What Happens When Vision Replaces Mission in Your Church?

How To Keep The Main Thing The Main Thing

Vision.

We hear (appropriately) so much about its importance in church leadership.

Vision is often described as the cornerstone of leadership—providing direction, inspiration, and a shared sense of purpose.

What Vision Is Meant to Be

Vision is an incredible leadership tool, and it serves several vital purposes:

• A Clear Picture of the Future: It paints a mental image of what could be, aligned with core values and goals.

• A Guiding Compass: It offers clarity amid uncertainty, pointing the way forward.

• An Aspirational Goal: It inspires people to dream bigger and reach higher.

• A Bridge to the Future: It connects the present reality to a preferred tomorrow.

• A Unifying Narrative: It ties everyone’s efforts together under a common story.

Vision is powerful—but it’s the vision.

When Vision Becomes Something More

In my nearly 20 years of ministry, I’ve seen the power of vision firsthand. The most impactful visions during my leadership tenure was “Creating a church unchurched people love to attend.”

This vision, formulated by Andy Stanley and the team at North Point Ministries, drove incredible growth and engagement. When I was the lead pastor for one of our campus locations, this vision shaped our decisions, our programming, and even our metrics for success.

But here’s where it got tricky–at least for me: over time, the vision started to eclipse the mission.