Thoughts on being 'missional'

My question today is whether or not this everyday guy, bereft of M.Div,, Dr.Div or any other type of theological sheepskin, might dare attempt to add clarity to the fuzziness that seems so often to surround the use of the word 'missional' in today's Christian communities.  Not knowing the answer in advance of attempting to say some words about it, I have decided to give it a whirl.

As part of a house church of around 30 followers of Jesus, we hold as one of our commitments to: "actively live as missional witnesses by displaying agape love and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom to those in need, those in our relational networks, and those in local or global neighborhoods as God leads."  As we continue in our meeting together and maturing as a body, we are often a bit troubled by feelings of not adequately fulfilling this commitment.

Some of that troubled feeling can be in response to feeling too inner-focused on our weekly meetings and growth as a community.  It is as if "being missional" is some kind of separate activity that lies outside our focus on covenant family, mutual ministry, gifts of the spirit and spiritual disciplines, However, being missional is far more broad than just the proclamation of the salvation message on a street corner. The Missio Dei is not merely a message of words to be heard and believed. It is far more organic than that!  It is to establish the image of God on earth as it is in heaven and to do so through agape communities that reflect the character of God and that function as a living reality that others can see,experience and be invited into.

Thus, all of our daily walk with God is a part of being missional, part of helping us carry on the mission of Jesus. If we are going to "go out", to "be sent" into the world to witness to the kingdom of God on earth we must embody the reality of the good news of the kingdom both personally and as a community or we really have nothing to offer others.'

It seems good to see the order of how this all works.  As an individual,  I submit myself to Jesus and invite him into my life each day to transform me into his image. I do this by giving our relationship time each day, through following spiritual disciplines, and by pursing and developing the spiritual gifts that have been given to me.  On a weekly basis, I meet together with my core group of 3-5, our house church and bring what I have heard and am learning in a spirit of mutual submission and mutual responsibility.  As I join others in this, by Gods' grace, our community grows and matures and becomes and ever increasing reflection of the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven.

Being mindful of the great commission, I can now go out into the world and bring the good news of the kingdom and invite others in to become disciples of Christ.  But let's be real, this is easier said than done.  We live in a post-Christian culture and most non-believers are deaf to the relevancy of Jesus' invitation to become part of a spiritual, redeemed kingdom (the dome in which God is King).

So sharing the kingdom with others is going to flow more through how others experience me as a fellow human. They will notice how I am, how I conduct myself, whether I seem authentic in my caring and my engaging them with active listening and good questions.  In this case, I am the gospel  and I share it through my actions and behavior more than through words. And when I do speak, the alignment of what I say with how I live will definitely go under the microscope.   Still easier said than done but being an embodiment of the gospel is going to beat merely speaking about the gospel every time.

This is how I see it at this stage of my sojourn which as described earlier as being in the bottom of the 7th and I have just touched or rounded 3rd base.  My current way of thinking is now captured in this post and I will see how it stands the test of time.  If it doesn't, it won't be the first time I have returned to a prior writing and been totally embarrassed about how I once thought. Time will tell.....

Thanks for dropping by Santiago....you are welcome anytime....