Sample - RISE Leadership Series

Having a clear vision is one of the crucial foundations of becoming an effective leader. One of the classic leadership quotes I heard as a young leader was Proverbs 29:18:

"Without a vision the people perish.”

Other translations read ‘the people throw off restraint’, meaning where there is no direction people will basically go off the rails. A football team with no incentive to win may as well not even kick off. What’s the point? There’s no vision!

What Do You See?

The whole point about being a lead sled-dog is having the best view in order to lead your team. So the question needs to be asked: what can you see?

In the last chapter I shared Jesus’ words about the necessity for ‘new wineskins’ and how I saw a picture of the four words 'Australian Catholic Youth Church.' This for me was an action-inspiring-picture, not a crystal-clear blueprint or list of instructions. It sustained me for many years before I saw anything like it even start to happen, and returns to encourage me every time I see it happening now. That’s what vision does. When you see it, you are filled with the courage and inspiration to ‘pull those attached to your harness’ in the same direction, at the same speed, as one kick-butt sled team. Vision inspires action like nothing else! But you first need a vision to see and be captured by yourself.

Jesus, as the Son of God on earth, lived off the vision for his ministry. "My food… is to do the will of Him who sent me" he said (John 4:34). And what was that will? After returning from the desert in the power of the Spirit he went straight to his hometown synagogue, opened the scroll of the prophet Isaiah and declared: 

You could say Jesus ‘lived off’ this vision from Isaiah for the rest of his life. So could we; it's a good one!

The vision God gives you will be your food. You will live off it. It will sustain you when you get weary. It will encourage you when you see glimpses of it. It will lure you to chase and fulfil it like a fish chasing a bright coloured lure, set by an expert Fisherman. It will be just the right ‘bait’ for you, a vision to get your eyes wide, heart pumping and tail swishing!

Reflect

Write down the action-inspiring picture you feel the Holy Spirit is giving you:

1. For the world

2. For the Church

3. For your city/town

4. For your parish/school/university/youth group/ministry