a drop of water

At Bethel Seminary San Diego’s recent spiritual renewal conference, Dr. Dallas Willard presented VIM, a reliable pattern of kingdom growth.  VIM stand for Vision, Intention, and Means and it is a method of change, including spiritual change.

• Vision is our reality of what is good, that which governs us.  
• Intention is a decision whose stability is dependent on our vision.
• Means is what allows the doing, dependent on proper vision and intention.

When we have a more accurate vision of God, we are primed to form stable intentions of becoming a disciple of God.  One of examples that Dr. Willard brought up was that of God’s love.  An inaccurate vision of God would be that he really doesn’t love us, that he merely lets us off the hook and gives us a break from what we deserve.  This inaccurate vision will result in unstable intentions and shortlived (worthless) means.  But when we consider the vision that God is love, right obedience in the form of right intentions and right means will come easily.  Dr. Willard noted that

“the main thing that has to change is our understanding of God, before our will can sign on to God.  When we have the correct vision of God, we are ready to form the intention of becoming a disciple of God.”

For me, one of the most difficult struggles is finding significance in my work.  My vision of life, career and vocation often drifts toward assigning significance to only the spiritual, ignoring the secular.  But if I were to take a step back and refresh my vision of career and vocation as something individually prepared by God, for me to be at the right time in the right place for the lives of those who I will come in contact with and have the responsibility and opportunity to influence for good, then I can make right intentions to hold on to that vision, and find means that God has provided right in front of me to make it happen.

I think there are two characteristics of leadership that often go unnoticed or neglected before it is too late.  The first is that a good leader is always bringing people up to speed to take over should they leave.  They see bringing up replacements as something essential on day one, not an after-thought memo to smoothly pass the torch at the last possible minute.  This is so difficult because the present needs in the foreground often block out the future needs in the background.

The second is that a good leader does not define his identity and relationship to Christ by what they do and what their role or title is.  What a leader does must be an overflow of their identity that is rooted in their relationship with God, rather than their relationship with God being the result of what they do…I think.  We talk about how people need to discover a deeper level of identity, beyond what they do and into who they are (to be versus to do); so how much more important is it for the leader to not define themselves by their leadership.

A lot of times people who become leaders end up assuming roles and responsibilities that they did not originally sign up for.  I believe there is a difference between leadership, administration, and vision, but in more cases than not, those three areas are rolled up into a mountainous pack that is given to one person to carry.  Often times people who rise to become leaders assume these roles dutifully and effectively, however the problem arrises when they leave.  They’ve etched out this very specific void that only their shape can fill, so that when someone else attempts to take their place, the new person does not exactly fit the specific and detailed void as well.  The solution in my mind is for more people to take ownership of what they believe in and what they want to see done, instead of leaving everything to the leader.  Visionaries can place their ideas on the table for the acceptance of everyone, without the auspicious authority of a leader.  Leaders can focus on developling their replacements and discerning the gifts of others.  Administrators can do what they do best.  Yes it makes it easier, if all these roles can be met by one person, but I’m not convinced that this is optimal.