Leadership Summit: Session 1

Bill Hybels: Vision to Die For
The opening session by Bill Hybels was packed with content, passion, and application for my ministry at Trietsch. I am always grateful for what Bill has to say about being a leader in the church, so I was looking forward to this session with much anticipation. And once again, he “brought it.”

I took so many notes on this session that I have distilled them down to a few quick points. You can see my whole set of notes here.

•We have the opportunity to write the next chapter in the history of the church
•Developing a “prayer mantra” for ministry events can go a long way to focus our efforts on what God wants rather than what we want
•God can speak thru academics, politicians, government officials, pastors so that we can grow as a leader – and I need to listen to them

•A vision that is handled by only one person (or unilaterally) will most likely fail to be owned on a deep level by those who need to buy into it most - Unless a vision is owned deeply it will most likely not be fully realized
•John 10 shows us that hired hands (who have no stake in a vision) run off when wolves appear and owners (who do have a stake in vision) protect the sheep because they know them; ownership matters – in the sheep protection business and in the vision business
Do I own the vision enough to walk against the opposition to the vision?
• How do we cast a vision that people are willing to die for? PROCESS (this scares me just a little!!) - To cast a vision without process devalues those who must own it/make it happen

Vision Formation
Sinai Approach (Exodus 3ff) – Moses gets the vision from God on Mount Sinai and brings it back to the people – how cool is this way to those who are not the leader? (answer: not very)
Team Approach
Ask: What does God want for our church to look like 5 years from now?
o This makes people search scripture
o This makes people want to talk
o This increases likelihood of ownership greatly
o This builds community and demonstrates value
o This is incredibly slow
Which approach are you going to choose?

Vision Refinement
First Draft – one that crystallizes around the table after team discussion
Subsequent Drafts – take 1st draft to small groups for “shopping” so that new insights can come and ownership increases when the vision is cast publicly
Ask: What excites, scares, needs changing in this vision?

Vision Declaration
Not best as a solo activity
Subjecting vision to team activity can create a better vision and increased ownership

Vision Leaks!
• People have real lives, jobs and vision leaks out because of those things
• Use whatever way possible to remind/recast the vision in order to refill the “vision bucket”
• Celebrate progress
• Share stories whenever you can

Would you be willing to die for the vision that God has given you to carry out in this world? Are you a hireling or an owner?

Acts 21 – Paul’s willingness to die for God’s vision
Are we, as leaders, willing to die for God’s vision? Single-most determining factor -> people will follow to the level of our ownership (they can sense when we do or do not own it) -> we must lead the way in vision ownership

Leader’s Path diagram (I will see if I can scan mine in) – where are you?

What a great way to launch Summit '07! Bill is such a powerful speaker and an excellent visionary - I could listen to him all day...but there are other sessions to hear, so I will pay attention to them too.

Grace&Peace