I have been perusing the site Friend of Missional for some time now. The articles, definitions and discussions have been quite interesting to me. About half-way down the homepage there is a section explaining the missional church movement that was taken from the book Breaking the Missional Code by Ed Stetzer and David Putman (which is in my ever growing stack of books to read). This is an interesting piece of work that I would like to share with you and also maybe add to the conversation just a little. Apparently they argue that the missional church movement is a shift in thinking here are their categories:
From programs to processes
From demographics to discernment
From models to missions
From attractional to incarnational
From uniformity to diversity
From professional to passionate
From seating to sending
From decisions to disciples
From additional to exponential
From monuments to movements
A lot of this isn't new information. Many of us have been preaching these shifts for years what I would like to argue is another shift in thinking:
From atrophic to emerging
When I use the word emerging I am not talking about the emergent conversation - I'm talking about life itself. Please understand that in the beginning God created everything very good. This word good is interesting - I find it interesting that God didn't make everything perfect. The word perfect implies an ultimate end; something that is perfect can get no better. It is the ultimate. Many people may argue that God did make everything perfect (in fact I used to teach this), but when you read the first two chapters of the bible and you read the last two chapters of the bible you will skip all of sin and repercussions and - I believe - get a good look at what God had in mind all along. God moves from untouched creation to global city. Some how this city is completely unlike cities as we know them today. Somehow this city is the unique combination of creation and massive amounts of people. Therefore, Creation can become better than it was originally.
Since Genesis 3 the world has atrophied, so bad in fact that not two chapters later God decides to destroy it with water - save one family. From that day there has been glimmers of hope and light, but ultimately creation has been depleting. It is as if creation is on a collision course with destruction!
Then something interesting happens - Jesus. He is the second Adam - and doesn't fall to temptation. He defeats death - creation's ultimate end of atrophy. He becomes the goal for humanity to follow and become. He is the light to follow and through him Christianity emerges. Christianity becomes a group of people who are passionately pursuing the life of Jesus Christ. They realize quickly that he is a better way to live. They also realize that following Jesus can somehow stop the collision course.
Christianity has always been about moving from an atrophic to an emerging creation. We strive to see God's kingdom come "on earth as it is in heaven." The original creation didn't know death or destruction. It didn't know starving children, or AIDS. It is the church's responsibility to show Christ to this atrophied creation. A missional church helps other understand and be a part of that mission. A missional church stands in the way of creation's atrophy. A missional church strives to become more and more the way God originally created life to be.
Showing posts with label missional church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label missional church. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
The Missional Church
I have been confronted with this phrase many times since coming back from Poland. This concept isn't new in fact I've been taught it in every church that I've been associated with. I've heard it said, but I really don't know that I've seen it lived out in the hearts and minds of the people. In fact many times I've heard statements completely opposite of the missio dei and it is frightening to me. I found this blog post today and it really got me thinking about how things have got in the way of the missio dei. Here are ten things that we should not expect in a truly missional church.
TEN THINGS ANYONE WHO JOINS IN A TWENTY FIRST CENTURY MISSIONAL CHURCH PLANT SHOULD NOT EXPECT
1.) Should not expect to regularly come to church for just one hour, get what you need for your own personal growth and development, and your kidss needs, and then leave til next Sunday. Expect mission to change your life. Expect however a richer life than you could have ever imagined.
2.) Should not expect that Jesus will fit in with every consumerist capitalist assumption, lifestyle, schedule or accoutrement you may have adopted before coming here. Expect to be freed from a lot of crap you will find out you never needed.
3.) Should not expect to be anonymous, unknown or be able to disappear in this church Body. Expect to be known and loved, supported in a glorious journey.
4.) Should not expect production style excellence all the time on Sunday worship gatherings. Expect organic, simple and authentic beauty.
5.) Should not expect a raucous "light out" youth program that entertains the teenagers, puts on a show that gets the kids "pumped up," all without parental involvement. Instead as the years go by, with our children as part of our life, worship and mission (and when the light shows dim and the cool youth pastor with the spiked hair burns out) expect our youth to have an authentic relationship with God thru Christ that carries them through a lifetime of journey with God.
6.) Should not expect to always "feel good,"or ecstatic on Sunday mornings. Expect that there will ALSO be times of confession, lament, self-examination and just plain silence.
7.) Should not expect a lot of sermons that promise you God will prosper you with "the life you've always wanted" if you'll just believe Him and step out on faith and give some more money for a bigger sanctuary. Expect sustenance for the journey.
8.) Should not expect rapid growth whereby we grow this church from 10 to a thousand in three years. Expect slower organic inefficient growth that engages people's lives where they are at and sees troubled people who would have nothing to do with the gospel marvelously saved.
9.) Should not expect all the meetings to happen in a church building. Expect a lot of the gatherings will be in homes, or sites of mission.
10.) Should not expect arguments over style of music, color of carpet, or even doctrinal outlier issues like dispensationalism. Expect mission to drive the conversation.
O AND BY THE WAY¦ Should not expect that community comes to you. I am sorry but true community in Christ will take some "effort" and a reshuffling of priorities for both you and your kids. Yes I know you want people to come to you and reach out to you and you're hurting and busy. But assuming you are a follower of Christ (this message is not for strangers to the gospel) you must learn that the answer to all those things is to enter into the practices of "being the Body" in Christ, including sitting, eating, sharing and praying together.
TEN THINGS ANYONE WHO JOINS IN A TWENTY FIRST CENTURY MISSIONAL CHURCH PLANT SHOULD NOT EXPECT
1.) Should not expect to regularly come to church for just one hour, get what you need for your own personal growth and development, and your kidss needs, and then leave til next Sunday. Expect mission to change your life. Expect however a richer life than you could have ever imagined.
2.) Should not expect that Jesus will fit in with every consumerist capitalist assumption, lifestyle, schedule or accoutrement you may have adopted before coming here. Expect to be freed from a lot of crap you will find out you never needed.
3.) Should not expect to be anonymous, unknown or be able to disappear in this church Body. Expect to be known and loved, supported in a glorious journey.
4.) Should not expect production style excellence all the time on Sunday worship gatherings. Expect organic, simple and authentic beauty.
5.) Should not expect a raucous "light out" youth program that entertains the teenagers, puts on a show that gets the kids "pumped up," all without parental involvement. Instead as the years go by, with our children as part of our life, worship and mission (and when the light shows dim and the cool youth pastor with the spiked hair burns out) expect our youth to have an authentic relationship with God thru Christ that carries them through a lifetime of journey with God.
6.) Should not expect to always "feel good,"or ecstatic on Sunday mornings. Expect that there will ALSO be times of confession, lament, self-examination and just plain silence.
7.) Should not expect a lot of sermons that promise you God will prosper you with "the life you've always wanted" if you'll just believe Him and step out on faith and give some more money for a bigger sanctuary. Expect sustenance for the journey.
8.) Should not expect rapid growth whereby we grow this church from 10 to a thousand in three years. Expect slower organic inefficient growth that engages people's lives where they are at and sees troubled people who would have nothing to do with the gospel marvelously saved.
9.) Should not expect all the meetings to happen in a church building. Expect a lot of the gatherings will be in homes, or sites of mission.
10.) Should not expect arguments over style of music, color of carpet, or even doctrinal outlier issues like dispensationalism. Expect mission to drive the conversation.
O AND BY THE WAY¦ Should not expect that community comes to you. I am sorry but true community in Christ will take some "effort" and a reshuffling of priorities for both you and your kids. Yes I know you want people to come to you and reach out to you and you're hurting and busy. But assuming you are a follower of Christ (this message is not for strangers to the gospel) you must learn that the answer to all those things is to enter into the practices of "being the Body" in Christ, including sitting, eating, sharing and praying together.
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