Understanding Covert Actions When Building Vision

(Photo courtesy of Vineyards of Italy)

Understanding What Vision Building Requires

What is covert ministry? What is its opposite? What are its requirements? What type visionaries are identified leading covert ministries?

Covert ministry requires a company of people (ministers) that have long-term vision. It requires building an A-Team and knowing how to assess, develop, and use their skills and gifts to get the job done!

“High-performance teams thrive at higher altitudes of strategic focus. The leader who allows high-octane talent to be wasted on low-level problem solving and crisis management will frustrate his team.” (Mark Rutland, Turning Future Stars Into Real Treasures)

Let’s interject a very important point here: Pastoral anniversaries are not vision building activities or events. Church and ministry anniversaries are not vision building events. These are annual or milestone events that committees assemble to plan and engage members, colleagues, associates, supporters, etc., in celebratory activity.

Stakeholders In Vision Development

Vision building first has to have a clear definite God-given vision: an experience of seeing something in a dream or trance, or as a supernatural apparition. Apparition means an unusual or unexpected sight : phenomenon (Merriam-Webster).

Now that we have consensus on a clear definition of a vision when now understand as it pertains to ministry development, it has several short-term that yield long term strategic development and funding. It takes more to create a sustainable program that will continue to feed into the vision’s development than something that only occurs once or twice.

Covert actions primarily hold because the stakeholders who have committed to the dreams manifestation and sustainably understands the long-term effects, commitment, and solidarity it takes to implement such.

The A-Team that a leader needs to make this happen must be masters of industry. We can no longer look only to tithes and offerings from others to build and maintain vision. Neither can we solely look to a few to support the goals of the vision. Covert actions are a myriad of activities, events, and long-term planning to build great vision. Therefore, the A-Team's main focus is working together as harmoniously as possible. Here is a prime area for the leader to undertake.

Problems Even Within The A-Team Members Framework

When you have “shining stars” on a team, ego-stroking will become necessary. Be sure to include many days and nights when diffusing altercations will ensue. The competence, commitment and chemistry of an A-Team widely depends on the leaders’ selections. It’s quite imperative to know your team members strengths and weaknesses upfront. Don’t place team members in places or roles that are not conducive to their areas of anointing, expertise, or calling.

• Leader has not clearly defined goals and objectives of the A-Team
  When leaders omit to define the role of key Team members there will surely ensue a lot of ambiguity that will falter and stall the activities of the team.
  
  It is necessary to always lead out front and be 2 or 3 steps ahead of the Team or some amount of stalling will occur. Team members must know ahead of the game what they are working on and what needs to be accomplished. They need to know what methods have been sought and agreed upon to achieve stated goals.
  
• Vision must continually be forecasted for the A-Team members. They must not lose sight of the goal. If at all possible, vision should be placed somewhere visible for continuing visualization for members and other stakeholders alike.
  
• A-Team members must be kept abreast of significant changes in advance. Understand the dynamics of Change Management. Change can and will frighten most people and it's imperative that changes are communicated clearly, calmly, and as necessary of often. Don’t hit A-Team members with many surprises. This will cause a breakdown in momentum to occur. Once this occurs, it’s very difficult to get them back on board.  At all costs, keep change from original workflow or plans to a minimum in order to keep a great team flowing with work, creativity, and passion.
  
• Know when to change members. Don’t hold onto people simply for the sake they served a past purpose and no one wants to acknowledge that their usefulness for a particular project has ended.
  
  “Creative restructuring is part of making flexible responses to changing landscapes. Whether you realize it or not, you are not leading the same organization you were 10 or even 5 years ago. Your leaders have changed; the organization has changed; your goals have changed; your vision has grown; your skills have matured; and the world around you is different. You may need different team members, not just better ones.” (Mark Rutland)
  

Conclusion

God has provided His-inspired vision for His sole purpose for Kingdom building into the hearts of every leader that He has called and chosen. Along with His inspired vision implant He has also provided the ways and means for that to be accomplished. It is the duty of every believing leader to accomplish that which has been entrusted to him/her. There is “no” excuse for not completing  the work of our Lord especially when He has made it possible through faith, perseverance and commitment.

Matthew 20:4 provides the clearest directive for all of this: “And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.”

The way has been made. The provision for vision has been set. The Holy Ghost has already come to lead, guide, remind and comfort. God has already shared His wisdom. Now, go to work.