Missions or Missional 

"Missional" is a buzz word these days in church renewal and development.  National Capital Presbytery's vision statement says

"Confident in the "new and living way" of Jesus Christ, we, the lay and clergy leaders of National Capital Presbytery, commit ourselves to "hold fast to the confession of our hope...encouraging one another to love and good works," (Hebrews 10:20-24). Guided by the Word, sustained by the sacraments, and empowered by the Spirit, we will participate with God to strengthen and transform our congregations to be Missional, Pastoral, and Prophetic, so that we might glorify God in actions and attitudes that demonstrate the love revealed through Jesus Christ our Lord."

So what does a church that is "missional" look like?   Does it mean that every congregation will add a clothing or food bank, build another Habitat house, or take youth to Haiti on some mission project?  Should churches give more money to evangelize the heathen or build hospitals?

I like Brian McLaren's approach.  (see review below)  In his book A Generous Orthodoxy, he asserts that "Jesus comes with saving love for the world.  He creates the church as a missional community to join him in his mission of saving the world.  He invites me to be part of this community to experience his saving love and participate in it."

"This approach "eliminates old dichotomies like "evangelism" and "social action."  It "gets rid of distinctions like ministry  (what we do in the church) and mission (what we do outside it), since ministry is for mission from the start.  It also gets rid of terms like missionary  and mission field, since now every Christian is a missionary and every place is a mission field."  (pp 108-109)

The big idea is that a missional church equips its members (i.e. those who are active) to be God's persons wherever they are through the week - at home, in school, at work, in the community.  What people do the six days other than Sunday has a dramatically greater impact than what they do on Sunday.  

A school teacher has such an impact on students for good or ill.  Parents with children.  A McDonald's manager treating employees with respect and encouragement.  And, in my home area, metro Washington, the actions of government employees affect the lives of millions.

So how do pastors and other church leaders lead a church to be missional?

Start by re-framing mission and purpose.  Remind people that Jesus didn't say "go and form little churches (or big ones) and become happy families,isolating yourself from a hostile world."  One translation of the Great Commission suggests that Jesus said "...as you are going into the world..." i.e. wherever you are going.  That's missional.

Eugene Peterson, in The Message translates it: "Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life...  Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you." 

I think effective leaders will

• demonstrate Jesus' practice of compassion and care and teach others how to care.
• try to see the down and outers with Jesus' eyes, calling for righteousness and justice
• demonstrate how to live simply and be counter-cultural in a materialistic world
• show the power of love and vulnerability to transform evil

You can make your list.

The key challenge: how can you as a leader help transform your congregation to be missional, where members don't see themselves as an audience to be entertained, but as Jesus' agents of hope and life and reconciliation to a hurting world.

This, in coaching terminology,  is a BIG HAIRY AUDACIOUS GOAL (a BHAG). 

How is Christ challenging you? 

I would love to coach you as you consider leading your church to be missional or setting some other BHAG's.  Please send an email or give me a call and we can set up a demonstration coaching session.

A Generous Orthodoxy  by Brian McLaren  

This terrific book's subtitle is: "Why I am a missional + evangelical+ post/protestant + liberal/conservative + mystical/poetic + biblical + charismatic/contemplative + fundamentalist/calvinist + anabaptist/anglican + methodist + catholic + green + incarnational + depressed - yet-hopeful + emergent + unfinished CHRISTIAN"

McLaren helps readers move beyond confining definitions of what it means to be Christian and a church member to new ideas and perspectives about how to be faithful.  He draws from the history of the incredibly varied expressions and practices of how people have attempted to follow Jesus, demonstrating that each has its contribution to faithful living.

He challenges and presses me - and, I suspect, will challenge you, too.

What books or resources have you found