Transcript Transitioning Our Churches to Missional Ministry

Breaking the Missional
Code
Breaking the Missional Code
involves
Being Biblically faithful and
culturally relevant at the
same time.
Christology
Missiology
Ecclesiology
Breaking the Missional Code
involves
The church being the
missionary in its context.
What does it mean to be missional?

The church sees itself as being the missionaries,
rather than having a missions department.

We see ourselves as representatives of Jesus “sent”
into our communities and into the world, and that
the church aligns everything it does with the
Mission of God.

We see the church not as a place we go only on
Sunday, but as something we are throughout the
week.

We understand we don’t “bring Jesus” to people but
that we realize Jesus is active in our culture and we
join him in what he is doing.
What does it mean to be
missional?

We are very much in the world and engaged in
culture but not conforming to the world.

We serve our communities, and that we build
relationships with people in them, rather than
seeing them as evangelistic targets.

Being all the more dependent on Jesus and the
Spirit through prayer, the Scriptures, and each
other in community.
Breaking the Missional Code
Involves
Recognizing that we all
have the same Mission.
“19Therefore go and make disciples
of all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching
them to obey everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am
with you always, to the very end of
the age."
Matthew 28:19-21 NIV
8But you will receive power
when the Holy Spirit comes on
you; and you will be my
witnesses in Jerusalem, and in
all Judea and Samaria, and to
the ends of the earth."
Acts 1:8 NIV
Our Jerusalem – Going Missional Every
Weekend
 Our Judea – Multi-site
 Our Samaria – Church Planting
 Our ends of the earth – World Care

Breaking the Missional Code
Involves
Having a Redemptive
Imagination.
If God’s Kingdom was to come
on earth (in my context) as it is in
heaven what would look like?
Breaking the Discipleship Code
Involves
Recognizing you have to be a
missional disciple in order to
make missional disciples.
Questions to Consider:
 What
does it mean to be missional?
 Using
your redemptive imagination
describe God’s Kingdom coming in
your context.
 Define
what it means to be a
disciple.
Breaking the Missional
Code
Missional Principles
Missional Principles…
God is at work in the lives of those
who are disconnected and he
invites us to join him.
Missional Principles…
Those who are disconnected begin
their journey with their backs to the
Gospel.
The Engle Scale
-8
Awareness of a supreme being
-7
Initial awareness of the gospels
-6
Awareness of the fundamentals of the gospel
-5
Grasp of the implications of the gospel
-4
Positive attitude toward the gospels
-3
Personal problems recognition
-2
Decision to act
-1
Repentance and faith in Christ
0
Conversion
+1
Post-decision evaluation
+2
Incorporation into the body
+3
A lifetime of conceptual and behavioral growth in Christ
Missional Principles…
Those who are disconnected have
to overcome specific barriers
in their journey to Christ.
Image
Culture
Gospel
Total Commitment
Missional Principles…
You can’t evangelize without discipling
those who are disconnected.
Impacting
Commitment to ministry and missions
Barrier: Structure
Becoming
Commitment to a renewed life
Barriers: Thinking and lifestyle (Lordship)
Belonging
Commitment to a relationship with other believers
Barriers: Acceptance and awareness
Deciding
Commitment to a relationship with God through Christ
Barrier: Gospel
Searching
Commitment to being open to spiritual matters
Barrier: Image and Culture
Searching
Becoming
Going
Believing
Belonging
Missional Principles…
Prayer is essential in reaching
disconnected people.
Missional Principles…
Those who are disconnected need a
safe place and safe people to explore,
experiment, and experience the
Gospel.
Agnes Liu’s “Triangle” Scale
Experience
Attitude
Conversion
Missional Principles…
Those who are disconnected are most
often reached relationally.
Gospel Delivery Comparison
Teaching Confrontation Relational
Convert
Drop-Out
35
36
169
25
209
6
180
58
2
Non-Convert
Flavil R. Yeakly
unchristian
Hypocritical
Christians
say one thing but
live something entire differently.
Christians
are transparent
about their flaws and act first,
talk second.
unchristian
Get Saved
Christians
are insincere and
concerned only with converting
others.
Christians
cultivate
relationships and environments
where others can be deeply
transformed by God.
unchristian
Antihomosexual
Christians
show contempt for
gays and lesbians.
Christians
show compassion
and love to all people,
regardless of their lifestyle.
unchristian
Sheltered
Christians
are boring,
unintelligent, old fashioned, and
out of touch with reality.
Christians
are engaged,
informed, and offer sophisticated
responses to the issues people
face.
unchristian
Too Political
Christians
are primarily motivated
by a political agenda and promote
right-wing politics.
Christians
are characterized by
respecting people, thinking biblically,
and finding solutions to complex
issues.
unchristian
Judgmental
Christians
are prideful and quick to
find faults in others.
Christians
showing grace by
finding the good in others and
seeing their potential to be Christ
followers.
Three Key Components in
Transitioning Your Church
Church
Community
Pastor
The Cultural Context in the Mid 20th
Century
Community
Core
Pastor
The Cultural Context Today
Community
Core
Pastor
Missional Impact
Community
Church
Pastor
Missional Challenge
Community
Pastor
Core
The Great Commission Principle “GO”
Mission Field
•
They are highly spiritual, but not Christian.
• They like Jesus, but not the church.
• They don’t have any friends who are missional
followers of Jesus. They are ignostic.
• They are searching for meaning purpose and
Missional Leader
•
Nurture Vitality
•
Mean about the Vision
•
Finance the Mission
•
Think Team
•
Redefine Discipleship
acceptance.
Missional Church
•
They are committed to the
Great Commandment and
Commission.
• They are Biblically Faithful
and Culturally Relevant.
• They understand that there
are two types of mission
fields.
• They are highly committed
Missional Disciples
•
Live, Love, and Leave
to removing all barriers.
Simple Steps for Transitioning the Church
Salt and Light Principle
Mission Field
Explore your Community
Create a positive Image in the Community
Build Credibility
Become part of social and relational networks
Invest in people personally
Missional Leader
Missional Church
Invite people into community
Call people to commitment
Continue to make disciples
Empower people to go
Missional Disciple
Simple Steps for Transitioning the Church
Invest and Invite Principle
Mission Field
Explore your Community
Create a positive Image in the Community
Build Credibility
Become part of social and relational networks
Invest in people personally
Missional Leader
Missional Church
Invite people into community
Call people to commitment
Continue the Discipleship Process
Empower people to go
Missional Disciple
Simple Steps for Transitioning the Church
Discipleship Principle
Mission Field
Explore your Community
Create a positive Image in the Community
Build Credibility
Become part of social and relational networks
Invest in people personally
Missional Leader
Missional Church
Invite people into community
Call people to commitment
Continue to Make Disciples
Empower People to go
Missional Disciple