ABSTRACT
Karl Rahner stated that “the history of Christianity would be unthinkable without prophetic and visionary elements (in the broadest sense),” and indeed, visionary practices used by the believers both at an individual and a church level have been at the heart of pursuing a true relationship with God. The current chapter focuses on two broad approaches that have utilised the notion of vision to good effect in enriching and energising Christian conduct and ministry. The first, cultivated vision, involves consciously adding mental imagery to prayer or the reading of Scripture; various forms of this approach have been applied in established Christian practices over the centuries, from gospel meditation and Ignatian spirituality to imaginative prayer. The second approach concerns the harnessing of the motivational power of an envisaged ideal future state, not unlike the use of vision in the business world. This practice has become a central element within the discussions of contemporary Christian leadership and church growth, and most of the contemporary Christian literature on vision focuses on this theme.
