Are you in tune with God's Mission?What images do the terms Mission and Missionary conjur up in your imagination? For the past hundred years or so, most Protestant churches in North America have understood the church's Mission as the the sending of Missionaries to Africa, India or some other exotic places to share the gospel and win people to Jesus. We only refer to those who head off to foreign destinations as Missionaries. The rest of us stay home, go to church, try to be good Christians, and occasionally contribute money to those who are engaged in "Real" mission work.
Two things have happened to change our understanding of mission. First of all, many of the places where North American missionaries have gone, now have thriving churches with gifted indigenous workers and leaders. That has greatly diminished the need to send missionaries from North American. And secondly, many of us recognize that we need to develop a more adequate understanding of our mission as followers of Jesus. After living in Africa, I am convinced that those of us who live in North America live in one of the most challenging mission fields in the world. All of us need to think, work and live as missionaries in our increasingly lost culture. In recent years a lot has been written about the Missional Church. If you do a Google search you'll find numerous blogs, websites and articles that focus on the Missional Church. Here is how some define Missional Church:
Two things have happened to change our understanding of mission. First of all, many of the places where North American missionaries have gone, now have thriving churches with gifted indigenous workers and leaders. That has greatly diminished the need to send missionaries from North American. And secondly, many of us recognize that we need to develop a more adequate understanding of our mission as followers of Jesus. After living in Africa, I am convinced that those of us who live in North America live in one of the most challenging mission fields in the world. All of us need to think, work and live as missionaries in our increasingly lost culture. In recent years a lot has been written about the Missional Church. If you do a Google search you'll find numerous blogs, websites and articles that focus on the Missional Church. Here is how some define Missional Church:
- Being Church rather than going to church
- Equipping for mission rather planning church activities
- Community of faith rather than Sunday gathering
- Meeting others needs rather than meeting our needs
- Incarnating Jesus' values rather than doing religion
- Lifestyle evangelism rather than evangelistic programs
- Priesthood of all believers rather than professional clergy
- Growing Disciples rather than adding members
- Working for social justice rather Christian consumerism
- Living as servants rather than going to a Sunday service
