Creating A Church Vision Statement: A Guide

When you are creating or casting church vision statements, it is essential to consider a prophetic vision that articulates the future of the church.

What is a church vision?

The vision is where you are heading – “we will be/see..” Vision is future-orientated and focuses on where we are going. A church vision is an idealistic dream, so it inspires and speaks to the heart. A vision is ‘seen’ with eyes of faith and is ‘felt’, bringing shape to tomorrow. The vision reveals the destination, to be steered and moved towards.

What is a church vision statement?

A church vision statement articulates the destination and direction for the church to move towards. It is the God-spoken future for the church and the ultimate goal for success. It answers the question ‘where is the church going?’

Why is a vision statement important?

It brings clarity on the long-term destination that God is leading the church, helping leaders make decisions today. Vision brings focus, after all.

What does a healthy vision statement bring to a church?

1. A vision statement paints a picture of what the successful apostolic mission looks like.
2. It clarifies church cultures that must be non-negotiable.
3. It guides the selection and development of church structure so the right people and programs are in place for success.
4. It enables the strategic setting of wise goals, targets and objectives that align with it.

What happens if a statement is lacking?

There could mean there is be no target to aim for, or defining picture of what success looks like. There can be organisational drift and leadership that comes from a place of reaction, rather than intention. There could be disunity and confusion because of an unclear or non-existent guiding picture.

How do you develop a church vision statement?

Clarifying and developing church vision statements requires time and conversation, but the rewards and benefits are worth it! I’ve developed a resource – my Forge a Vibrant Vision blueprint – which will help you begin the process of developing your own church vision statement. You can download it from HERE.

This post is part of a series on Healthy Principles For Church Organisational Structure. You can see links to the others posts in this series here.

1. What constitutes a healthy church organisational structure?
2. Be clear on the difference between mission and vision
3. Develop a mission statement
4. Develop a vision statement
5. Develop a core values statement
6. Develop a leadership structure

To find out the current health of your church in these areas, I have developed a church health assessment. You can take it by clicking here.