THE MISSIONAL CHURCH ... simple
This is Steve posting something I got from Dan Masshardt on another blog. You can find more thoughts on this at theoutwardfocusedchurch.blogspot.com
EVANGELISM TODAY a ministry of the Commission on Evangelism
The Evangelism Blog of the Churches of God, General Conference
Churches of God Eastern Regional Conference Commission on Evangelism BLOG: THE MISSIONAL CHURCH ... simple
This is Steve posting something I got from Dan Masshardt on another blog. You can find more thoughts on this at theoutwardfocusedchurch.blogspot.com
I looked at Keller's "Characteristics of a missional church" - one of the keys: unbelievers coming and meeting us - in and out of church - and saying "you're just like me. How can that be? I'm not a Christian . . . but you are?"
How does that change how we "do" church? How does that change how we reach people who don't know Jesus? How does that change how we (as pastoral leaders) lead our churches - and instruct, equip, and empower our people?
That may be one of the reasons why church planting is effective: we hopefully start out with a mindset:how can we relate to the culture (building a relational connection) in order to build with them a "third space" where Jesus comes through us and enables us to walk together on an equal journey of faith (and ultimately Jesus) discovery?
I think many of our established churches in this country - which I love - struggle with the paradigm shift Keller is talking about. We invite people to come in to our churches - rarely going out to them - in order to be like us. And unfortunately many times we establish a litmus test of what it's like to be like us (and be accepted by us): i.e. political, economic, ethnic values, etc. And they quickly come to know more of what we're "against," than what/Whom we're "for."
Keller nails it: be missional, authentic, and connect with people where they are. And help them see we have the same issues, struggles, needs, etc.
And then love them.
Sounds like Jesus to me.
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Perhaps it begins by knowing who they are, meaning those not yet involved in the church. Once in consulting I challenged a church to have a dialogue with that target group before deciding "what they need" and to also assume that they did not yet see what that church had that they needed - or they would already be there.
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Great video, direct and to the point.
I'm reminded of a favorite passage from Lesslie Newbigin's book "The Gospel in a Pluralistic Society,
Newbigin writes,
"If the Gospel is to challenge public life of our society, if Christians are to occupy the “higher ground” which they vacated in the modern era, it will not be by forming a Christian political party or by aggressive propaganda campaigns. It will only be by movements that begin with local congregations in which the reality of the new creation is present, known, and experienced, and from which men and women will go into every sector of public life to claim it for Christ. But this will only happen as and when local congregations renounce an introverted concern for their own life, and recognize that they exist for the sake of those who are not yet members, as a sign, instrument, and foretaste of God’s redeeming grace for the whole life of society."
The idea that the church exists for those who are not yet members will not be very popular in our consumer-minded churches today, but it is at the heart of the Great Commission and The Great Commandment. But how do we steer church members away from the idea that the church exists to serve them and meet their needs?
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