Missional Community-It's not just a job, it's a lifetime
This is a quick primer on missional community. Below are a some articles I have put together to explain a few things. I would be happy to provide more details or some book recommendations.
Why a Missional Community
Introduction
As you drive the back roads of Maine you often encounter old church buildings, typically Methodist, Congregational, or Baptist. One would think that there is no shortage of church options. However, if you actually enter one of these churches on a Sunday morning, you might be surprised by the few people in attendance. You might also notice that there are a number of former church buildings which now lie abandoned or converted to other uses. The reality is that regular Sunday church attendance in Maine is among the lowest in the country, behind only Vermont (by 1%) according to Pew Research. Various polls reveal a decline in faith and church membership throughout the country.
Why has this happened?
Many reasons have been offered for the decline in Christianity in the West. Maine is just following the pattern which has long existed in continental Europe and England, where empty Cathedrals and church buildings abound. Some people point to the Enlightenment period of philosophy during the 17th and 18th centuries as the source of the decline, others to 20th century wars and societal upheavals. Still others, including John Wesley, blame Emperor Constantine who began the institutionalization of the church and its integration with government and societal structures during his reign (306-337 A.D.)
Most churches of today bear little resemblance to the early church found in the book of Acts. Some are little more than inward-focused social organizations. People gather in their church buildings for Sunday worship, while often making little effort to engage their communities, or even seeking opportunities to do so. While at the Sunday worship service, they may sing some songs, learn a few things about the Bible, and contribute a little money to keep the lights on. The pastor or outreach committee take care of public events and information. As Christianity declines in societal acceptance, the question becomes, why would anyone be inclined to join such an increasingly unpopular social group?
What is the solution?
A missional community seeks to recapture the ethos of the early church. Its mission is the mission of God and it operates wherever it is found. Everyone in the community is a missionary. The community ministers to and evangelizes the population where it is focused by establishing relationships. While missional communities may gather for worship, their missional efforts are directed toward those outside. More than anything else, the missional community is a state of mind, both individually and organizationally. It is readily adaptable, economical of resources, and is driven by the two greatest commandments: loving God and loving our neighbor.
Missional community-a new idea, or an old idea?
Since the 1980’s evangelical Christians, beginning in the Church of England, have looked for new ways to “go and make disciples” of Jesus Christ. With the church in decline, some enterprising and faithful Christians set out to create a new template for the church. Realizing that the model of the institutional church was failing, they looked back to the early church for ideas. Their critique of the institutional church had much in common with John Wesley’s 250 years earlier. They also looked back to the Middle Ages during which Celtic monks traveled throughout northern Europe, planting communities and evangelizing the pagan tribes. Their solution included Wesley’s idea of a movement outside the institutional church, but it also went much farther, seeking to largely replace the institutional church with a movement.
A missional community typically is directed to serve a neighborhood, a group of people, or a purpose. The mission would not necessarily be overtly Christian, but the core of the community would be intentional and grounded in faith. The idea is to have contact and build relationships with others, such that the Gospel can be communicated in the normal course of activity. There are a number of models which center around, art, music, helping the homeless, and community development projects, for example.
According to Absalom and Breen (Launching Missional Communities), two of the early pioneers, the ideal size for the community begins where small groups end. Ideally it would be 20-50, but could begin at a smaller number. By Maine standards, this is as big as some of our smaller churches congregations. Certainly missional communities can and should gather for worship, but that is not their primary function. At a certain point and size they should give birth to new missional communities. Missional community leadership serves to equip others for mission and encourage new initiatives.
The primary purpose of this community is to serve God and our neighbor. The exact make up and direction of this community will be determined by those who answer the call. If you are up for a challenge or just want more information, please get in touch. We would love to hear your ideas!
Thanks for your curiosity! You might be wondering about a few things…
Why in the world would I want to start a missional community?
The answer is pretty simple. I am a strongly committed follower of Jesus Christ who believes that many people have never heard or understood the true message of the Gospel, which is God’s love for us and His forgiveness through Jesus Christ. Far too many have been led to believe either that the Christian faith is just a set of rules to follow, or alternatively a number of good deeds to perform to gain God’s favor.
What makes me think that I am qualified to try such an endeavor?
I’m not, but the Holy Spirit is. As my bio states, I have preached in a number of churches and denominations. I have taught many adult Christian ed classes. While I seek to be well-prepared, my skill as an orator is middling at best. Despite a secular career involving constant public contact, the thought of preaching and leading church services has always been somewhat frightening. That is why i have always relied on the Holy Spirit’s presence. I have also always sought to preach and teach in a way that is theologically sound and focused on Jesus Christ.
Who is paying me to do this?
No one. While I am credentialed and ordained through the Global Methodist Church, as a new denomination, they have limited financial resources.