Shawn Lovejoy - Be Mean About the Vision: Preserving and Protecting What Matters

PRAISE FOR BE MEAN ABOUT THE VISION

Its easy for ministry leaders to cast a vision but tough to keep it sharply focused over time. In Be Mean About the Vision: Preserving and Protecting What Matters, Shawn Lovejoy reveals whats required to avoid the distractions, disruptions, and divisions we face when pursuing our priorities. Drawing on his vast experience working with pastors and church leaders, he shares insightful biblical wisdom for keeping teams unified and on track. This book is a must-read for anyone wanting to be a Christlike leader.

CHRIS HODGES, SENIOR PASTOR,
CHURCH OF THE HIGHLANDS;
AUTHOR OF FRESH AIR AND FOUR CUPS

Shawn has given us a fresh book on vision! Shawns principles are based on the realities of leadership in the local church he founded, built, and served so well for sixteen years. This book is from a leader who understands leadership. The stories are candid and the insights are practical. Be Mean About the Vision: Preserving and Protecting What Matters will help you clarify and lead your own vision at a new level!

DAN REILAND, EXECUTIVE PASTOR,
12STONE CHURCH, LAWRENCEVILLE, GA

The first time I heard Shawn give his talk, Be Mean About the Vision, I knew he had to turn it into a book. Now a few years later he has done all church leaders a service by helping leaders to shape, clarify, defend, and steward Gods call for a church as expressed by a vision. And Shawn is rightyou have to learn to be mean in order for it to animate others toward positive results. While vision is often high minded and theoretical, this is a very practical and helpful work.

DAVE TRAVIS, CEO, LEADERSHIP NETWORK

If a leader isnt mean about the vision it wont be long until inertia, mission creep, and human nature drown it out. In Be Mean About the Vision, Shawn shows us in down-to-earth, practical terms what it takes to find, clarify, and ensure that the main thing remains the main thing over the long haul.

LARRY OSBORNE, AUTHOR;
PASTOR OF NORTH COAST CHURCH, VISTA, CA

Shawns focused willingness has written a pretty remarkable story today that continues even though hes no longer the lead pastor of my church. Its embedded deep in the bones of Mountain Lake thanks to the incredible sacrifice of Shawn. Know, as youre reading this book, that this isnt pie in the sky. Its a reality. Its possible for you to implement a culture and vision at your church that people will write about too, if you will be mean about the vision.

BLAKE STANLEY, PASTOR OF MINISTRIES,
MOUNTAIN LAKE CHURCH, CUMMING, GA

In a noisy world thats crowded with distractions, focus might be the best asset of a leader. Shawns focus is the reason his church is doing well. Smart leaders will focus on this book, and learn to be mean about the vision God has given them.

WILLIAM VANDERBLOEMEN, FOUNDER AND
PRESIDENT, VANDERBLOEMEN SEARCH GROUP

Its more than a catchy book title. Be Mean About the Vision: Preserving and Protecting What Matters is the essence of what it takes to lead an organizationsacred or secular. Locations, staffing, programming, budgeting, delivery systems are all negotiables, but not vision. Change, downsize, or dilute the vision and you will create another organization altogether. Shawn Lovejoy will share with great transparency the upside as well as the underbelly of what it really means to preserve and protect what matters.

SAM CHAND, LEADERSHIP CONSULTANT,
AUTHOR OF LEADERSHIP PAIN

One of the defining characteristics of Shawns leadership through the years has been his passion for clarity about keeping people focused on the thing that matters most in every organization: the vision. This book will give you the courage you need to point your organization at a vision worthy of your best.

MATT KELLER, LEADERSHIP COACH, PASTOR,
AUTHOR OF THE KEY TO EVERYTHING

Shawns honest writing of his own leadership story challenges leaders to wrestle with the vision God has uniquely given to themand see it through with courage.

TONY MORGAN, FOUNDER AND CHIEF
STRATEGIC OFFICER, THE UNSTUCK GROUP

2016 by Shawn Lovejoy

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or otherexcept for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of HarperCollins Christian Publishing.

Thomas Nelson titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail SpecialMarkets@ThomasNelson.com.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

All quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version (public domain).

All quotations marked ESV are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), Copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

All quotations marked NLT are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014959032

Softcover: 978-0718-0328-8-3

ePub Edition April 2016 ISBN 9780718032890

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CONTENTS

About Leadership Network

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leadnet.org/NEXT

Vision is an odd thing.

Some Christian leaders find vision to be elusive. Others have great ideas about vision but are unable to apply them. And then there are leaders who think vision isnt important as long as they are faithful and work hard at ministry.

Vision isnt something I was taught in seminary, but after thirty years of vocational ministry, I have found it to be essential in the church. Vision matters deeply. The right vision can transform the life of a church. However, vision may be one of the most neglected areas in the local church.