September 20, 2005
Indicators of a ‘Missional Church’
Brad found this article from the Gospel and our Culture Network today and we spent some time reading through it.
It gives 12 indicators of a missional church. Its really a comprehensive and well thought out and well done article. Here are the 12 things.
I think am going to spend the next few weeks trying to interact with them more fully (i think this will be my first “series” on my blog), I’ll be posting my thoughts for you to converse with and make fun of.
Here are the 12 indicators:
1. The missional church proclaims the Gospel.
2. The missional church is a community where all members are involved in learning to become disciples of Jesus.
3. The Bible is normative in this church’s life.
4. The church understands itself as different from the world because of its participation in the life, death, and resurrection of its Lord.
5. The church seeks to discern God’s specific missional vocation for the entire community and for all of its members.
6. A missional community is indicated by how Christians behave toward one another.
7. It is a community that practices reconciliation.
8. People within the community hold themselves accountable to one another in love.
9. The church practices hospitality.
10. Worship is the central act by which the community celebrates with joy and thanksgiving both God’s presence and God’s promised future.
11. This community has a vital public witness.
12. There is a recognition that the church itself is an incomplete expression of the reign of God.
09.20.05
By: GordonG
An interesting list – I’ve just downloaded the ful doc. I look forward to reading your comments in coming days.
Shalom
09.20.05
By: ED C
Thanks for bringing up this list. It’s very helpful, but it illustrates my one major reservation about the missional church:
Where’s the Holy Spirit???
If the New Testament says anything to us, the HOly Spirit is playing a really key part in the formation of the church, the sustaining of the church, the preaching of the Gospel, etc. It’s one thing to affirm the Trinity, but it’s another thing to live in the Spirit.
I have believed for most of my Christian life that the Spirit is alive and active in the church, but he is kind of in the background, not stirring things up or causing a fuss. But that is counter to everything in the scripture. A truly missional church is directed and empowered by Father, Son, and Spirit. And the Spirit has the key role of leading his people, giving them the power of God, sealing them in the Kingdom, and empowering them to preach the Gospel.
Unless the missional church movement can put the Spirit in a prominent place, then the idea of “mission” will just be another trend or great idea that does little to impact our world with the Gospel, no matter how right the rest of its doctrine may be.
09.20.05
By: Todd
ed, great point. its an interesteing omission (hopefully by accident). in much of my reading on the missional church, the sprit is very higly spoken of. in my time with Alan Roxborgh at Biblical Sem (Alan is connected to GOCN very closely) he talks about the dependency of the spirit a LOT.
so, it is interesteing that the HS is missing here…perhaps its implied, the base thing to the whole argument, i dunno….
it’ll be fun keeping this in mind as i get into this stuff.
09.22.05
By: Ed C
That’s very good to hear. I have heard many good things from and about Alan, so it’s encouraging to know he’s involved in GOCN. If the Holy Spirit is implied, then I sure hope he gets moved to the forefront . . . and quick! Nevertheless, a missional emphasis will surely move the church from its comfort zone and into places where we will be far more inclined to depend on the Holy Spirit. I find that it’s much easier to forget the Spirit when listening to a sermon than when trying to help a homeless person.