Why You Are Paid To Dream

Martin Luther King Jr didn’t have an “I Have a Plan” speech that inspired and fueled a movement. As we know it was “I Have A Dream” Knowing the difference between the two is what can and will change your ministry.

As leaders in ministry, you are commissioned to bring people closer to Christ. While you can have incredible content, and a comprehensive strategy if you don’t dream people won’t follow.

As a leader, you need to be dreaming and dreaming big. It’s your dreams where:

• Problems that slow down your ministry are solved
• New opportunities are discovered to elevate your ministry
• A vision of what your ministry can accomplish is formed

Dreaming might sound like an intangible action item but it’s the big WHY that needs to come before the HOW and WHAT in your strategy. To dream big and create a movement you need to:

IDENTIFY THE TIME AND ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH YOU DREAM

When and where you dream is going to impact its effectiveness. If you are like me it’s the morning. In my office, I have a whiteboard where I write out some ideas and thoughts.

I know others who go for a walk and have a notebook on them. There are others who go to adoration (More on this later) and some who have a mindless hobby that gives them the freedom to think.

Avoid distractions like watching television and checking out social media. Even listening to music can be counterproductive to what you are trying to do. The less distracted the more you can focus on getting those ideas flowing.

ASK YOURSELF THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

Dreaming isn’t as simple as standing in front of a blank piece of paper. It does take a little bit of direction. That’s why it’s important to ask questions that guide you into deeper problem solving and vision casting. Here are 5 I’ve found helpful:

What is the biggest challenge our teens/parents/families are facing when it comes to getting to know Christ?

If a teenager walked into my ministry for the first time what would we need to do (and not do) to ensure they would come back again?

• How does our ministry look different in 5-10 years and how did that happen?
• If someone tripled my budget (amount of volunteers) how would I maximize the opportunity?
• What is my biggest challenge as a leader when it comes to reaching people for Christ?

If you struggle with coming up with the right questions I would seek out a coworker or peer in ministry. Allow them to ask the question and spend your next session thinking about how you should answer it.

ALWAYS BRING IT TO PRAYER

If you are thinking, “Chris this sounds great but I’m not a dreamer.” It’s probably because your mind is on overload with:

• Worries
• Fears
• Anxiety
• Busyness
• Pressure

The best solution is always prayer. Find something meditative or contemplative to clear your mind. For me, it’s usually adoration or journaling. It’s in those moments where the focus is God and then He inspires the rest.

I’m not saying I always walk away with 100% clarity with where and how to cast vision, but my mind is more at peace. The key to dreaming is to be at a point where you aren’t distracted so that you can hear God’s voice moving you forward.

As a professional leader, you are supposed to dream. Without your dreams, people will not be inspired to follow you. Without your dreams, problems will remain unsolved. But, with your dreams, your ministry will turn into a movement that changes lives.

What best practices have helped you in your dreaming and vision casting?

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