Andy Stanley: Apostolic Mission

Here's my notes on another of the sessions at the Exponential Conference. Andy Stanley is brilliant and makes everything seem so ridiculously simple...

Vision = Mental picture of hwat could be, fueled by passion of what should be

Vision begins as a burden

What’s clear in here must become clear out there – or people won’t know how to follow us.

5 Things To Do:

1. State it simply

• Memorable is portable
  
• We suffer from the curse of knowledge
  
• People don’t ask stupid questions, they’re just letting us know how poorly we’ve communicated the vision.


• Northpointe’s Vision: “Create a church that unchurched people love to attend.”


• What is Obama’s vision? Change. What is Hillary’s? John McCains?

2. Cast it convincingly

• Define the problem (If people don’t feel weight of problem they won’t be excited about the vision).
  
• Offer the solution (Your vision is the solution to a problem.)


• Explain why and why now (Why now in this community?)

3. Repeat it regularly

• Discover the rhythm of your church


• Build vision casting into the rhythm

4. Celebrate constantly

• Problem with vision – no pictures going somewhere that only exists in my head.


• So when we get “pictures” – hold them up – celebrate the win.


• Stories do more to clarify vision than anything else.


• Don’t miss opportunities to showcase examples

5. Embrace it personally (and publicly)

• Share with staff and church when you invite someone, what happened this week in your small group, etc.


• Don’t miss opportunities to showcase examples.

So: What do you think? Which of these come easy to you? Which are really difficult? For me I'm worst at "repeat it regularly." I think maybe I don't want to bore people? Also, I'm always nervous about how the vision will sound to the newest people... What about you?

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