Living the Vision: An Introduction

The United Methodist Church presents a clear, action-oriented vision: forms disciples of Jesus Christ who, empowered by the Holy Spirit, love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously in local communities and worldwide connections. That vision grew from careful collaboration between the council of bishops and the connectional table and intends to describe not a replacement of mission but a complementary posture—how disciples live as they carry out the mission to make disciples for the transformation of the world. Scriptural roots undergird each phrase: love that includes all people, service that journeys with the vulnerable, and leadership that resists systems of injustice.

The language of the vision emphasizes simple verbs paired with decisive adverbs so that the faithful can translate theological conviction into daily practice. Love boldly insists on tangible inclusion across age, race, gender, and nationality. Serve joyfully reframes ministry as companionship with the hurting and a tangible sharing of resources and care. Lead courageously calls for public resistance to injustice, not merely private piety. Together these actions invite congregations and individuals to embody discipleship in ordinary settings—from playgrounds to public squares.

Practical examples show how small congregations can enact the vision without large budgets. A rural church’s “Pass It On” baby store transformed a handful of diaper needs into a community-accessible ministry, illustrating that attentive local ministry and faithful improvisation produce large impact. Global uptake of the vision appears across continents, signaling emergent unity in word and practice; T-shirts, local stories, and conference initiatives demonstrate that simple, active language translates across cultures and languages.

Resources exist to help congregations reflect and act: scriptural references and discussion guides live on umc.org/vision and resourceumc.org/vision, and social sharing using the love serve lead UMC hashtag encourages story-sharing across the connection. The vision asks disciples to pay attention to neighbors, to begin where gifts and needs intersect, and to let the Holy Spirit empower public love, joyful service, and courageous leadership that transform communities and testify to a global, diverse body of Christ.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Vision defines how disciples live The vision shifts focus from abstract goals to embodied practices: discipleship describes concrete ways of loving, serving, and leading. These practices require formation, repetition, and an expectation that holiness looks like community care and public witness. The vision invites assessment of local habits—what a congregation does daily reveals who it follows. [16:00]
• 2. Holy Spirit empowers bold action The phrase “empowered by the Holy Spirit” refuses passive spirituality and insists on Spirit-led courage in public life. Empowerment reframes fear as invitation: the Spirit gives gifts and courage to act against injustice and to include those often excluded. Expectation of Spirit-anointed risk reshapes planning and prayer. [21:58]
• 3. Local churches start small ministries Meaningful ministry begins by noticing needs and responding with available gifts, not by waiting for perfect resources. Small acts—diapers, clothing, accessible entry—become lattices for relationship, trust, and sustained service. Such grassroots attention often scales by example rather than budget. [27:40]
• 4. Vision unifies global Methodist work Simple verbs and adverbs translate across cultures, enabling the same commitments to appear in Manila, Minnesota, and Malawi. Shared language fosters mutual encouragement, practical exchange, and collective identity without erasing local context. The vision creates a framework for global solidarity in discipleship. [23:26]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [01:58] - Celebrating ten years
• [05:40] - Returning to shared learning
• [06:09] - Mission and continuity affirmed
• [06:32] - Living faithfully as United Methodists
• [07:04] - The vision text explained
• [14:59] - How the vision was formed
• [16:00] - Vision complements mission
• [17:15] - What “love boldly” means
• [21:58] - Verbs and adverbs matter
• [23:26] - Global adoption and unity
• [27:40] - Local example: Pass It On
• [31:13] - Small churches, big impact
• [32:03] - Resources to implement the vision
• [32:29] - Share stories with the hashtag

Bible reading:
1 John 3:16-18 (ESV) - "By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."

Matthew 25:35-40 (ESV) - "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me...Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me."

Observation questions:

1. According to 1 John 3:16-18, how is true love demonstrated in practical terms?
2. What specific actions does Jesus mention in Matthew 25:35-40 that demonstrate service to Him?
3. What does the vision statement say about how disciples are empowered to live out their faith? [07:04]
4. What example was given of a small church making a big impact in their community? [27:40]

Interpretation questions:

1. Why do you think the combination of simple verbs (love, serve, lead) with decisive adverbs (boldly, joyfully, courageously) is so important for living out faith?
2. How does the concept of "journeying alongside the most vulnerable" differ from simply providing charity to those in need? [17:15]
3. What might it look like for a church to "resist and dismantle systems of evil and injustice" in their local community? [17:15]
4. How can the Holy Spirit's empowerment transform fear into courage when facing difficult situations? [21:58]

Application questions:

1. Where in your daily life (work, neighborhood, family) could you practice "bold love" by intentionally including someone who feels excluded or different from you?
2. What simple, joyful act of service could you perform this week using resources you already have, without waiting for perfect conditions? [27:40]
3. When have you felt prompted to take a courageous stand against injustice but remained quiet? What would it look like to respond differently next time?
4. What need have you noticed in your community that intersects with your personal gifts or resources? [31:13]
5. How could your small group begin practicing "joyful service" together in your neighborhood?
6. What practical step could you take this month to make your faith community more accessible and welcoming to people of different backgrounds and abilities? [26:05]
7. Which part of the vision (loving boldly, serving joyfully, or leading courageously) feels most challenging to you personally, and what could help you grow in that area?