A Pastor's Vision

Apostolic revival and church growth will never be achieved by a cold-hearted application of business principles. Before any business method will spur a church forward, there must first be a spiritual hunger that drives a pastor to be possessed and led of the Spirit. A fire must burn in his soul. Passion must beat in his heart. He has got to know where he is going. He must know that he is following the direction of the Holy Ghost in pursuing the goals that he has set. That assurance will only come in concentrated and intense prayer that is part of a consistent walk with God.

Being committed to working for God is not enough. The Holy Ghost must be the pastor’s motivator. In his leadership lectures, Nathaniel J. Wilson, pastor of The Rock Church in Sacramento, California, points out that Saul of Tarsus was a man with a mission, but until he had a spiritual encounter and received a vision from the Lord, he was killing instead of building. A man’s burden and desire to please God must be strong enough to drive him to pray and fast until he can see the vision that God has for his ministry and the church that he leads.

The spirit does a work that cannot be accomplished by any other method. No book or lecture, no pilgrimage to any holy shrine, can have the profound impact upon a man that compares to a holy encounter with God. It not only empowers the person, but, if given free course, will change the way he thinks and will adjust his values and expectations.

There is no way that a preacher can be equipped to deal with the myriad of issues that this mach-paced, out-of-control society spawns unless he has a fervent and close relationship with the God who watches over it. This mind-affecting work of the spirit is essential. Gordon Sullivan, in his book Hope Is Not A Method, says that “without the tough up-front work of intellectual change, physical change will be unfocused, random, and unlikely to succeed.”

Our vision must flow from a mind that has been transformed by the Holy Ghost. That doesn't come by reading books. It only comes when we spend time in His presence.

©2007 Doug Ellingsworth (From a series on strategic planning)