What is the Vision?

"Where there is no vision, the people perish." (Proverbs 29:18)

Today so many of our churches are dying for lack of vision and then lack of willingness to carry that vision toward fruition.

The word "vision" here literally means "revelation." Where there is no REVELATION. Where do we get revelation? From God is the best place for believers and churches. But so often we live in the "we've always done it this way," instead of the "What does God want now?" I know many churches who have the same fellowships every year, because we've always done this at this time of year. I know many churches still doing Sunday school and certain ministries the same way they've always done them because that's the way "we" do it. Are we open to God's revelation of new ways? Ralph Neighbor said many, many years ago that the 7 last words of the church were, "We've never done it that way before." Does that statement lack God's vision--His revelation. God continues to reveal Himself, His purposes, His ways. (Henry Blackaby, Experiencing God)

What we need is God's revelation--God's revealing His purpose, His direction, His way of carrying out His purposes and directions for His church. We don't need our ideas. When that happens we are in trouble. Our vision is not often God's vision. "For My ways are not your ways," says the LORD." (Isaiah 55:9)

Just because we had God's vision 10 years ago or 30 years ago doesn't necessarily mean we have God's vision NOW. But it also could mean, we are not living out God's vision any more. Maybe we are not doing what we used to do, and wondering why things are not happening now like they once did.

Where there is no revelation, the people perish. The word perish means "go their way." In other words they do their own thing--they all go off in their own directions--they lose their way with everyone being on a different page. The church though is to be a unified body, serving Christ together, not alone. (See John 17) If all of us go our own way--do our own thing--do what we feel is important but that is not the vision of all of us, then we are in trouble.

And this vision cannot be the vision of just one person. Notice it is "revelation"--God's vision. Therefore the people of God must seek God's vision together.

People perish--there are people leaving the church--there are people moving to other churches--there are many people who are not believers because we have lost our "revelation" and not been unified in purpose and direction and action. (Could 40% or more Americans be lost today?)

Are you seeking God's revelation with others from your body of Christ (that is a church)? Are you going on in your own direction without others going in the same way or are you working with others in a direction of unity?

What will serve our God best? But, who is church about--me and you--or Him?

I need to pray. Maybe you do too.