Missional has become the overused (and misunderstood) phrase in church leadership these days. (My favorite line was a pastor that confidently started, "Oh, we're missional…our church has a missions department!" Ugh). As Leadership Journal wrote, "Is there a pastor that you know of who is proudly anti-missional?"
Which brings up a set of new questions:
Should we continue to use the word missional or drop it from our vocubulary?
And, if so, is there a better word that can be used in its place?
DougG said...
1JR, This is amazingly where I am at: Do I weep in prayer over the girl cutting my hair, my co-worker struggling with marriage/financial issues, etc.? Do I seek and am I prepared for opportunities to tell them about my Savior? Do I believe God can lead me to the fields white with harvest, make me a fisher of men, etc.? Do I depend on my church to do everything? and so on. Right now I am barely comfortable with my personal answers to any of these. DougG
01/31/09 12:30 PM | Comment Link
Tom Mathew said...
2…or do we retain usage of the word, and work to bring back its true meaning? We have forgotten what it really means to be missional and need to be reminded of the power of and the responsibility behind the term “mission.”
02/5/09 8:43 AM | Comment Link
Alan Briggs said...
3Brosef, interesting how we have beat this word to death…actually it’s not even a real word. I love the word, and so does everyone, that’s the problem… but do I love what it takes to find what God is doing and join that?
Other word suggestions
The “Blessing” church
The “Externally driven” church
The “locally active” church
The “visible” church
The “doing” church
The church “out of hiding”
The “undertaking” church
The “remade” church
The “partnering” church (with God and others)
The “evident” church (maybe my favorite because God’s work and goodness will be seen through us)
MISSIONAL is just such a dang good buzz word- easy, different enough from normal vocab, passed around in “hip” christian circles, and paradigm-shifting for the very meaning of the word. Press on with the concept, but I’m trying to use it less around people whose hearts don’t beat parallel to my own. You’re a stud
02/7/09 12:29 AM | Comment Link