Reading alot lately. Tim Keller, an urban church leader http://www.redeemer.com/ on the East coast has really impacted me lately. Specifically, as we are launching our church I am thinking a ton about seeing a people on mission with God, not just a church who does mission(s). Here is a synopsis of what I am learning from Tim's writings.
Tim Keller identifies these dimensions of a missional church:
-They use vernacular language.
-They engage the culture and re-tell the culture’s stories in the context of the gospel.
-They train their people theologically for public life and vocation.
-They create a Christian culture that is both counter-cultural and counter-intuitive. (It cannot be neatly categorized as “liberal” or “conservative.”)
-They practice Christian unity as much as possible in the community.
-They use vernacular language.
-They engage the culture and re-tell the culture’s stories in the context of the gospel.
-They train their people theologically for public life and vocation.
-They create a Christian culture that is both counter-cultural and counter-intuitive. (It cannot be neatly categorized as “liberal” or “conservative.”)
-They practice Christian unity as much as possible in the community.
My concern is that most Christians will see this as a new strategy for evangelism. It is more accurately, a new (newly articulated) strategy for being the church. In an “evangelistic” church, evangelism is an activity and a program. In a missional church, evangelism is a natural part of being the church. In an “evangelistic” church, compassionate ministries are done in order to earn an audience for evangelism. In a missional church, these ministries are done for their own sake.
After a conversation with our team this weekend, I summarized the following. Thanks Sarah Bodie!
1. Evangelism is collaboration with what God is doing by listening to God, praying to God, and working with the Spirit.
2. God is raising up witnessing communities more than witnessing individuals. Belonging comes before believing.
3. Developing friendship through conversation is what it is all about instead of downloading information and content about the gospel. The current generation, we’ve been told over and over because it is true, does not trust the church; it will trust credible people. Become a friend. Do what you love with nonchurched folks.
4. Tell a story of God’s power and gospel realities. Stories are containers big enough to tell truth. Logic isn’t as effective as it once was. Connect your story to the stories of others.
5. Talk about a Jesus who is outside the box. Jettison the cliche Jesus. . . . He confronted religious elitism, consumerism.
6. The gospel is good news for the here and now and not just the there and then. The gospel is spiritual and physical, individual and communal, personal and social, human and cosmic, people and nations. It is good news for all of this.
7. It is an invitation to a wedding and marriage. He means it is a journey rather than an event. . . If salvation is union with Christ, then a wedding is a good image for what we are invited to because it leads to a marriage.
1. Evangelism is collaboration with what God is doing by listening to God, praying to God, and working with the Spirit.
2. God is raising up witnessing communities more than witnessing individuals. Belonging comes before believing.
3. Developing friendship through conversation is what it is all about instead of downloading information and content about the gospel. The current generation, we’ve been told over and over because it is true, does not trust the church; it will trust credible people. Become a friend. Do what you love with nonchurched folks.
4. Tell a story of God’s power and gospel realities. Stories are containers big enough to tell truth. Logic isn’t as effective as it once was. Connect your story to the stories of others.
5. Talk about a Jesus who is outside the box. Jettison the cliche Jesus. . . . He confronted religious elitism, consumerism.
6. The gospel is good news for the here and now and not just the there and then. The gospel is spiritual and physical, individual and communal, personal and social, human and cosmic, people and nations. It is good news for all of this.
7. It is an invitation to a wedding and marriage. He means it is a journey rather than an event. . . If salvation is union with Christ, then a wedding is a good image for what we are invited to because it leads to a marriage.
Make it a great Day!
No comments:
Post a Comment