What is this term missional that seems to be the buzz word in Christian circles today? Here is a quote that sums up the type of community Mosaic is trying to be and gives some information on the word missional.
“A missional church seeks to incorporate its members into being part of a larger purpose, encouraging them as subversives, giving them tools to engage their culture, teaching them how to bridge and interact with culture, setting a biblical agenda for holy living, fostering spiritual formation, developing spiritual giftedness, encouraging social action, and serving in community. Thus, it attacks the demons of postmodernism: atomisation, isolation, relativism, secularism, anti-supernaturalism, and apathy. It invites outsiders to a journey within a Christian community.”*
Importantly:
- a missional church attempts to integrate an individual’s desire for spiritual formation and the needs of the greater community.
- the missional church focuses and identifies the common points or meeting places that give relational coherence for the purpose of engaging people with the gospel (mission).
- relationships are cross pollinated ~ my friend becomes your friend ~ as we help one another become fully devoted Christ followers.
- the members involved with such community development will either all be drawn from within the same area or will need to reprioritise their social lives (even move to) to engage with the common point and thus be able to effectively enter into missional relationship building.
*http://www.next-wave.org/jan99/misscomm.htm
Another excellent site is Friends of Missional – http://www.friendofmissional.org/ – This is full of links and resources that explains what it means to be biblically & practically missional.
If I had to sum ‘missional’ up here are a few points I find most helpful:
- the Kingdom of God is here NOW and orienting your life toward this reality
a posture of humility - no sacred or secular divide – your faith should be in your home, your work, in your politics, etc.
being a disciple and making disciples – incarnational and missional living - going to the the people rather than people always needing to come to the community
- no attractional stuff but sweet stuff because the streams of living water are welling up inside us and others recognize it and desire the same. Hip music that attracts or awesome powerpoint usage shouldn’t be what gets them in the door and hooks them (like a slick salesman). Use of these things is fine but not as a veneer for a shallow or consumerism approach to faith.
- we are in community so individualism is a non-starter with me (the Trinity is relational!)
(added – Nov 18, 2007) I add this to reflect on the above bullet point: I think person is a more appropriate word than individual. Thus, I think community is made of unique people in relationship through the power of the Spirit, following the ways of Jesus and loving the Lord God (i.e. Father). I don’t think we lose our unique nature when we become followers of Christ. It’s like a piece of tile that now finds its place among the mosaic. We find meaning in our uniqueness, we give from ourselves, etc. not out of selfishness but to give glory to God.
