Review: GloboChrist

Review: GloboChrist: The Great Commission Takes a Postmodern Turn by Carl Raschke

For many writers in the Missional movement, there is a lot of discussion regarding what is wrong with the church and they do not really offer a solution. Raschke builds an argument for a wonderful understanding of the new discipleship and ecclesiology of the future but then tears it down in the last chapters. Most of the discussion includes a denial or defense of every opinion and does not do a great job of finding a compromise.

In the first chapter, Globopomo, we get the definition of GloboChrist and an explanation of the postmodern church and the impact globalization has played on the structure and transformation of Christianity. Here he lists the first set of ideas that points us in a new direction. Raschke says that “global postmodern Christianity needs to be characterized by decentralization, deinstitutionalization and indigenization (understanding universal concepts in light of specific circumstances)” (p.39). While these topics are built during the next few chapters many side trips are taken that either support or distract from the discussion.

In the discussion of globalization, one of the driving points, that is often drowned in academic and philosophical ideas, is that “primary force driving Christian global expansion… is the relational power of the Gospel” (p. 43-44). This idea is supported by the fact that faith is something to be nurtured by a community. Raschke hits some very significant points here.

The next idea that is focused on is the fact that the church must be incarnational. For us as the church, we need to be “present in local situations and in the sensitive space of people’s daily lives” (p.48). He later describes incarnational ministry as being more than just present in life but to truly be Jesus to one another. From here, we hear a message of hope as we adventure into ideas of contextualization and mission.

Raschke then dives into this dance of ethics, theology, history and non-agreeable rhetoric that, for the most part, derails his main concept of mission as an incarnational ministry. It declines even further into a discussion of Islam that points towards the “radicalness” of the faith and politely compares it to fundamentalist Christians. He makes his point but it feels as if it was a bit overdone.

In chapter five, Radical Relationality, we are given insight into a guide for further discussion and action. “The four R’s of becoming a Christ-follower heeding the call of the Great Commission …: radical, relational, revelatory and rhizomic” (p.116). Radical in terms of “Jesus extreme actions that expose the root of all authentic religious language and behavior”. Relational as the “real and genuine goal” of our faith. Revelatory in the incarnational characteristics of relationships. Rhizomic (multiplication/growth and interconnectivity) by the means of “spreading out, withdrawing, splitting, segmenting, then re-forming” (p.116-123).

Through all the rhetoric, there are many gems of quotes and grand ideas that points Christianity towards a global yet local understanding of faith that demands our love for our neighbors. One of the defining lines for me was Raschke's take on discipleship: “Discipling demands discipline,... discipling requires a singular focus on relationships, relationships that incarnate the pure love of God for his fallen creatures, as shown on Calvary.”

In the last two chapters, there is a breakdown of progress and we turn towards a conversation on the eschaton which seems almost out of place. This almost seems like it is an insurance policy on the information portrayed and he even calls out practically every tradition in the Christian faith. I get lost in his sense of identity only to believe that he has an argument for any side of any discussion. He even calls out moderates in the claim that they can go either way depending on the wind of culture yet he maintains his stance on discipline for incarnational and relational ministry.

The book was a good read, overall, but if we turned downed the language and the massive bibliography, we might have actually achieved something. One wish that I have it that Raschke needs to be more focused on building from his argument and less on the tear-down of others’. I have taken many good ideas from this book and I hope that we can look into postmodern Christianity with a new light of discipleship, relationships and dedication to the Gospel.

The Church's Mission: Post-Enlightenment to Today

The modern interpretation of the Great Commission is one of disciple-making and evangelism. This understanding is based on Jesus’ command to “go” and often defines our mission in the Church. But this has not always been the mission of the church and the outcome of history has proven that the Great Commission has been interpreted in ways that have given the Church various direction throughout Protestant ecclesiology and missiology.
Although there is much to say about the missiology of the post-Reformation era of Protestantism the real conversation exists post-Enlightenment. With the Age of Reason and scientific discovery there were realizations that pre-Enlightenment missions were not a spread of the Gospel but a colonizing force cloaked in religion. So as Christianity moved into the post-Enlightenment era there was a tonal change in mission work and, specifically in the US, there was a focus toward the spread of ‘right tradition’. The shining example for this is the Methodist movement in the US during the 19th century. But our reality of mission in the US is limited to the understanding of Scripture as a call to proclaim our own tradition. This was apparent in the 19th and 20th century with the devisiveness of denominationalism with almost all Protestant and Christian groups.
But the foundation of mission is all bust lost in Christianity since the time of the Enlightenment. Our churches have forgotten that Christ’s call to ‘baptize the nations and to make disciples’ is our call to mission. The Great Commission should be constantly discerned as our command from Christ and our discipleship and our unity must be what defines us a people of faith.
There are three texts that outline this history and have been foundational in our understanding of the mishappenings and even the hope of our faith.
In David Bosch’s Transforming Mission we hear many stories and facts that outline the history of mission as something that can be improved upon. “Advocates of mission were blind to their own ethnocentrism… and confused their middle-class ideals and values with the tenets of Christianity.” (p301) Bosch creates a conversation around this in the argument that US Christian mission was a focused on the popular and stable segment of society that would best be able to create economies of expansion.
In Understanding Church Growth by David McGavran, it is outlined that mission and evangelism has taken many forms over the years but for many Americans there is a “fog” that limits our ability to see how we can grow. McGavran forms the argument that growth is a requirement of faithfulness and that we must not see evangelism as a goal but instead discipleship as our call to fulfill the Great Commission.
All three of my readings are glimpses from the past but J.C. Hoekendijk completely understands where the church has been and where it needs to go. Initially, I started reading The Church Inside Out and with a little vocabulary adjustment, this book could have been written yesterday. His clear understanding of how the church got to where it is and the hope and mission that defines us as Christians is a positive light that we all need to realize.
But Hoekendijk doesn’t use the language of expansion like McGavran. Instead he finds fault in many of our systems and says that “we must look for another way.”(p.18) There is more to what Christ is calling us to in the Great Commission than being a multiplying people of a religion. We need to be disciples who “establish the shalom”. By living and proclaiming shalom as humble servants we live out Christ’s example that is outlined in Matthew 9 as people that go into the world with a “Messianic shalom.” (p.25)
In my next article we will look toward the future of mission and evangelism through the lense of the Great Commission. After looking at past voices we will progress into modern thinkers that are discerning God’s call to the Church to baptize the nations and make disciples.

Week 1 of Brazil

Welcome to Campinas, Brazil! The last week has been a roller coaster of excitement and anticipation.    With the mixture of people that are on my team to the cultural differences of the people we meet, there is so much to be thankful for and it is amazing to think there is another week here.

We have been primarily working with the Presbyterian Church in Brazil(known as the IPI). From day one until today we have traveled around the region of Campinas visiting pastors and their churches in which they planted or revitalized. To hear from their perspective in their cultures has been so rewarding and I have learned so much.

Here in Brazil, during the first week, I have seen some major influences on the ministries here that are discerning their place as a church leader in their communities.    One of the biggest and most powerful aspects of the growing and revitalizing churches is their desire to be more spiritual in their lives and in doing so become better leaders so that they can be better prepaired in the context. Spirituality is a tough subject for me because it has always been the one thing that I can "skip" on my schedule if I'm overloaded. Since I have been in ministry almost 4 years ago, my connectedness with God has been in a low spot. I often feel like I have left behind what I have been called to do on a regular basis. (Kind of like the person who likes hunting so much that they become a Game Warden only to barely ever hunt because they are working during the hunting season.) So, spirituality is number one. Numero 2 is mentorship. While I have a pretty awesome pastor, I see many other people who go through discernment and pastoral roles with no one to check in with. Another thing about this is that our systems are not designed to rely on the mentor-mentee model. We may have it some where in the by-laws but it is not fully used.

With this in mind, I want to say a few things about the churches we visited. We have seen house churches that turned into large worshiping communities, old churches revitalized to discern God's will for the 21st century, church growth in poverty, church growth in the upper-middle class neighborhoods. These churches, whether we always agree with them theologically or otherwise, have given so much trust that God will use them to the point where they have gone in directions that they could not imagine.

What is Christ doing in this land? Well it looks a little bit hip, a lot a bit practical and ton more focused on relationships than I could ever imagine. In the Brazilian culture, relational ministries are the only ones that sustain.    We have a lot to learn from this particularly in the fields of evangelism, education and worship.

I'll hopefully have time soon to post some pictures of our adventures and when we return home, there are rumors of a video project in the works.

To TJ and my family, I miss you and am thinking about you.
To St. Paul's Community Church family, holy canoli do we have some things to consider! lol
To Ella and Willow, daddy loves you and misses you two.

Blessings from summer,
Ryan

Articles, Magazines, Sermons, Conferences

I love reading articles, blogs, reflections and anything where people are expressing their feelings and offering some insight or opinion on a certain subject.  Literally, I read dozens of articles with catchy titles in hope that I might actually uncover something earth-shattering that will either change my circumstance, spirituality or ministry.  We all read to feel inspired or to hear another's story but at what point does all the words and crafting of prose actually lead to change or initiation?

A lot of the things we read are usually just affirmations on what we believe or have heard.  We rarely want to read anything that opposes our views and then we just build up our walls (preconceived notions) even higher. In all the written pieces I have read, I have barely changed my mind on a subject or actually done something as a result of reading said material.  Also, when we go to church or even attend a conference, we may feel awfully inspired by the words and presentations but still our behavior remains unchanged.

One website that I frequent is Fresh Expressions. Why? Because they write articles about what people are actually doing and was has or has not worked for them.  This is what gets my blood running and inspires me to be a better leader in the Church. "Actions speak louder than words." "Put your money where your mouth is." "Practice what you preach.": These are all statements that we use in Church circles because we want to see work being done in the world to further the ministry of Jesus Christ.

Now I am certain that this article, like the many before and after it, will lead to little change in the world but through all the saturation of opinion and story telling I want you to turn inspiration into action. Easier said than done; I understand, but what will it take for us to make that step which leads to change?

In church, we ask a lot about what we can do to be a healthier community of believers or how we can reach out to those in need.  We need to stop answering that question by placing boundaries on God's will and have the faith to take risks. Get out of your comfort zone, try something new, make new connections with others, stop saying "we have tried that before", quit giving excuses and trust that by following God's lead we will be a better and more productive community of disciples.

I get asked many questions about church planting since I am involved in the Church Planting Initiative at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. Frequently the purpose behind the question is "what is the secret to getting started?".  My answer is usually the same "When the Holy Spirit moves through you in your discernment, follow its lead."  Take risks, be bold in God's calling for you life, gather around people that have discerned a similar vision and trust that God will provide.

The next time you read an article and feel inspired to do something. Do it.  Your routine of life will be broken up for a small period of time but the consequences of your actions can be ground breaking.  Peter and the disciples took many risks when they preached the Gospel in a hostile environment but they were sustained in their ministry.  Sure they had a few bumps in the road but they followed the Holy Spirit as they went about growing the Church in the earliest days.

God has instilled in our hearts the ability and will to change, we just have to follow that lead.

Martin Luther King Jr.: 50 Years Later

For millennials and those younger, Dr. King is a symbol of courage and he worked towards bringing words into action.  He is an example of what we can achieve when we come together for common cause and stand up for what is right. But we often forget MLK Jr.'s words and that he was a brilliant pastor and theologian.  He also knew that equal rights was not just an understanding of circumstance but a relationship. So on this day, I want to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr Day by pointing out where we have failed to change in the last 50 years and where we can continue his legacy through our building of relationships.

Since the Civil Rights Movement in the 50's and 60's we have certainly come a long way in bringing equality to our society in regards to racial discrimination. But we have also failed over and over again.  Gentrification of urban areas, police brutality and discrimination, educational systems that lack funding, segregated churches and organizations; I can go on and on with clear examples of how race relations have not progressed in the past decades. Our federal government has done little to curb this trajectory of race relations and society as a whole has lacked the initiation to stop the division of our culture. So how do we fix that? Let's refer to Jesus.

Now I could quote the golden rule or even talk about Jesus' comments on equality but I want to focus on the fact that Jesus had a profound impact on architecture.  This, of course, is in reference to social architecture.  In Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus warns the crowds gathered to not build their houses on sand but instead on stone. We have to ask ourselves if our foundations in society are built on sand or are they built on stone?

Our foundations of society are the relationships of its people. How we interact and treat one another is the basis for which everything is standing on. If our first reaction to a stranger is a judgment because of their skin color then that relationship has been initiated by stereotypes and ignorance. However, if we begin our interaction with one another in an equal love for one another then the relationship will grow on equality, love and acceptance.

So if we want to stand up to the intolerance of racism in America then we need to begin by building relationships with people that are different from us.  I wish I learned this lesson a decade ago when I entered my undergraduate university. It is my hope that you can start doing this today because we can see the light in the darkness.  Racism has no place in this world, we are smarter than that. We need to learn to accept one another and celebrate that we are different but we are all equal in the eyes of God. Put down your ideas of hatred and fear and be the change in this world that will bring to life the dream that MLK Jr. had.

Over the past 10 years I have grown tremendously in my understanding of life.  This has included the rejection of culturally ingrained racism and the acceptance of people that are different than me.  I have learned to do this because of my faith.  And because of my faith I have decided to be a part of society that doesn't let the cultural-norm impose on me ideas that are blatantly wrong but stand up for what is right. Through this moral decision I have made relationships with people that are different than me (racial, cultural, religious) and have built my own foundation of love and acceptance.  If we all do the same thing then our society will have the same foundation.  We need to build relationships, ask forgiveness and make Dr. King proud.

Epiphany

January 6th is the yearly celebration of the visit of the magi to the young and innocent Jesus Christ. This is the day after the last day of Christmas and is a celebration of the light that has come to the world through Jesus. The gifts that were brought to Mary, Joseph and Jesus were the means by which they escaped as refugees to Egypt in their attempt to escape the oppression of King Herod.

Over the years some theologians have questioned the biblical support for Epiphany.  This is a part of a greater movement that questions many holidays and celebrations that have become staples of Church tradition. Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant traditions celebrate most of the same holidays and Epiphany is celebrated universally as well.

But why the opposition to tradition?  The holidays of the Church have been founded on the idea that we are to gather and celebrate as in the words of the Psalms and similar to the events at the Temple in Jerusalem (minus the sacrifices of animals). Although, finding biblical basis for many of the modern traditions can be stretching at times.  Holy Week and Christmas celebrations are a combination of the Synoptic narratives, Pentecost is celebrated but we are far cry from what Peter and the Apostles were like that day in their gathering space and the tradition of Lent and Ash Wednesday are merely of post-biblical origins.

So why would we celebrate biblically loose holidays? If we ask this question then we would be questioning 2,000 years of discipleship and discernment. The theology behind these types of questions has to ask more questions that just “Is it in the Bible?”.  Most of Christian theology is not fully expressed in scripture including many unfortunate stances on fear, racism and exclusivity that have found their way into modern thought.

Please leave Church holidays alone. Epiphany is a celebration of light. Unfounded criticism only brings more darkness into the world. I often question many aspects of the Church in our post-Christendom and post-modern world but they are based on the teachings of Jesus Christ and not invented for an agenda. Peace be with you and Happy Epiphany!

Lent: Day 1

 I am starting a journey in picture and word.  Everyday during Lent 2015 I will be taking a picture that is a visual depiction of a word.  Each word that is used comes from a list provided by Rethink Church, a United Methodist program.  You can follow my journey here on this page and by following me (toprocklife) on Instagram.


Day 1 (2/18/15):

I am dust.  Out of the dry and dirty earth I was formed into being.  Yet I was made in God's own image.  Images hold power because they often show what words cannot explain but words, especially those of the Bible, give us a foundation for understanding.

Lenten Journey

So what cool thing are you doing this year?  Doing the 'give up sweets or chocolate' thing or are you a person that is willing to give up Facebook? If not, are you still searching for that thing that will make Lent a great spiritual journey?  Are you wondering what the future of your church will look like? If yes, then what you need to do is listen.  Listen to your family, listen to your church family, listen to your community.

In the Church world, we call listening to your community as "community exegesis".  Imagine a world where people were in tune with what is happening around them.  Imagine a world that people took on the causes of their neighborhood.  Imagine a world where people worked together and fought to reduce the blights that bring down wholeness within our schools, churches and homes.  Community exegesis is the avenue for us to find out what we have been doing wrong or what we have ignored and it also points out what God is already up to on our streets and in our neighborhoods.

During Lent this year, you should give up your idea of what your community is and start from scratch.  Preconceived notions of stereotypes and generalizations are what builds barriers and that needs to stop. Listen for these things happening around you, listen for what needs done, listen to your community and find out where you, your family and your church fits in to the puzzle.

Prayer walks, knocking on a neighbor's door, sitting in a coffee shop (while not playing on your phone) or attending an event at the library are all great ways for us to step outside our normal life and see what is happening around us.  During Lent we can be witnesses to things that need fixed in our community and we can witness what is doing well within our towns.

So in this Lenten season, listen.


For a great Lenten devotional, the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary has a great resource.

Southeast Asia Mission Trip - Preview

(credit: tripadvisor.co.uk)

In two short weeks I will be on a plane with my destination being half-way around the world. As an introduction into the world of cross-cultural missions, I am joining a group of individuals traveling from the World Mission Initiative at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary to warmer climates to witness in the work of the Spirit.  We call this a mission trip but we are not going to evangelize to the non-Christian, build orphanages or give them anything material but we are going to learn, teach and encourage believers of Christ.

Our two weeks will be spent visiting Christians throughout the southern regions of the country.  Visiting this country will be a great task for me as I only have a few word vocabulary and know the bare minimum of the culture.  I do, however, look forward to the food because I am an adventurous eater.

In our time together, I hope to grow in relationship with those I am traveling with but I also would like to build lasting relationships with the people we meet in country.  This is why we go on these trips; we are there to strengthen the Church and grow in our witness.

Please pray for us as we travel and pray that we become better disciples through this experience.  I will keep this blog updated as often as I can when overseas and I will give a grand report when we return.

Blessings and peace,
Ryan

January 19, 2014 Sermon

Today’s Readings:

John 1:32-42

Isaiah 49:1-7

Title “Community Placement”

Take-away:

God has called you to a certain place within our community.  It is your

responsibility to discern your call and it is the Church’s responsibility

to help you in your journey of discerning that call.

Additional Readings:

Psalm 40: 1-11

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Challenge Question:

Do you think the Church should conform to society or do you

think society should be more like the church? Is there a way for

us as Christians to learn from the skills and structure of society?

Blessings to you all,

Ryan Lucas

January 20, 2013 Audio Sermon

1/20/13 Sermon Audio

This sermon was recorded in Apollo, PA at the First UCC of Apollo. For info on the church, please see my last post.  The title of the message is "God of Miracles".



Editorial Note:
In the sermon I mention that miracles do not occur at random.  I would like to make an addition to that comment.  I truly believe that God does miracles through the Holy Spirit every day whether it be in the form of healing, prosperity, salvation, etc. and needs no help from us as people to do those miracles. To that - I am starting to read my sermons from an outline instead of just reading a manuscript and I left that part out.  Thanks for understanding, I'm still kinda new at this :)

Peace,
Ryan

1-13-13 Audio Sermon Link

On Sunday, January 13, 2013 I had the honor of preaching at the First United Church of Christ in Apollo, PA.  The title of this message is "Raging Rapids", the audio is above, and the texts used are here. In attendance were my parents, wife, daughter(who you can hear talking throughout), and the very warm and welcoming Apollo congregation.  I thank them for allowing me to preach for them and asking me to preach again this weekend.  First United Church of Christ's information can be found here.  Also the service starts at 9:15 on Sunday, January 20th if you would like to join us in worship.  The title of my sermon this weekend is "God of Miracles" and the scripture is based on the Revised Common Lectionary. Thank you all for your love and support throughout my ministry.

Blessings and grace to you,

Ryan

How can we change from a congregation based ministry to a community minded ministry?

Currently I am in the process of reading Missional Church: A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America edited by Darrell L. Guder and have discovered some profound insights into the Church in our society.  The section that I have found to be intriguing addresses denominationalism of the Christian churches in America and also how our Church has changed to be more of a managed process than a spiritual center.  Many reasons have caused this to happen but the premise of the issue at hand it that our society has changed so drastically that even something as an integral facet of society as the Church could not keep up.


The early Church in America was very important to the building of the frontier and a basis for much of the social life in colonial villages.  This was one of the last times we can see that the “church” was “successful”.  Other events in the late 19th and 20th centuries increased membership of churches like the tent revivals and the return of soldiers from war. Although membership may have increased, the connection of church and modern society was slowly falling apart. By the 1960s, the acceptance of individualism had taken root and the connection between the average American and the church was separated by a large and deep canyon. This proverbial canyon has gotten larger as the years have gone on because individualism is growing stronger and the church is still doing the same activities.  


So how can the institution of the traditional church transform into a missional organization?  The church must change from wanting people to come into their Sunday services to a place that teaches people to be loving Christians in their daily lives. The church must also change from a set of certain people going to the same building every Sunday to a place that shares the ideals of a Christian based community in the places that we live.  This may sound like a teaching that currently takes place in many churches but is randomly applied to people’s lives.  


Churches should also work together in the communities to solve social issues and to address the needs of the people in that community.  When was the last time that you have heard of a group of churches, across denominational lines, come together and truly change a community? Now I may be a little young to answer this but I would venture that it hasn’t happened in quite some time.  A quick look around my town, I found about 12 churches in my town.  A couple of those have closed down and I wonder what the other churches are doing for the community.


We need to change; I need to change, you need to change, the system of our society must change.  We have to become the “city on a hill” seeking God through everything we do.  Missional Church also states that simply internalizing our faith and knowing salvation as a personal experience is only half of what the Gospel teaches.  Are we going to simply ignore half the reason why Jesus came to Earth? Our church structure is not set up to do both sides of Jesus’ ministry. For many years, we have focused on the self-centralization of the Gospel and how it pertains to us but what we are missing is the participatory side of salvation.  Living a life like Jesus and mirroring his ministry is a crucial part of our beliefs. We can think and believe anything that we want but if we don’t represent these ideas in our life and be Christians to our neighbors than it is for not.  A friend of mine once was asked the question “Which is more important discipleship or evangelism?” His response was simple: “How can a bird fly with only one wing.” We must present an equal balance in our lives with enough power or we will never get off the ground.


So back to the question at hand, how can we change?  My idea is complex and I can’t explain every detail because frankly I don’t know those problems/solutions at this time.


The only way to change people is either by a catastrophic event or a slow process.  Since the world is not going to end on December 21st, 2012, I will use a model for a slow process.  We have to start with what we have.  The leaders in the church and denominations that have been establishing themselves for nearly centuries are actually great tools to work with.  They have established programs and missions in our communities but they have not reached their full potential.  These efforts have not used resources allocated to the community but only the ones given to the congregation.  If the dozen or so churches and pastors in my community were to work together in a common mission, we could essentially transform our town into a Christian community.  We would have the ability to feed the hungry, clothe the needy, minister to those in times of trouble, worship and praise God together, love one another, and have a large support system of people that live life just as you do.


I understand that this model does not fit with the current society and not too many people would be happy if we flipped all of our churches and resources to a different function.  The process would literally mean a reversal of what has been undone over the last century. With the Holy Spirit working, this may take a generation or so.  Mindsets of the daily life as a resident of a town would need some reform and we can start by teaching our children these concepts.  This is not some crazy stance at making our kids Amish but merely changing the ideals we teach our children to become involved in community.


There are many organizations and councils in place that actually do some of this work but more than likely are just spinning their wheels.  I asked a pastor friend of mine if his community had something like a council of local pastors and his response was yes, but they never do anything.  It is a shame to see that we have a highly evolved system of communications and we can’t even get pastors in a community to work together.


I would like to challenge you as a believer, congregation member, and/or citizen of a certain area: Go ask your local pastor what they have done to work with other churches to better share Christ’s love in the community. Please, don’t settle for mediocrity and be a side-line believer.  Care about your neighbors and get involved in your church’s efforts to spread the love of Christ.  

What is wrong with church now?

I would like to start off by saying that the established church has done great things for our communities, country, and world and will continue to do so for many years. With that said, one extremely lacking aspect of the traditional Christian religion is teaching people to live a life as a follower of Jesus. Church attendees simply go through the motions of religion with no life altering experiences. We can learn about Jesus, go to Sunday school, and attend a Bible study but actually living a life like Jesus and portraying ourselves as true Christians in our communities are things we have failed to do.


To put this in perspective I will attempt to make a modern parallel: If I were to buy a Coca-cola t-shirt, purchase common stock of the Coke corporation, hit the “Like” button for the Facebook page of said company, and even go as far as purchasing the actual drink itself but never actually taking a drink of the beverage, why would I invest my time, money, and brand loyalty to something that I don’t really partake in? Going to church, tithing, and cooking for the quarterly spaghetti dinners are all motions that we go through with but our daily lives do not accurately reflect these weekend rituals. Through our time spent at church we are taught to love one another as we would want to be loved and to share your harvest with your neighbor but when we recluse back to our man/woman caves we forget the teachings from church and remain focused on ourselves.

Have a Coke, enjoy it, and while you are at it, grab me one too.  True ministry in our communities is what God is calling us to do and unless we “pop the top” and “take a big swig” we have not fulfilled our calling.  The modern church can only do so much to influence us as Christians to actively minister to others so we must take the initiative. The missional movement can only be achieved by believers and not the “church” as a whole. 

So how can the church change or improve to help people be missional? That is the ultimate question in modern ecclesiastical circles. [IMHO] I believe the church needs to start inside their own doors and be missional to the faithful parishioners, lay people, and worship leaders.  Once people in the church know what it is like to be accepted by a loving community of Christians, then they will be more apt to share that love with their neighbors.  This is not to say that individuals cannot go out on their own path and start ministries, but to have the support and resources of a larger congregation is why we have a church.  

What does “missional” mean?

What does “missional” mean?

A mission in the literal sense is a person or group of people that goes to a region for a specific purpose.  In business, a mission is merely the goal of the operations of that organization.  During the days of exploration in the 16th to 19th centuries, a mission was a name for a church that was planted in a certain area to spread the Christian religion (usually of the Catholic faith).  Missions now in the religious realm are usually set plans for certain people to go to third world countries and spread the Gospel of Jesus. With these thoughts in mind, “missional” is a combination of these with some extra ideas that are Gospel inspired and have more of a community mindset.

When people hear of mission in a church setting they automatically think of sending people to a small island in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and attempting to convert native tribes into faithful believers.  This is an important part of the church’s foreign outreach ministry and certainly people are called by God to do this but “missional” is a term used in religion to define a community based ministry.  A great way to explain missional church is to say instead of bringing people into your church building, you are going into the community teaching people about Jesus which is essentially taking church to them.  

The term “church” should further be clarified as well.  Church is thought of as a building with a steeple where people go to services on Sunday and have weddings.  The biblical meaning of church has a different connotation to it altogether.  The church is described in scripture as a body of people that is called to teach others of the Good News of Jesus Christ.  No buildings, no steeples.  The modern church as it pertains to scripture is a body of people that are brought together through traditions, denominations, social obligations, and special programs.  Where is the Holy Spirit? Why is the community not the central point of the religion?

The missional church is then described as; a community of followers of Jesus Christ, fulfilling the Great Commission as they go out into their communities teaching them about the Good News found in the New Testament of the Bible, not defined by a physical location but extending a loving arm to all those in need, religion is not a convenience hobby but a way of living, using the parables of Jesus as your guide for life’s decisions, focusing your life on God’s Kingdom instead of your own self-gains, and refer to church as the welcoming body of believers that is rooted in their communities.

This idea is not intended on destroying the established church but is to change it once again.  A New Reformation is in order to withdraw ourselves from our traditions and realize the true calling as followers of Jesus.  The Missional Reformation is a necessary change that is needed in the American Christian churches and churches around the world.  In our entitlement era of society, America has been one of the worst offenders at not fulfilling our call to ministry. We have a great opportunity as Americans to use the great resources that have been provided for us to answer our calling.

One popular phrase that is thrown around in the missional ministry field is “gospel intentionality”.  This simply means to live a life with the intent of fulfilling the Great Commission. This, along with “missional”, is thrown around all too often and can be used by people and “churches” to attract new believers but should be held to a high regard.

Evangelism, street preaching, and door-to-door ministries should not be confused with “missional”.  Though these ideas can be utilized in many functions throughout the missional and traditional churches, they do not represent the core of the missional church.  Involving one’s self in the lives of your neighbors and actively engaging in the needs of your community through ministry is the root of the missional church.  Our mission is to get to know people and understanding their spiritual needs and teaching them that through Jesus Christ we have redemption, forgiveness, a comfort knowing that God is our rock and we can fully rely on Him.

Introduction to the Missional Church

In a 1998 book by Darrell L. Guder he explains that there has been a decline in dedication from Americans to the established church. He presents that the missional church is the new growing trend in the world and that the way church as we know it needs an overhaul as it pertains to ministry. Many concepts and models of ministry have recently been implemented with some success but it may be short-lived. The “contemporary” church is young, hip, and attractive to anyone under 50 in the US. These mega-churches have formed an entertaining and heartwarming church experience but nonetheless it is still the same church. Live bands, pastors in jeans, mobile apps, and small group studies are all well and good with intention but will not sustain a church for the ages.

The mission of the modern church is to “fill the pews on Sunday”. Everyone is expected to be at church on
Sunday and be involved in monthly dinners and holiday social events. Is this the model of worship that Jesus
wants? I will argue that Jesus’ never intended for anyone to just show up to church at 10:30 every Sunday when it was convenient for them. The fulfillment of the Great Commission is our true calling in God’s Kingdom. Jesus said “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them”. The word “go” is more than likely the key word in this passage. Go means to move or travel or proceed. In a ministry sense, go would mean to actually move into the community that surrounds you and not stay docile in the four walls of your church. The second part of the sentence says to “make disciples of all the nations”. Adding this part to the definition of “go” is saying to proceed into the community, teaching everybody of the saving grace of Jesus Christ. The last part of the quoted text is “baptizing them”. This is crucial to the meaning of the commission. A baptism is a transforming and renewal of a person into a life with Christ.

Taking this understanding of the text, we can now form a mission statement that should be the root of all Christian ministries. “Travel into your communities and the world, educating everyone of the saving grace of Jesus Christ, and baptizing them so that they may be washed of their sins and live eternally with God Almighty."

In weeks to come I will be posting interesting links about missional ministries and the like.  Also I will be placing weekly articles pertaining to the missional church.