So, About Missional ...

We desire Movement Church to be a missional community. In the last blog I put down some brief thoughts about community, so what about missional? What does that mean? Did I make that up? Am I in a cult? No ... and no. The word missional is used in some church leadership circles today to describe a certain type of church. A church that is more outward focused than inward focused, a church that is more about people than programs, a church that would sooner attend an event in the community than ask the community to attend one of their events, a church that would rather bring the church to the people than expect the people to come to church.

The term is sometimes put up against the term "attractional." In an attractional model, your church seeks to attract the lost in the community to come to you; in a missional model, your church goes to the lost in the community and brings the message to them. Let me say that I don't think it is wrong to be attractive to your community, in fact, a loving body of believers practicing the one anothers should be attractive. I just think the attraction should be genuine relationships, not cutting edge programs.

So, as a missional church we desire to be involved in the events and culture of our city and to have a presence in our community on the common man's turf. To be there, and to be intentional about connecting with people, loving people, and, in loving them, sharing the truth of the Gospel with them. This is the mission we are on. This is a snapshot of what it means to be missional.

On the Edge ... Movement Church

Joanna and Trey and I will be moving to Richmond VA this summer to do something crazy ... start a church. We will be joining Cliff Jordan and his family in this faith-stretching strategic venture for God's glory. I want to do some quick blogs over the next several weeks and work through some of our vision for what will be Movement Church. (For a more thorough discussion see www.moverichmond.org)

That's me ... and Cliff, Cliff Jordan. We were on a huge rock on the edge of a cliff (different cliff) that dropped down to the Arkansas River. And as we sat there and looked out ... and down, I realized my situation was similar to what it will be when we move to Richmond this summer to plant a church ... on the edge. The edge of what? Lots of things I think ... but mostly I'm praying we're on the edge of a glorious move of God to make His name and character known in the City of Richmond. And that's a church, that's the church we hope to start.

Here's a brief thought about our heart for Movement Church:

* A missional community - when I say community I mean a group of people that value Relational Depth. Valuing Relational Depth will be demonstrated by genuinely caring about people, and cultivating mutual accountability and encouragement. That means ... when someone in our church is sick, celebrating, hurting, happy, or living in patterns of addiction or sin ... we're there, we're there to bear their burdens (Gal. 6:1,2), to celebrate their sanctification, to cry their tears, and to join their joy.

There's some thoughts on community ... check back in, more on missional later.