on being missional
I have come across the word "missional" a lot - it is one of those words the emerging church uses a lot. But I never really understood what it meant. Like, I couldn't define what a missional church was, really, apart from the fact that it was a church that saw itself as being a missionary to the community in which it met.
But after reading the first couple chapters of The Shaping Of Things To Come, I am starting to grasp the meaning of the word.
And I love it.
A missional church seeks to infiltrate the community. I love that word, infiltrate. It's like we really are supposed to win over the community with salt and light in ways that a traditional church can't really do if its members stay within the church walls.
The missional church is not attractional (as in, it doesn't try to attract people into their building), but rather, it sends out its people into the community. It is focused outwards.
The authors of the book compare their vision for missional church to Vivanne Rocher's (the main character in the movie Chocolat) chocolate shop. Through engaging people in the austere little village, Vivianne changes lives and brings healing and colour to peoples' existence. This is what the church should be doing! Not waiting for people to come and join a church-sponsored event, but going out and hanging out with the people, creating relationships and deep friendships along the way. Along with deep friendship, comes sharing of life philosophies and purpose. What better way - what better context - to share the hope we have in Jesus? It starts with showing a watching people the kind of community Christians have - not talking about it. If we are striving for Christ-likeness, it will be wholly other, and very attractive... And we necessarily include people into our "church" (i.e. community of friends) wherever they are on the spiritual quest, just by being in relationship with them.
I love this vision (and this post does not do it justice at all). I hope I can be part of a church like this.
I love that I have to read this book for class!
But after reading the first couple chapters of The Shaping Of Things To Come, I am starting to grasp the meaning of the word.
And I love it.
A missional church seeks to infiltrate the community. I love that word, infiltrate. It's like we really are supposed to win over the community with salt and light in ways that a traditional church can't really do if its members stay within the church walls.
The missional church is not attractional (as in, it doesn't try to attract people into their building), but rather, it sends out its people into the community. It is focused outwards.
The authors of the book compare their vision for missional church to Vivanne Rocher's (the main character in the movie Chocolat) chocolate shop. Through engaging people in the austere little village, Vivianne changes lives and brings healing and colour to peoples' existence. This is what the church should be doing! Not waiting for people to come and join a church-sponsored event, but going out and hanging out with the people, creating relationships and deep friendships along the way. Along with deep friendship, comes sharing of life philosophies and purpose. What better way - what better context - to share the hope we have in Jesus? It starts with showing a watching people the kind of community Christians have - not talking about it. If we are striving for Christ-likeness, it will be wholly other, and very attractive... And we necessarily include people into our "church" (i.e. community of friends) wherever they are on the spiritual quest, just by being in relationship with them.
I love this vision (and this post does not do it justice at all). I hope I can be part of a church like this.
I love that I have to read this book for class!
posted by Thais at 8:01 AM
1 Comments:
Thais-
Great to hear things are going well for you and that you are processing these things. As you know, this book communicates much about the changing of the shape of things but actually, it seems to me, to promote that the contents not actually change. This actually it seems to represent a bit of tension between practice and belief. Can you actually practice some of the things you really want to and your belief remain relatively conservative?
This is the "emerging" church perspective that is different than the "emergent" conversation going on in other places. Tony Jones has a bit to say about this. You can check him out at www.theoblogy.blogspot.com
As an aside, we are having Andrew Jones, friends with these guys, in Geneva for our conversation on the Church in May. Brian McLaren, Jason Clark, Peter Rollins, James KA Smith and others will be there. Gonna be great! We will miss you! Lest you are back!
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