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Being A Missional Community
This morning, we’re continuing with our study of the ‘Five Core Values of a Gospel People’. We’ve already considered how we are called to be a prophetic community, an inclusive community, and a sacrificial community; now, we are going to think about how we should be a missional community.
A missional community? Don’t I mean a missionary community? Well, yes, in a way I do, but the difficulty about calling anything ‘missionary’ is that it conjures up a picture of people being sent overseas from this country to take the gospel to foreign climes – but that is only part of the idea. Being a missional community actually involves everyone in that community accepting the responsibility of promoting the gospel wherever God has placed them – it isn’t merely the responsibility of a few people whom we call ‘missionaries’ and then send out to distant lands. Mission must be a part of the DNA of each church fellowship and each church member.
We are meant to be a missional community, because God Himself is a missional community. Just consider the words of John 3:17 – “God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” God sent his Son into the world – mission is about being sent by God and Jesus was sent by God to save the world.
And, of course, there’s the Holy Spirit – later in John’s Gospel, Jesus tells His disciples: “I will send you the Advocate — the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me.”
As you can see then, the Holy Trinity is a missional community – God doesn’t stay put in heaven, organising everything from there; no, He comes among us and gets His hands dirty, so to speak. As Paul writes in Philippians:
“[Jesus] gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form; he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”
And what is more, God sends His people out to continue the work of the kingdom. At the end of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus says to His disciples:
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Notice that Jesus uses the word ‘go’ – “go and make disciples” – He doesn’t call upon us to stay within the confines of the church building, but to be out and about in the world, bringing people to a knowledge of what He has done for us all.
It’s strange, but for so long the Church in Britain has not taken on board the nature of that commission. Oh yes, it’s chosen and ordained gifted people to go out as missionaries to Africa, Asia, South America and all other parts of the world, but has itself largely relied on being attractional – that is to say, it has stayed in its buildings and waited for people to come to it, rather than going to where the people are.
Many local churches have concentrated on making their premises more pleasing to the eye, their music more contemporary, their projects and activities more extensive, as if these things alone will attract more people into the church. But, usually, they won’t. Why? Because, for the average non-Christian, there is no reason to go into a church building, outside of the occasional wedding or funeral. And, even if going to church ever does cross their minds, many would find stepping over the threshold a major challenge because of the vast cultural chasm between the world and the church. So, we need to find a ...
Meeting place
Being a missional community is not about saying to people ‘Come to us’, rather, it’s about us being prepared to go and meet with them, wherever that may be. We need to meet and interact with people in the places where they feel more comfortable – the coffee shops, the pubs, the places of sport and leisure. For example, a group of us in Churches Together in Barnstaple are organising an evening at a coffee shop in the town centre which will include music from local Christian musicians – a venue and an occasion to which Christians can confidently bring their non-Christian friends, without any danger of a cringe factor.
I know, also, of an initiative called ‘Pints of View’, which involves holding informal question and answer sessions on all sorts of topics in the lounge bar of pubs.
These are not hard-hitting, Bible-bashing evangelistic meetings, but work on the basis that the Church needs to be out there, building relationships with people in order to have an opening – at some stage – to tell them the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Of course, chaplaincy is also an example of the Church going out to meet people where they are. The hospital or hospice chaplain can bring comfort to hurting people; the workplace chaplain can listen to the anxieties and troubles of working people; and sports chaplains, like myself at Barnstaple Town, bring the light of Christ into ordinary people’s existences in other ways. And each church member can do the same in his, or her, walk of life.
Another way we can be a missional community is through ...
Shared Projects
A couple of weeks ago, when we were considering what it meant to be a sacrificial community, I mentioned that the local church needs to be prepared to work with other community organisations, and to do so with the minimum of fuss. This is also a feature of the missional church. Shared projects – whether initiated by the church, or already existing – provide the opportunity to establish significant connections within the community.
Just think about what happens when men get together to do an activity, like some DIY job, or a round of golf, or cooking on a BBQ – they talk, they open up, they share stories, and relationships are begun or strengthened.
Or what about when women get together to do some gardening, or to do some task in the kitchen, or to go for a meal and a drink in the evening – again, they talk, they open up, they share stories, and relationships are begun or strengthened.
Likewise, when we Christians get involved in community projects, or community events, or community sport, we meet with others who are not-yet-Christians – and, again, we talk, we open up, we share stories, and relationships are begun and strengthened.
And within such relationships, seeds are planted, nurtured, brought to maturity, and made ready for the harvest. Shared projects and community involvement – significant features of missional fellowships.
With that in mind, following on from the ‘Tidy Up Our Town’ initiative, the Town Council is asking community groups to form ‘Green Teams’ to undertake green projects around the town. This is a great opportunity for us to get involved again and build these significant community relationships. I am planning to do some litter-picking on the morning of Thursday July 10th – if you’d like to join me for an hour or two, let me know after the service and I’ll order the equipment.
Anyway, moving on, the next feature of a truly missional community is that it consists of ...
Contagious Christians
You know, Jesus Himself was contagious: everyone He touched, or who touched Him, found healing, forgiveness and wholeness – He passed it on. For example, remember how the haemorrhaging woman reached out, touched the tassel of His robe and received instant healing. Or, how about the man with leprosy whom Jesus touches and heals, then sends to the priest for verification. Or, then there’s the woman who washes Jesus’ feet with her tears and dries them with her hair – He tells her that her sins are forgiven. And, in the same way, He declares that the sins of the paralysed man who is lowered through the roof are forgiven.
You see, Jesus is contagious – through His touch, through His word, God’s mercy, God’s grace, God’s love, God’s forgiveness is transmitted to the poor, the vulnerable, the abused, the rejected.
A missional community consists of Christians who are contagious. To illustrate, let me share with you a case study from the Baptist Union booklet ...
A group of Christians began working with young people in a poorer part of Cardiff. There was a high truancy rate at the local schools. Young people were under-performing in their studies. Out of school activities were very limited and drug and solvent abuse was widespread.
The group developed a number of initiatives – going into schools, running after-school clubs and providing holiday activities. They developed a youth centre which became a haven for many, and the project has had a marked effect upon the young people and upon the quality of life in the area.
The staff always prayed together each day, and the young people began asking about what they did when they prayed. The young people wanted to come along and join in.
The staff felt that they ought to let them, but were at first uncertain. Gradually dozens of young people were meeting to sing, pray and listen to scripture, and in time the organisers realised a church had begun.
This is contagious Christianity – God’s people touching the lives of others in Christ’s name and bringing transformation.
Now you may feel as though you are last person who is able to bring transformation into people’s lives, but just listen to what Jesus said:
“The truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and i will do it, because the work of the Son brings glory to the Father. Yes, ask anything in my name, and I will do it!”
And, on top of that, what was it that Jesus told His disciples, when He appeared to them after His resurrection?
“If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
We are called to be contagious Christians, transmitting the mercy, grace, love and forgiveness of God in the world.
So far, my emphasis has been that a missional community is one that is out there, with people, where they are, getting alongside them. Which might suggest that church buildings are surplus to requirements – but the final point about being missional communities is that local churches must be ...
Houses of Hospitality
The local church has, of course, to be prepared to welcome new people, extending the hand of fellowship and friendship to those who hear the good news about Jesus Christ and respond. That will mean receiving people as they are and helping them to feel that they belong, rather than expecting people to immediately conform to our way of thinking.
It will also entail a willingness to explore their particular needs – physically, emotionally and spiritually – and seeking to address them, rather than having a one-size-fits-all attitude. Jesus Himself always found out what each person’s particular needs were and then responded appropriately, whether it be with a physical healing, a pronouncement of forgiveness, or a piece of teaching – He recognised each one as an individual in need of the knowledge of God’s love.
We need to welcome and love the stranger and to be a house of hospitality in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Conclusion
This morning, I’ve only been able to scratch the surface of what it means to be a missional community – it would take a whole series of sermons to do the topic justice, but I pray that you will be inspired to return to the Bible yourselves to read more of what it has to teach us about being missional.
To God be the glory! Amen.
This morning, we’re continuing with our study of the ‘Five Core Values of a Gospel People’. We’ve already considered how we are called to be a prophetic community, an inclusive community, and a sacrificial community; now, we are going to think about how we should be a missional community.
A missional community? Don’t I mean a missionary community? Well, yes, in a way I do, but the difficulty about calling anything ‘missionary’ is that it conjures up a picture of people being sent overseas from this country to take the gospel to foreign climes – but that is only part of the idea. Being a missional community actually involves everyone in that community accepting the responsibility of promoting the gospel wherever God has placed them – it isn’t merely the responsibility of a few people whom we call ‘missionaries’ and then send out to distant lands. Mission must be a part of the DNA of each church fellowship and each church member.
We are meant to be a missional community, because God Himself is a missional community. Just consider the words of John 3:17 – “God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” God sent his Son into the world – mission is about being sent by God and Jesus was sent by God to save the world.
And, of course, there’s the Holy Spirit – later in John’s Gospel, Jesus tells His disciples: “I will send you the Advocate — the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me.”
As you can see then, the Holy Trinity is a missional community – God doesn’t stay put in heaven, organising everything from there; no, He comes among us and gets His hands dirty, so to speak. As Paul writes in Philippians:
“[Jesus] gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form; he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”
And what is more, God sends His people out to continue the work of the kingdom. At the end of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus says to His disciples:
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Notice that Jesus uses the word ‘go’ – “go and make disciples” – He doesn’t call upon us to stay within the confines of the church building, but to be out and about in the world, bringing people to a knowledge of what He has done for us all.
It’s strange, but for so long the Church in Britain has not taken on board the nature of that commission. Oh yes, it’s chosen and ordained gifted people to go out as missionaries to Africa, Asia, South America and all other parts of the world, but has itself largely relied on being attractional – that is to say, it has stayed in its buildings and waited for people to come to it, rather than going to where the people are.
Many local churches have concentrated on making their premises more pleasing to the eye, their music more contemporary, their projects and activities more extensive, as if these things alone will attract more people into the church. But, usually, they won’t. Why? Because, for the average non-Christian, there is no reason to go into a church building, outside of the occasional wedding or funeral. And, even if going to church ever does cross their minds, many would find stepping over the threshold a major challenge because of the vast cultural chasm between the world and the church. So, we need to find a ...
Meeting place
Being a missional community is not about saying to people ‘Come to us’, rather, it’s about us being prepared to go and meet with them, wherever that may be. We need to meet and interact with people in the places where they feel more comfortable – the coffee shops, the pubs, the places of sport and leisure. For example, a group of us in Churches Together in Barnstaple are organising an evening at a coffee shop in the town centre which will include music from local Christian musicians – a venue and an occasion to which Christians can confidently bring their non-Christian friends, without any danger of a cringe factor.
I know, also, of an initiative called ‘Pints of View’, which involves holding informal question and answer sessions on all sorts of topics in the lounge bar of pubs.
These are not hard-hitting, Bible-bashing evangelistic meetings, but work on the basis that the Church needs to be out there, building relationships with people in order to have an opening – at some stage – to tell them the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Of course, chaplaincy is also an example of the Church going out to meet people where they are. The hospital or hospice chaplain can bring comfort to hurting people; the workplace chaplain can listen to the anxieties and troubles of working people; and sports chaplains, like myself at Barnstaple Town, bring the light of Christ into ordinary people’s existences in other ways. And each church member can do the same in his, or her, walk of life.
Another way we can be a missional community is through ...
Shared Projects
A couple of weeks ago, when we were considering what it meant to be a sacrificial community, I mentioned that the local church needs to be prepared to work with other community organisations, and to do so with the minimum of fuss. This is also a feature of the missional church. Shared projects – whether initiated by the church, or already existing – provide the opportunity to establish significant connections within the community.
Just think about what happens when men get together to do an activity, like some DIY job, or a round of golf, or cooking on a BBQ – they talk, they open up, they share stories, and relationships are begun or strengthened.
Or what about when women get together to do some gardening, or to do some task in the kitchen, or to go for a meal and a drink in the evening – again, they talk, they open up, they share stories, and relationships are begun or strengthened.
Likewise, when we Christians get involved in community projects, or community events, or community sport, we meet with others who are not-yet-Christians – and, again, we talk, we open up, we share stories, and relationships are begun and strengthened.
And within such relationships, seeds are planted, nurtured, brought to maturity, and made ready for the harvest. Shared projects and community involvement – significant features of missional fellowships.
With that in mind, following on from the ‘Tidy Up Our Town’ initiative, the Town Council is asking community groups to form ‘Green Teams’ to undertake green projects around the town. This is a great opportunity for us to get involved again and build these significant community relationships. I am planning to do some litter-picking on the morning of Thursday July 10th – if you’d like to join me for an hour or two, let me know after the service and I’ll order the equipment.
Anyway, moving on, the next feature of a truly missional community is that it consists of ...
Contagious Christians
You know, Jesus Himself was contagious: everyone He touched, or who touched Him, found healing, forgiveness and wholeness – He passed it on. For example, remember how the haemorrhaging woman reached out, touched the tassel of His robe and received instant healing. Or, how about the man with leprosy whom Jesus touches and heals, then sends to the priest for verification. Or, then there’s the woman who washes Jesus’ feet with her tears and dries them with her hair – He tells her that her sins are forgiven. And, in the same way, He declares that the sins of the paralysed man who is lowered through the roof are forgiven.
You see, Jesus is contagious – through His touch, through His word, God’s mercy, God’s grace, God’s love, God’s forgiveness is transmitted to the poor, the vulnerable, the abused, the rejected.
A missional community consists of Christians who are contagious. To illustrate, let me share with you a case study from the Baptist Union booklet ...
A group of Christians began working with young people in a poorer part of Cardiff. There was a high truancy rate at the local schools. Young people were under-performing in their studies. Out of school activities were very limited and drug and solvent abuse was widespread.
The group developed a number of initiatives – going into schools, running after-school clubs and providing holiday activities. They developed a youth centre which became a haven for many, and the project has had a marked effect upon the young people and upon the quality of life in the area.
The staff always prayed together each day, and the young people began asking about what they did when they prayed. The young people wanted to come along and join in.
The staff felt that they ought to let them, but were at first uncertain. Gradually dozens of young people were meeting to sing, pray and listen to scripture, and in time the organisers realised a church had begun.
This is contagious Christianity – God’s people touching the lives of others in Christ’s name and bringing transformation.
Now you may feel as though you are last person who is able to bring transformation into people’s lives, but just listen to what Jesus said:
“The truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and i will do it, because the work of the Son brings glory to the Father. Yes, ask anything in my name, and I will do it!”
And, on top of that, what was it that Jesus told His disciples, when He appeared to them after His resurrection?
“If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
We are called to be contagious Christians, transmitting the mercy, grace, love and forgiveness of God in the world.
So far, my emphasis has been that a missional community is one that is out there, with people, where they are, getting alongside them. Which might suggest that church buildings are surplus to requirements – but the final point about being missional communities is that local churches must be ...
Houses of Hospitality
The local church has, of course, to be prepared to welcome new people, extending the hand of fellowship and friendship to those who hear the good news about Jesus Christ and respond. That will mean receiving people as they are and helping them to feel that they belong, rather than expecting people to immediately conform to our way of thinking.
It will also entail a willingness to explore their particular needs – physically, emotionally and spiritually – and seeking to address them, rather than having a one-size-fits-all attitude. Jesus Himself always found out what each person’s particular needs were and then responded appropriately, whether it be with a physical healing, a pronouncement of forgiveness, or a piece of teaching – He recognised each one as an individual in need of the knowledge of God’s love.
We need to welcome and love the stranger and to be a house of hospitality in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Conclusion
This morning, I’ve only been able to scratch the surface of what it means to be a missional community – it would take a whole series of sermons to do the topic justice, but I pray that you will be inspired to return to the Bible yourselves to read more of what it has to teach us about being missional.
To God be the glory! Amen.
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