There have always been visionaries, Christian and otherwise. They help the rest of us see new possibilities, invest ourselves in great dreams, and experience new realities. They're committed to moving us on. Always something new, usually something bigger, definitely something that demands more of us than ever before.

Usually, I like them.

Visionaries were there in Bible times (Moses, Nehemiah, and Paul come to mind) and down through the centuries (Benedict, Francis, Tyndale, Carey, and Wilberforce). And they are with us today (you fill in the blanks; I'll keep my favorites to myself). They're ubiquitous.

Visionaries will be relieved to hear that we probably can't get along without them. But someone needs to say (I'm not sure I have the courage) that everything in Christendom isn't about vision, growth, innovation and entrepreneurship.

I consider myself a visionary. Throughout my pastorates, I frequently had to identify, cast, and implement vision. Now that I've reached senior status, perhaps ...