches together. We buy in whole-heartedly to the truth that the proclaimed Word of God is central to the health of the church and the responsibility for that teaching lies squarely on our shoulders. The pastoral team I see is united around what is being taught and how it is being taught. The pastoral team I see is aware of the spiritual needs of the congregation and ensures that many of those needs are being met though the teaching. The teaching of the pastoral team I see is characterized by a sensitivity to those who are far from Christ and an emphasis on the finished work of Christ being the power for salvation!

PRAYS TOGETHER

The pastoral team I see prays together. We know that apart from the power and presence of God, what we are endeavoring to accomplish is impossible. The pastoral team I see is simultaneously humbled by the enormity of the task yet hopeful and reliant upon the Holy Spirit of God to empower us for every good work to which we’ve been called. The pastoral team I see adds fasting to our prayer because we are more hungry for God’s power than we are for our comfort. The pastoral team I see prays for the will of God, we pray for the miracles of God, and we contend for the vision God has given us until it comes to pass!