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Tips for Developing a Vision Statement

By Heidi Unruh, Ronald J. Sider, and Philip N. Olson

A vision statement identifies specific goals for ministries the church will develop over the next few years. Factors to consider in the process of vision discernment include:

The church’s mission goals. The mission statement clarifies the church’s core purposes. Which ministries will help the church fulfill these goals?

The needs of the community, as shown in the community assessment. Which concerns are the most pressing or the most neglected? Which present openings for building relationships and faith-sharing? Where can your church have the most strategic impact?

The skills, interests, resources, and experiences of the congregation for ministry, as revealed by the congregational self-study. What possibilities spark the most excitement in members of the team and the congregation?

Existing church outreach ministries. Are these programs holistic — do they address both social and spiritual needs? Are they consistent with the mission statement and evolving ministry vision? Do they appear to be a wise investment of resources? Are people motivated to continuetheir involvement? Discern whether your vision is best expressed by planting new ministries or revising and expanding existing programs.

Available resources and ministry opportunities, including potential partners(such as nonprofits or other churches). Are there ministries already in the community that you could come alongside? Could they serve as your ministry mentors?

Risks and rewards of ministry options. New ventures should stretch the congregation’s faith, without pushing the church beyond what it is ready to handle.

The congregation’s own needs.Consider areas where the needs of the church and the community overlap, e.g. family counseling or day care.

The leading of the Holy Spirit.Allow God to guide you through times of corporate and individual prayer and devotions. What seems so impossible that it just might be a God-thing?

The vision discernment team may start with either the "who" or the "what" of ministry. You may begin with a desire to serve seniors, for example, and then explore what programs would best meet their needs. Or the team may be drawn to a certain kind of ministry, such as mentoring, and then look for ways to connect this service with those who need it most. In examining how to meet a need, consider various angles of engagement: relief, community development, and advocacy.

The process of discernment culminates in the writing of a vision statement. The vision statement indicates the main focus of outreach (i.e. serving single moms or improving education), and points to specific ministries the church can do to address this area of concern in a holistic way. The vision statement describes in broad strokes:

• Who does the church want to reach?
• What will the ministry/ministries to serve them look like?
• How will the ministry vision integrate evangelism and social compassion?
• Why is this ministry vision important to the congregation’s mission at this time?
• How does this vision for outreach intersect with other areas of church life? (For example, a program that serves youth may attract new participants to the youth group.)

After the vision discernment team drafts the vision statement, it can be presented to the governing body of the church or to the whole congregation for further feedback, refinement, and confirmation.

—Adapted from The Holistic Ministry Vision Project User’s Guide, by Heidi Unruh with Ronald J. Sider and Philip N. Olson (2002).