Part I- When the Vision Is Too Big- Fantasy, Burnout, and the Illusion of Faith
Goldilocks had it right. Not too hot, not too cold, just right.
Oddly enough, that old children's tale gives us a surprising framework for church vision. Some churches play it so safe they never dare to dream. But others—especially those led by bold, driven, visionary pastors—end up with something that looks like vision… but it’s actually fantasy. And fantasy is a dangerous place to build a ministry.
We work with pastors across the country who are exhausted. Not because they lack passion or faith, but because their vision has become too big to carry. It’s become untethered from reality—and their people, staff, and resources are quietly buckling under the weight.
The Burnout of “Bigger Vision”
There’s a subtle belief floating around church culture that if your vision doesn’t feel impossible, it must not be from God. That sounds spiritual. But if we’re not careful, it becomes a trap.
Yes—God does give His people God-sized vision. Parting seas. Feeding thousands. Walls falling down with a shout.
But here’s the thing: every time God gave an impossible vision, He also gave the means to carry it out. His provision always matched His instruction.
In contrast, when pastors get caught up in chasing a vision that looks impressive on Instagram but lacks roots in God’s leading, we end up building ministry plans that exhaust our staff, confuse our congregation, and quietly leave us wondering: “Why isn’t this working?”
What begins as faith turns into pressure. What started as inspiration turns into isolation.
When Fantasy Masquerades as Faith
A vision is too big when:
It excites the leader but exhausts the people
It lacks practical steps or a timeline
It relies heavily on “God told me…” with no confirmation from community or counsel
It has no feedback loop—no evaluation, no adjustments
It assumes limitless energy, time, and resources
The truth is, when a pastor chases fantasy and calls it faith, the gap between what they say and what the church experiences grows wider. Eventually, people tune out. Or burn out. Or both.
Moses Had a Vision—And a System
Let’s not miss the biblical model here.
God gave Moses a massive vision: lead millions of people out of slavery and into a new land. That’s about as God-sized as it gets. But Moses quickly burned out trying to do it all. It wasn’t until Jethro pulled him aside and said, “This is not good” (Exodus 18:17) that we see a key shift: God-sized vision needs shared leadership, wise systems, and practical support.
God didn’t just give Moses the what. He provided the how.
Pastors who operate with healthy, God-honoring vision understand this: Vision without handles becomes a burden, not a blessing.
A Word of Caution for Visionaries
If you’re a visionary pastor, this is not a call to shrink back or settle. God may be calling you into a bold next season. But boldness without wisdom can become a train with no brakes.
Ask yourself:
Is this vision rooted in prayer, Scripture, and godly counsel?
Have I shared this vision with others who can help shape and refine it?
Does it feel like a shared journey or a personal platform?
Are there clear steps, milestones, and ways to celebrate progress?
What Kind of Fire?
There’s a difference between a fire that warms a room and a fire that burns the house down.
The former is vision. The latter is fantasy dressed up like faith.
Let’s lead with vision that ignites the hearts of our people, not just the passion of the pastor. Let’s dream God-sized dreams that are grounded in real faith, real steps, and real obedience.
In part two, we’ll look at the other extreme—what happens when vision is too small.