Mission and Vision of the Church

There was a lot of discussion at church today about mission and vision of the church. I think these are corporate ideas, but healthy nonetheless. Many people were intermingling the 2 words, when I believe they are clearly 2 different concepts and should be appreciated and reviewed appropriately.

Mission: The reason for your organization's existence
Vision: The practical steps you will take as an organization to fulfill your mission.

That being said, I believe the mission of the Church is universal and unaffected by time or location. This mission can be articulated as "To be redeemed and renewed by Christ, and to take the message of redemption and renewal to the world."

Vision on the on the other hand, must be articulated, examined, practiced, and rearticulated by the shepherds, and members of any assembly of God's people both personally and within the context of their community, spiritually and physically. I am responsible both to the vision God leads me to as an individual, but also to the vision God leads the shepherds of my Christian family to. Vision is ever changing and therefore must be reviewed regularly to maximize it's impact on the mission. It must be tailored in a way that is appropriate to the needs of the mission and the needs of the community.

Mission is the mountain, and vision is the equipment we use to climb that mountain. We know our mission, but we keep in communication with God to ensure our vision.