The term “missional” has become a bit overused, probably, and some seem to use it to set themselves apart, maybe. I think it’s those folks whom the thing is tweaking.
Ah, the current catch phrase. A new moniker to freshen up a ministry and make it sound trendy and cool.
Reminds me of a dear man who made his own beef jerky to sell at church. He began calling it the “Beef Jerky Ministry”. It was hard to hear that with a straight face.
Well, maybe we need to understand what “missional” means and what it does not mean.
What does “Missional” mean? Is it just a buzzword for any church’s or person’s mission, or does this word intend more than that?
As Alan Hirsch recently wrote in Leadership, “There are consequences when the meanings of words become confused… This is why I am concerned about the confusion surrounding the meaning of the word missional… A missional theology is not content with mission being a church-based work. Rather, it applies to the whole life of every believer. Every disciple is to be an agent of the kingdom of God, and every disciple is to carry the mission of God into every sphere of life. We are all missionaries sent into a non-Christian culture… Missional represents a significant shift in the way we think about the church. As the people of a missionary God, we ought to engage the world the same way he does—by going out rather than just reaching out. To obstruct this movement is to block God’s purposes in and through his people. When the church is in mission, it is the true church.”
What are we supposed to “Get over”?
The term “missional” has become a bit overused, probably, and some seem to use it to set themselves apart, maybe. I think it’s those folks whom the thing is tweaking.
Ah, the current catch phrase. A new moniker to freshen up a ministry and make it sound trendy and cool.
Reminds me of a dear man who made his own beef jerky to sell at church. He began calling it the “Beef Jerky Ministry”. It was hard to hear that with a straight face.
I’d love it if we could get over using catch phrases to validate our relevance. Maybe that’s what the “Out of Ur” guys were going for.
Methinks it is.
Well, maybe we need to understand what “missional” means and what it does not mean.
What does “Missional” mean? Is it just a buzzword for any church’s or person’s mission, or does this word intend more than that?
As Alan Hirsch recently wrote in Leadership, “There are consequences when the meanings of words become confused… This is why I am concerned about the confusion surrounding the meaning of the word missional… A missional theology is not content with mission being a church-based work. Rather, it applies to the whole life of every believer. Every disciple is to be an agent of the kingdom of God, and every disciple is to carry the mission of God into every sphere of life. We are all missionaries sent into a non-Christian culture… Missional represents a significant shift in the way we think about the church. As the people of a missionary God, we ought to engage the world the same way he does—by going out rather than just reaching out. To obstruct this movement is to block God’s purposes in and through his people. When the church is in mission, it is the true church.”
Truth is, it’s a fine term, though it’s become a bit of a catchphrase. I just thought the picture was cool.