It seems every few years or so some term becomes a buzzword in contemporary Christianity complete with supporters and critics. It wasn't too long ago everyone was exploring what 'emergent' was or wasn't and the same is happening with the word 'missional.' While the idea/concept has been around for some time, it wasn't until the past month or two that I really began reading about this term. As I read Frost and Hirsch's book, The Faith of Leap: Embracing a Theology of Risk, Adventure & Courage, I found words to describe many of the issues I was struggling with as a Christian in this post-modern, 21st Century world. While that book was at times a bit hard to chew on, Michael Frost's The Road to Missional: Journey to the Center of the Church provides a more clear and direct explanation of what is meant by 'missional.'
Frost asserts, as do many other leaders, thinkers, pastors, and authors, that being missional is more than adding 'things' to existing church structures. Whether it is additional evangelism events or coffee shop Bible studies, these added things miss the overarching call for a complete paradigm shift within the church. In fact, Frost explains his use of the word 'missional' is a way 'to describe the wholesale and thorough reorientation of the church around mission (p. 16).' It is at this point in the missional discussion that fear sets in and ears are shut off from hearing/listening to the discussion. Missional is not a style, a fad, an event, a program. It cannot simply be added along side of existing church structure. It is a process of reorienting one's mindset and church away from some of the traditional aspects of 'church' which is what scares the wits out of many existing church leaders!
I describe this reorientation as moving from a 'come and see' to a 'go and tell' perspective. Missional involves evangelism, discipleship, worship, fellowship and ministry but it is more than engaging in those areas at church. It is a radical call to live out the gospel each day. It is a way of life. It is a process of moving away from 'attractional', the idea of 'come and see', to 'incarnational' living, the 'go and tell' perspective.
Frost describes it as 'a lifelong calling to service, sacrifice, selflessness, and effort. It will be worked out in neighborhoods and people groups around the world, and fueled and led by the least likely saints (p. 21).'
As such, it moves beyond mere attractional church growth ideas and reorients oneself and the church to the missio dei, or mission of God. Frost clearly states 'mission is not primarily concerned with church growth. It is primarily concerned with the reign and rule of the Triune God. If the church grows as a result, so be it (p. 24).' Again, these are the types of statements that can scare church leaders tremendously. It seems to fly in the face of existing paradigms of ministry which tend to focus on attractional methods to increase church attendance. The missional church model seeks to move beyond buildings and increases in church attendance as the goal and focus on changed lives as the goal.
Frost presents in very clear terms how this reorientation is shaped through evangelism (Chapter 2), through church membership (Chapter 3), through holiness (Chapter 4), and through reconciliation and justice (Chapter 5). The final chapter describes how one lives an incarnational, missional life.
I could go on, but you would benefit more if you get a copy of the book and read it yourself. Be warned, you might not agree with every principle, thought, or component of shifting paradigms. However, I believe you will be challenged to examine your own life as you journey to the center of the church.
To close, I will leave you with these words from Frost as he describes why he has held onto the definition of missional:
"... the wholesale and thorough reorientation of the church around mission, a mission that includes evangelism, but more: a mission that is anchored in the task of alerting people to the rule of God through Christ and which can never be reduced to the recruitment of new attendees at our meetings; a mission that hopes in the ongoing work of God to redeem all things and set everything right in accordance with his will; a mission that by its very nature must be lived out incarnationally, in close proximity to those to whom we've been sent; a mission that is cross-shaped and calls its followers to the disciplines of sacrifice, service, love, and grace; and a mission that delights in beauty, flavor, joy, and friendship, that lifts us up and fills us with the same fullness of life we see in Jesus (p. 146)."
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