Orignally published Christianity Today, Inc./Leadership journal.

How church vision gets caught. By Gary J. Blanchard

At 7:30 a.m. the bank president and I walked into the bank together. I was fresh out of college and beginning a career as a manager in the human resources department.

As we approached the foyer doors, Leonard, the janitor, was busy doing his three-times-a-day routine of cleaning fingerprints off the glass. After exchanging the customary pleasantries, the bank president said to Leonard, “You are one of the most important people in this bank.”

Leonard looked startled; he had never progressed beyond eight years of school.

The president continued, “Keeping this door clean and free of dirt and finger prints sends a message to every person walking in. It says we’re neat and orderly. It creates a feeling of security where people know their money will be properly handled and accounted for. You’re the first person to give them that message.”

Reaching out to shake Leonard’s hand, he added, “Thanks for doing a great job!”

The exchange took less than a minute. But in that brief encounter, the president communicated his vision-a friendly atmosphere, a safe and secure environment, a place where you will be known as a person and not a number. With a few simple words, he commissioned Leonard to further that vision.

Leonard told several co-workers about his encounter with the bank president. After re-telling the story, he would add, “This is a good place to work. This is a good place to do your banking. They take good care of you here.”

With those words, vision was communicated.

A pastor who commissions The business world recognizes that employee commitment to an organization’s vision is a key factor in the organization’s success. The church is not a business, but the way this president communicated the vision of his organization illustrates for pastors how vision can be caught.

Church vision must go beyond cute slogans, colorful logos, and catchy phrases. Emotional hype quickly fades. What fulfills vision is people who see how their contributions connect to the whole.

Recently I had a hallway conversation with the woman who coordinates our volunteer cleaning crews. She was lamenting that her responsibility for the church’s cleaning prevented her involvement with our small group ministries.

“I wish that I could be involved with discipleship and relationship building,” Karen said, “and helping to pray for people’s needs.”

“You’re already doing that,” I said. “Think of your cleaning crews as your small groups. You have the potential for a great small group ministry of your own.”

Karen was skeptical. A few days later, though, she admitted our brief conversation helped her see something she had not seen before.

“This week, before we scrub the first toilet or turn on the first vacuum cleaner,” she said, “we’re going to take time to study a verse of Scripture and pray for one another’s needs.”

She added, “You’re right, this is my small group. We are going to meet every Saturday to pray for one another.”

It’s vital for pastors to help people see how their service accomplishes the church vision. When that happens, pastors commission every member of the congregation to be a messenger of the vision. That motivates people to make a difference.

After a Sunday morning service, Jim expressed concern about our teacher rotation schedule in the children’s church: “Every week the children have a new teacher. That’s like having a new pastor every week.”

My immediate reaction was to get defensive, but instead I said, “It sounds to me like you have a burden for our children. That kind of passion makes a great teacher. Would you like to work with the children’s church on a consistent basis?”

“I’d love to,” Jim said, “but I’ve never worked with kids before.”

That was two years ago. Today Jim is a gifted children’s minister.

-Gary J. Blanchard Assembly of God Christian Center 2805 Brittany Court St. Charles IL 60175

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