Operational Vs. Aspirational - Where is Your Vision?

This week I've started researching the process for "creating" a ministry officially. I mean doing things like making donations able to be tax-deductible, gaining status as a 501(c)3 organization, incorporation, etc. Most of these things I have no understanding about. Most of them are way outside of the way I usually get passionate about spending my time. But I think they are going to be absolutely critical to this journey.

As I've worked on this stuff this week I was reminded of a quick news story I heard on NPR. The clip was about two men arrested for trying to travel from America to Afghanistan to join Al-Qaeda. In the commentator's words, the "terrorists" were 'aspirational' but not 'operational'.

This terminology sits in my head as I think about where our vision for ministry lies. Is the vision of a leader aspirational or operational? If it is aspirational we will be left with a multitude of ideas, passions, and dreams--and these are all necessary. But if our vision becomes operational we find the courage to execute the ideas, passions, and dreams. For some, the operations come more easily; for me, the the aspirational is more natural. But great leadership demands both.

I'm praying for the God-given aspirations and the courage to execute operationally. What about you?

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