The Missional Church: More Than A Geographical Landmark
What’s the essence of the missional church? A church on mission is more than a building in a physical location. It also goes beyond the history of a space or the number of people in attendance. The missional church is a community committed to embodying the ethos and practices of God’s people. It is a living, breathing, relational entity that comes together to be the church.
Defining a Missional Church
Here’s how we define a missional church: the missional church is “the people of God partnering with Jesus and his redemptive mission in the world.” This definition emphasizes the active role of the church as a conduit of God’s mission. Let’s explore each aspect of this definition
Leadership Implications: Freeing People to Engage in the Mission
Leaders have a significant responsibility in cultivating a missional church. One crucial implication is the need for leaders to free people up to engage fully in the mission. It requires a shift from conducting programs to focusing on principles, identity, and mission. Leaders must facilitate conversations that help individuals develop and cultivate relationships with Jesus, with one another, and with the community.
Partnering with Jesus: Love and Action
Partnering with Jesus encompasses acts of love and action. The parable of the Good Samaritan epitomizes the essence of partnering in God’s mission. It challenges the perception that our neighbor is limited to those who mirror our likeness or live next to us. The missional church is called to actively engage in the lives of others, bringing the future kingdom into the present through acts of compassion and solidarity.
Being Salt and Light in the World
The missional church is called to exhibit salt and light in the marketplace, in society, and in every place where there is societal influence. It requires courage, as it challenges the church to have an impact on homes, neighborhoods, counties, communities, countries, and the world with the love of Jesus. It emphasizes the importance of moving beyond the confines of the holy huddle and engaging with the world as conduits of hope and love.
Seeing Jesus in the Ordinary
As Christ-centered leaders, one of our responsibilities is to help people learn how to talk about Jesus in their daily lives. It is about recognizing and celebrating God’s presence in the ordinary moments and relationships. By focusing on relationships and cultivating an awareness of Jesus in the ordinary, we can nurture a culture of love, hope, and justice.
Marks of a Church on Mission
The marks of a church on mission go far beyond a physical building or occasional community service events. It is about embracing our identity as the people of God and partnering with Jesus in his redemptive mission. Leadership plays a crucial role in facilitating conversations, freeing people up to engage in the mission, and helping individuals cultivate relationships with Jesus and one another. It challenges us to see Jesus in the ordinary and be conduits of love, hope, and justice in the world.
Time Stamps
00:00 Introduction and Episode Celebration
00:26 Defining the Missional Church
01:46 Breaking Down the Definition of a Missional Church
02:50 Exploring the ‘People of God’ Aspect
08:54 Understanding ‘Partnering with Jesus’
11:29 Discussing ‘Christ’s Redemptive Mission’
14:26 The Final Distinctive: ‘In the World’
16:25 Implications for Leaders and Closing Thoughts