A quick read through several vision and mission statements, as they connect to a variety of organizations, highlights the need to understand the difference between these two words.

It is not uncommon, in an effort to provide a vision and mission statement, to get the ideas reversed, and rightfully so, since they are interrelated.

The mission of an organization, specifically the church, describes “what we do.” The foundation is built on the purpose of our existence and the mission directs every decision for all related activities.

The vision of an organization, again, as it relates to the church, describes what we desire to see accomplished as a result of the mission. The vision takes into consideration the image of the future that connects our long-term desires with achievable goals.

We must communicate both the vision and mission if we hope to achieve any level of success.

Several resources are available to help with these ideas. John Kotter’s book, Leading Change, along with Simon Sinek’s book, Start with Why, are two great places to start.