We have become experts at programming congregational life. As soon as someone offers an idea that seems to be effective in helping a local congregation, somebody comes up with a way to program it, organize it, shrink-wrap it, market it, and sell it to churches as a commodity.
But the missional lifestyle is not a commodity. The missional lifestyle is a way of being, a way of seeing and a way of relating with others. Living missionally is allowing the Christ in us to embrace, touch, respond to, initiate toward, and include outsiders. Jesus mentioned the hungry, thristy, stranger, underclothed, sick, and prisoner. Then he said, “Whatever you did for one of these, you did for me.”
This same Christ initiated God’s grace to widows, grieving, lost, diseased, paralytics, blind, lame, and children. We now have sterilized programs to minister to all of these.
But what about the other outsiders — the social outcasts, homeless, adulteresses, prostitutes, dishonest politicians, beggars, thieves, liars, wayward, demon possessed, and people who deny Christ? What about the person who causes us pain? What about the individual who questions our integrity? Do we initiate God’s grace to them? The only people Christ ever called “sinner” were those people who called other people “sinner.” It’s time to allow the Christ who lives in us to live through us.
Dennis Foust from “It’s Time . . . A Journey Toward Missional Faithfulness: Member Journey Guide”
The one practical issue, beyond all the theory and good intention, is how do we help people learn how to live this out.
We must admit that the benefit of the program driven mentality is we have a framework for someone to step into.
But we can’t just jettison that for “minister to the homeless, prostitutes, etc”and not give people any clue as to how to do this. That’s just the age old mistake of condemnation by information. (All I will feel is guilt for not being able to do what I’ve been told I ought to do.)
What do you think?
Yes it is time to allow the Christ who lives in us to live through us!
Christians/the church should never have to debate why be missional, should I live a missional life style, it should be enough that Jesus said GO, and Go into the entire world. It was enough for Abraham that God said GO, and so he went.
What more do we need to know other than our Lord said GO, that should be all we need to know, GO! Be missional, be on mission, live sent, however you want to say it, just as long as you are Going. Just Do It!
We should identify ourselves as missionaries, when people ask you what do you do? You say “Go”. What is your career? I am a missionary. What type work do you do? Make Disciples.
Jesus ate with prostitutes, drank with drunkards and hung out with the outcast of society, He offered forgiveness and mercy to sinners no matter what they had done. Jesus said,” A servant is not greater than his master.” Being that was the life Jesus lived, it was good enough for my master, it is good enough for me His servant.
Jesus said GO and Do, what more is there to discuss.
Usher: Deak, when will the missional people just go about the great commission and quit trying to drag the naysayers with them?
Deacon: There’s only one way to prove to the missionals that trying to “convert the church” is hopeless
Usher: Yeah, what’s that?
Deacon: Invite a prostitute, the neighborhood drug addicts, a bunch of alcoholics and maybe a few homeless people to church – Watch what happens.
Lots of good thoughts come to mind, but here is one. We need to become experts in letting “ministries” die. God often calls a person to do something and it is hugely successful. But once they move on, we should not force others to keep doing it. We should allow it to die and allow God to do the next thing instead of the old thing.