Division of Labour (2)

The offensive team needs a very different set of skills to the defensive team. Sharing an exciting vision needs different talents to exposing flaws in bad ideas. This can cause misunderstandings between the two teams.

The people defending at the front line often find visionary thinkers to be impractical and out of touch with reality. They are tempted to turn their skills at exposing bad ideas onto those who are describing the glorious future of the Kingdom of God. These people deal with details, so they are not moved by vague strategies.

The problem is that getting to our ultimate goal is a gradual process. There are several different ways to get to where we want to be. At times we will advance in one direction only to meet a setback forcing us to probe a new direction. This is the nature of progress. The visionaries can map out broad strategies, but they cannot provide the detailed plan that the defenders usually deal with.

Nevertheless, we must know where we are going. A clear vision of our ultimate goal will help us decide between different strategies and tactics. If we do not know where are going, we will often take the wrong path. We may even go the wrong direction.

Visionary people also get frustrated with those resisting the worldly agenda. The current system seems to be so far removed from the Kingdom of God that trying them better seems like a waste of energy.

Visionary thinkers and political conservatives often do not understand each other. However we need both, for the Kingdom of God to come.