To be more VISIONARY hang around VISIONARIES

Few things get me fried up more than being around people who have great vision to do great things for our great God. This has been a week where my "Vision Tank" has been filled and is overflowing because I have been able to spend time with some visionaries. It's true, vision is contagious!

I had lunch this week with a friend of mine from Columbus, Ohio. There are few men that I have more respect for in ministry than him. His name is Sean Patrick (pictured above). When I first met Sean he was a wall-flower (I am not joking). I was the summer intern youth pastor at the church he and his family attended and I spent that summer living with his family in West Milton, Ohio. In fact, I recently sent Sean a video of an old Isaac Air Freight skit called, "Bible Junkie." Somehow we got Sean to do that monologue that skit that summer. It was his first time doing something like that in front of people. Ultimately, Sean went on to intern under me as he finished his schooling at Liberty University and then he took my position as youth pastor at the church and took that youth ministry to heights I could have only imagined.

Years ago Sean went on staff at Finish Line Ministries out of Columbus, Ohio. He has more recently become the President and Executive Director of this effective ministry. As we enjoyed an open-faced hot turkey sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy and Gobbler's restaurant here in Gaylord, Sean shared his vision with me for what he would like to see God do through Finish Line Ministries. He reminded me of a quote I like to use a lot by D.L. Moody who said, "If God be your partner, make your plans large!" Sean's goal is to see what God has done in and through Finish Line Ministry over the last 20 years doubled within the next 8 years (by 2020!)! Now that's vision! As I listened to him share that vision I remembered how shy Sean was when I first met him back in the summer of 1985. Now, he is a man of great vision and spending time with him this week filled my vision tank. Thanks, Sean! I love you, brother!

I also have had time over the past week to spend with our lay leadership here at E-Free Church in Gaylord. Our Leadership Team and our Elder Board are individuals who have lots of vision. They are dreaming big dreams for God. Frankly, I only hope and pray that I am not in any way holding them back. I have never seen lay leaders who are so visionary and who are so excited about seeing their church reach its redemptive potential. Spending time with our Leadership Team two Mondays ago, praying with our Elders this past Monday night, and meeting with our Vision Task Force yesterday put me shoulder to shoulder with men and women of vision. As a result, my personal vision tank is at an overflowing point.

You need a vision infusion? Take time and find a way to spend some time with a visionary! It will fill your vision tank back up to overflowing!