0:07:35
People are not going to move if they don’t think there is a problem. So problem number one is this. Millions of people don’t know Jesus. So let’s pause here. Christianity is not primarily about how to make bad people good. It’s not about how to stress-free your life. It’s not about how we accomplish our dreams. It’s about this. It is about a God who is filled with infinite love and compassion, who sees His creation and His image bearers in utter brokenness and wreckage, who are under judgment, separated from him, who are in need of divine rescue. It is a God who so loved the world that He condescended and cloaked Himself in human flesh to live a sinless life. We couldn’t live, die our death on the cross, raise again to begin new creation of transforming people and ultimately healing our broken world. There is a sense of urgency, and if I can challenge you, pastors and ministry leaders, we have lost urgency in the pulpit. We’re more like pop psychologists than theologians with a burning passion to see people rescued under the redemptive love of God.
0:09:18
The other problem the church is, oh my gosh, we are so divided along ethnicity, we’re divided along economic classes, and the lord wants a multiethnic family. Guys, racism is a problem in a church. Years ago, I was speaking in Oklahoma. Two pastors went to the bathroom, and I saw this pastor staring at me, which I’m like, yo, bro, I’m in a bathroom. That’s kind of strange. I thought to myself, anyway, as I’m leaving out, this older white pastor said, Pastor Derwin, I need to apologize to you. And I’m thinking, I don’t know you, but he says, I was reading one of your books, and I was loving the book and encouraged by the book until I found out you were a black man. And I told my wife, and she told me to repent. And then the Holy Spirit began to convict me, and she said, if you see him, you need to repent to him after you repent to the Lord. So right there in the bathroom, that man repented to me with tears in his eyes. And in the bathroom, I’m hugging him. That could look kind of strange, but we had a Jesus moment, and I told him, I said, number one, I forgive you. And number two, continue to let God transform you because racism and prejudice has no place in the body of Christ. Now, some of you go, man, why didn’t you go off?
0:10:46
Because Jesus didn’t give me permission to go off. He gave me permission to love. He told me this in Matthew 544, and He tells you this, too. But I tell you, bless those who persecute you and love your enemies. If you ever want a friend to become a if you ever want an enemy to become a friend, you have to move towards them in friendship. Doesn’t mean that you’re a doormat, but it does mean that you live across cruciform shaped life. So that’s a problem. Our churches are segregated. People are lost. What’s the solution? We want to partner with Jesus in the gospel to create people who live Upward, Inward, Outward lives. Number three, the vision must be implemented. Why? Because people matter to Jesus and it is good for the world. Remember, Jesus wants to bring heaven to earth. How does He do it?
0:11:36
By bringing Himself, the God of heaven, into people to manifest His glory. God glorified as man, fully alive. And number four, why the vision must be implemented now? Because we have the solution to the problem. Before I move on, pastors and ministry leaders, it’s time for you to lead. God has placed you there. Leading isn’t domineering. Leading is inviting people into what Jesus is doing. And we know that Jesus is about Upward, Inward, Outward. He said it effective. Vision casting never comes to an end. It is a spiritual discipline that must color and shape everything from staff meetings to sermon prep to preaching to the entire ministry that you lead. Listen, pastors, your people and staff are looking to you. Ministry leaders, the volunteers are looking to you to set the vision, to lay it out for them in a Christ exalting way, in a compelling way, but a clear way. Now, I wanna pause.
0:12:53
Some of you, like, well, I’m just a creative. No, no, no, listen. Yes, you’re creative, but you can be creatively clear. It is a blessing to be clear that you say what you say, mean what you say. Okay, want to be clear? There’s too much at stake for us not to be clear. Effective leaders communicate the vision over and over in creative ways that stick to a person’s soul. So I’m a former NFL player. Even in my 6th year in the NFL, coaches were saying the same thing. Football is about blocking. It is about tackling. It is about execution. It is about discipline. It is about relentless effort. It was the same thing over and over and over and over.
0:13:43
Do not be afraid to share the same thing over and over and over. One of the things that the Lord says in the Old Testament to His covenant people is this. Remember, remember, remember why? Because we are prone to forget. So we want to make sure people remember. And what is memorable is portable. In other words, you can take it and live it. So at Transformation Church, our vision, Upward, Inward, Outward. At the end of every service, we say, together, Upward, Inward, Outward. I point at them, they point at me, and we say, Transformers roll out, right? Because the service is just a huddle. Now it’s time to go play the game. And how do we go play the game? Through the power of the Holy Spirit, through the indwelling life of Christ, through the glory of the Father, we live Upward, Inward, Outward. So the vision begins to color and shape everything.
0:14:36
And here’s what’s beautiful. It’s not our vision. It’s Jesus. And Jesus is the greatest vision caster of all time. This is something that you practice over and over, but once again, you can’t lead people where you’re not going. If you’re not clear, they’re not going to be clear. So get on your face, snotty nose, ugly, cry fast and pray and ask the Lord to make you an effective vision caster. Every human being wants to be a part of a cause beyond themselves. That’s why football fans do all types of things for their teams. Well, we have the greatest coach ever, the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. We have the greatest mission ever. Upward, inward, outward. We have the greatest team ever. We are the body of Christ. And everybody has a significant role.
0:15:32
And here’s what’s beautiful about Upward, Inward, Outward. As you grow to learn completely, you begin to love yourself correctly, which means seeing yourself for who you are in Christ. And you’ve been transformed to the image of Christ. What does that mean? Selfishness is replaced with selflessness. Insecurity is replaced with security, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. And then the gifts of the spirit. We’re the ultimate team, the body of Christ, and we’ve won the game. How do we know? Because on the third day, the tomb is still empty. And the one who left the tomb now lives in you and me. Let your people know that. Cast vision to the beauty of Jesus within them. Every member has a role to play on the team. Vision casting that is life transforming calls people into their destiny.
0:16:29
And what is their destiny? That one day there’s going to be a new heaven, there’s going to be a new earth, glorified, resurrected bodies. Everything’s going to be beautiful. No more tears, no more crying, no more brokenness. But until that day that Jesus returns, He’s called us to love Him with all of His heart, with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength, and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. And to join Him on the mission of reaching everybody with this magnificent grace and love. So, pastor, ministry leader, you’re called to not only preach and teach and serve but you’re called to be an effective vision caster that the Lord uses to transform lives. You’re probably going, well, I can’t do this. You probably can’t. Neither can I. But I know who can. His name is King Jesus. And through the power of the Holy Spirit, He’s living in you. He’s given you the vision. He’s gifted you with His Spirit; the glory of God is upon you.
0:17:38
You can do this because of His work. This is Pastor Derwin Gray. I want you to marinate on that. And when the church is transformed, the world will be transformed.
QUOTES
“Vision casting is the God-inspired ability to see a future that does not yet exist but should, so messiah-exalting and life-giving that people run into the future and drag it back into their present.” – Dr. Derwin L. Gray
“In order for people to follow the vision you cast, it’s a vision that you have to embody.” – Dr. Derwin L. Gray
“The greatest vision caster of all time is Jesus of Nazareth.” – Dr. Derwin L. Gray
“Christianity is not primarily about making bad people good; it’s about a God who sees His creation in need of divine rescue.” – Dr. Derwin L. Gray
PODCAST RESOURCES
• More from Derwin: www.derwinlgray.com and www.transformationchurch.tc/podcast
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