A pastor, sensing that God was calling the church to a whole new vision of its future, called the elders together.

He presented this new vision with as much energy, conviction and passion as he could muster. After he had finished and sat down, the senior elder called for a vote. All 12 elders voted against the new step, with only the pastor supporting it.

“Pastor, it looks like you will have to think again,” said the senior elder. “Would you like to close our meeting in prayer?”

So the pastor stood, raised his hand to heaven, and prayed: “LOOOOOOORD!…will you not show these people that this is not MY vision but it is YOUR vision!”

At that moment, the sky darkened, thunder rolled, and a streak of lightning burst through the window, incinerated their meeting table and threw the pastor and all the elders to the floor.

After a brief silence, as they all got up and dusted themselves off, the senior elder spoke up: “Well then, that’s twelve votes to two!”