People ask me all the time about Crosspoint and what kind of church it is. Now, there are about a hundred things that I could say to respond to that question, but I guess the best word to describe us these days is “missional”. Then, immediately the second question comes: “What’s a missional church?”
I’m always a little disappointed with myself after I respond with examples of other churches, new ideas and concepts, and vague descriptions. Why is it that I have so much trouble explaining what a missional church is without sounding cheesy or idealistic? I could say that a missional church is focused on developing missional Christians, but still, an explanation is required again. I could say that a missional church is not concerned with buildings, programs, or numbers, but instead on reaching our world for Christ, on serving others, on serving God. But doesn’t all that sound like something every church would want to say about themselves? As my friend John said in one of his sermons, “Doesn’t every church want to be an Acts 2:42 church?” The answer is yes.
So how can we, who are passionate about the missional movement, clearly and adequately describe what “missional” means without it sounding like just another attempt at Acts 2:42? I’m currently reading a book on missional churches and for your information, it’s a great book. But again, when people ask me about it, I fumble around with my synopsis. All I can say is that it communicates what I have been passionate about for the past few years. I think the book also clearly defines what a missional church is (which is great), but if you ask me to find where in the book the author does that, I won’t be able to find it. The definition just lies within the pages somewhere. In fact, the pages are dripping with this idea, this concept of being missional. I just can’t come up with a clear, concise regurgitation.
So, if any of you reading this think you can come up with a statement describing and defining the missional church, I want to challenge you to do so by posting the statement as a comment here. But lets just make a few rules: No cheesiness or idealistic themes - I’ve already got that stuff. No complicated concepts - something every Christian (even non-Christian) can understand. Nothing too long - 4 to 5 sentences tops….one sentence would be great! So if you think you’ve got it, hit me up! I’d love to hear your ideas!
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- Author: Chris Merritt
- Date: April 4th, 2005
- Folksonomy: Uncategorized
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Being “missional” goes back to how we view God. We must see God as a missionary God. As God sent the Son and Spirit into the world, he has also sent the church, the vehicle through which God will bring about his kingdom on earth. In order to be missional, we must be the sent people of God, being the incarnational presence of Christ in our homes, neighborhoods, jobs, etc. Hope this helps.
IN 4-5 SENTENCES:
A church should be deemed missional by two charcteristics:
1) Philosophy
2) Actions
-A missional church has an implied and taught philosophy that every believer is called to PARTICIPATE in God’s mission. This shifts a church from a supportive “come-and-see” mentality to a “go-and-be/tell/do” mentality.
-A missional church places priority of evangelism and ministry in the hands of it’s members. This means that every member of a missional church should be participating in loving and meeting needs of unchurched peoples. (We should begin to see conversion happening outside of Church walls, [which then become a gathering place for sending].)
IN ONE SENTENCE:
A missional church is a gathering of believers who participate in God’s mission because they understand themselves as a sent people.
I know each of these statements might be able to stand alone, but most likely would lead to a a follow-up question by an audience, such as: isn’t that what all chuches are about? Emphatically, no. Sadly, many evangelical churches talk good game when it comes to preparing believers for God’s mission, but they do not take serious enough, the practice of being missional (or always on mission). Many of these churches see the Church institution as the place of ministry and conversion. Missional churches see the church body as the place of ministry and conversion. Whoa–there is my one sentence answer!
IN ONE SENTENCE:
Missional churches see the church body as the place of ministry and conversion.
Missional churches see the church body as the place of ministry and conversion.
sorry to post again, but here’s my one sentence @ the top so you don’t have to scroll through my thoughts to arrive there.
Good stuff fellas. Kev, I particularly like your statement about placing the priority of evangelism and ministry in the hands of it’s members. Maybe another way of saying it could be “placing the responsibility of ministry and evangelism into the hands of it’s members”.
Shawny, I lake the idea of being “sent”. I’d like to come up with a statement that encapsulates the idea of the church’s members always being “on mission”. The missional church understands that anything outside the church walls is the mission field. That is where the action is, where the mission is, where things get accomplished. All the building is there for is worship, training, and fellowship. Any other thoughts?
There is a section of the book, Missiology, that does a good job describing a sent people. I’ll find it and get it to you somehow.
.:Just as I am sent…I send you also:.-Jesus
“Missional church” is redundant. Both words mean the same thing, in theory. Unfortunately, some churches have failed to fulfill one of their central purposes (mission), but the dichotomy between “missional church” and “other churches” is unfortunate.
But I’ll give this a stab. “Missional Churches” go back to square one and ask, “What is Church?” and “How do we make disciples, and not just converts?”
I love what Neil Cole and others at Church Multiplication Associates say the DNA of a church is, in its simplist form:
D - Divine Truth: Truth is the foundation for everything. By Divine Truth we mean the dynamic and living presence of Christ and His word.
N - Nururing Relationships: Healthy relationships are what make up a family. Love for one another is to be a constant pursuit of the family of God. This is the most basic of Christ’s commands.
A - Apostolic Mission: Just as Jesus was sent on a mission, so we are also sent out on mission for Him. Our mission is to go into the world and disciple the nations for their good and God’s glory.
I think these three tenets of the church’s DNA are consistent with biblical teaching and Christian history. “Missional Churches” ask how each of these aspects can be maximized in their fellowships. Scary thought: Sometimes the solution means letting some really cool plates drop.
A missional church sees itself as a gathered community called out of the world and at the same time a gathering community sent into the world. It must act upon this perception. Not theory only, but theory and practice. To be sent into the world means to be sent as a servant who demonstrates the grace of Jesus in helping the needy and marginalized and as a messenger who speaks the Truth of Jesus. It is holistic. The church represents the Kingdom (by living out Kingdom values of love, forgiveness, mercy, justice, righteousness) and announces the Kingdom (by proclaiming its presence among us and The Way into it).
Coming in late to the conversation, I would simply like to offer this: That before anyone can be either Missional or quite frankly (or robertly or michaely)a disciple of Jesus Christ, should we not be first and foremost devoted to Him and devoted to each other?
So many folks get caught in the works aspect of ministry and never mature beyond the christianese panache’. I am in the process of the last step of Matthew 18 with a man I love very much at LCC. He will go out of his way to ‘minister’ as an ‘evangelist, all the while have no desire for input into his life. Transparency within his life is nonexistant…the show must be preserved!
How can we insist on completing the ‘Go ye therefore into all the nations’, without ever requiring that first the transparent Christian be evident?
Much love in Jesus -
Brian