Again and Again and Again and...

I was reminded recently that in order for a message to stick I have to say it again, and again, and again. Sure I have to find creative ways to say it so that the repetition does not drown out the message, but the fact remains that the message must be repeated over and over until the people hearing it know it as well as I do.

It is so easy to believe that everyone surrounding me has already "caught" what I am infected with. The truth is that most of the time this is just not true. That presents a very real danger... that I will move on and build upon a foundation that does not exist.

The foundation of my movement is my vision. The systems that I use to carry out that vision are merely the tools that help people connect with, share, and accomplish the vision. I am trying to avoid the trap of building systems before the foundation is complete. People must have a solid, unshakable understanding and commitment to the vision before it is safe to focus on systems.

I am reminded of the story that Jesus told about two men, one who built his house on the rock and another who built his house on sand. When the Storms of Life hit only one house survives. So, what are the Storms of Life? Well, think of a time when multiple emergencies hit your family and your budget can only cover one of them. At this point your systems (budgets, emergency funds, etc.) don't do you any good, it is Vision that helps you determine direction. We can all be committed to the tools, but if we are not committed to the same vision then that storm will begin to eat away at our foundation. It is similar in the church when you face a scarcity of space, volunteers, or financing. Systems do not decide where we go and what we do and why... Vision does.

Though vision is not a One Time Thing that you build and forget, it must be the First thing that is built. Everything else rests upon it, and without it everything that is built will fall apart as soon as the first real storm hits.

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