For the past year and a half two good friends of mine (Georges Boujakly and Paul Hill) and I have been working on a “Missional Order.”

In the beginning our hope was to create a network to challenge and encourage the church planters that we work with to focus significant and meaningful energy on spiritual formation in their lives and the lives of their core groups.

Over time the network idea evolved into more of an “order” that we believe speaks into the lives of many others beyond our initial focus. We have recognized the desire on the part of many within the existing church, as well as those that have for some reason “checked out” of the church, to rediscover an alternative story to the Christian life.

All of the conversations over the past year have lead us to create a missional order blog that is organized around three common commitments: sacred rhythm, continuous formation, and participation in the Missio Dei. We believe these commitments will assist us toward daily rhythms that push us toward God, aid our sanctification, and empower us participate in God’s kingdom.

While we are just getting the site off the ground this week I hope you will check out the site and give us critical feedback. I also hope you will decide to participate and join the conversation.

Here is a piece from the “Why A Missional Order” page to get you started:

This site exists for two big-picture reasons. On the one hand, we want to counteract some negative trends that are prevalent in society today. Call that our combative side. More important, we think that the missional approach will help us capture the positive dynamics that Jesus wants to be part of every life.

First, the things that we want to fight against:

The consumer lifestyle. We can’t consume our way into godliness, because the gospel is about a focused, stripped-down life, not an accessorized, materialistic life.

Programmatic spirituality. Jesus didn’t give the disciples 12-step or 40-day approaches to God. Instead, he told them to let their entire lives be molded by the Father, daily, for as long as they lived.

Business as usual. When church becomes corporate, and reflects the politics and bottom-line practices of the business world, the heart of the gospel has already been lost, no matter how good the church slogan sounds.

On the positive side, we think that Missional Order can help us:

Take active steps toward renewal. Christianity is always a do-or-die proposition, and that’s especially true today, when so many people are disenchanted with the church. But rather than grow cynical, we can work to recapture the impulses that animate a healthy, Jesus-shaped spirituality.

Live like Jesus together. We’re called to live out our faith in community, reflecting the heart of Jesus, acting as his sent disciples. Mutual encouragement and a sense of direction help us do this, whatever our location or station in life.

Adopt habits and disciplines that will help us create order—a focused spiritual equilibrium—that is imitative of Christ. What if we adjusted the very shape of our days around fellowship with God?

Wondering if this idea of Missional Order can be of any benefit to you?