We are indebted to the visionaries and pioneers of society. Daily, we live off the fruit of their labor, often unaware of the backache it takes to plow new ground. In a culture that’s constantly coming up with the next best thing, could it be we have lost importance of having visionaries in the Church?
In The Line and the Dot: Alternative Thoughts on Vision, Paul Clayton Gibbs speaks to anyone who has felt the stirring of a God-given dream inside of him or her. While there may be a star-struck view of visionaries, Gibbs is refreshingly down to earth, returning to the teachings of history’s greatest pioneer–Jesus.
“Pioneers tend to be seen as radicals…they usually think of the crazy maverick extremists…however, what is truly radical about pioneers is going back to the basics. Pioneers are people who are seeking to return to origins, the original meaning, the original intention and original concept.”
In a style reminiscent of Rob Bell, Gibbs writes in a way that is concise and thought-provoking, zooming in to the detail found from studying the Hebrew root of Scripture, yet expanding to see the overall picture. He tells the story of his big idea: Pais, a free apprenticeship created to train students to be missionaries within schools and leaders in their churches. The story of Pais’ beginning is exciting and stunningly honest at points, eroding the idea that being at the forefront of a movement is glamorous.
Gibbs challenges his readers to drop the facade of perfection and get real with God. He makes the profound statement that, “revelation is a conversation of awkward questions.” He addresses the idea that many leaders have a vision of vision itself, instead of a vision of God. Going through the steps that generally take place when God places a vision on one’s heart, the book tells of the hardship and the joy that will come in pushing through to the end.
Gibbs challenges people to think outside the majority mentality and not waiver from what they feel God is saying, no matter how crazy.
“No longer can we dream dreams that are simply a cut-and-paste version of what is safe and familiar nor can we hope for that one-off event that provides us with a magic wand to life’s issues. We must see vision as a certain process that goes beyond the system in which we presently live.”
The Line and The Dot is for anyone who has had a vision that is too big not to share. It’s for anyone facing the pain that comes with being an entrepreneur for the kingdom of God. It’s for anyone who feels down and defeated and needs some life breathed into their dreams again.
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