Vision, Mission and Goals

Today I want to discuss three key words every leader should understand and the concepts they represent that every good leader should employ:

-  Vision          (what you see)

-  Mission        (what you do)

-  Goals           (how you get there)

The very word vision has to do with “seeing”— a vision is a picture or visualization. Good leaders are visionary, whether that be in business or in ministry. A key function of organizational leadership is the establishment of a vision for change. Indeed, this is a biblical principle:

“Where there is no vision, the people perish…” (Pr 29:18 KJV).

Vision is important for you as an organizational leader, but it also important for you as an individual apart from your organization. And, as Christian leaders we don’t want to just come up with a vision, we want to discover the vision God has ordained for us. Therefore, vision is that which God has shown us—that which we see. We want to see the picture or visualization of what we are meant to attain. As such, God’s vision sets our course. 

Just as God’s vision shows us what we are to be, God’s mission shows us what we are to do.  Mission is how we achieve vision.  Mission, therefore, encompasses each step toward fulfilling His vision. Mission helps to keep us from wasting precious energy doing things that are not in accordance with the mission God has given us.

The means, then, by which we may monitor our progress toward God’s directives to us is as we verbalize and meet specific goals. Goals will be progressive.  As certain goals are met new goals may be verbalized as we continually move toward God’s vision and calling for us.