Categories: uncategorized
Date: 16 October 2004 13:39:21
http://www.intownpres.org/missional%20church.html
The need for a missional church by Tim Keller
"Though public institutions and popular culture of Europe and North America no longer 'Christianized' people, the church still ran its ministries assuming that a stream of 'Christianized', traditional/moral people would simply show up in services. ...the church in the West had not become completely 'missional'--adapting and reformulating absolutely everything it did in worship, discipleship, community, and service--so as to be engaged with the non-Christian society around it. It had not developed a 'missiology of western culture' the way it had done so for other non-believing cultures."
And there's "Elements of a missional church" with subheadings and dot points. The subheadings have a few too many big words but the dot points make it very clear. I've included them here as a quick reminder for me.
1.Discourse in the vernacular.
2. Enter and re-tell the culture's stories with the gospel
3. Theologically train lay people for public life and vocation
4. Create Christian community which is counter-cultural and counter-intuitive.
5. Practice Christian unity as much as possible on the local level.
All together it is so clear and so easy to understand. I might print it out and keep it in my pocket, so next time I'm trying to explain (and consequently defend) my life's calling I can just whip this out. It will go something like this:
(Transcript of actual conversation last Friday)
So Unordered, tell me, what are your dreams and visions?
(We here depart from reality)
Well, here, [whips article out and thrusts in questioner's face], read this and you'll get it.
[questioner pauses to read, look of enlightenment spreading over face]
Oh yes, I see. I agree wholeheartedly. You are a true visionary who gets it. I think I'll join you.
It made me laugh.