Kingdom Come!

My friend James Graham sent me this link to a video lecture by Patrick Dixon.  Dixon is a futurist and gives some real insights into what the future holds.  (It’s about 45 minutes, so take some time to actually listen to what he says…)

Seems to me as we balance the globalization of our world (off-shoring services and multi-national manufacturing) and the tribalism (bikers, skaters, gear-heads, music-heads) of society, it becomes more important that we know and understand both The Gospel - what it is and what it means! - and the Church. 

Dr. Dick Braswell, pastor of a large church in Mobile, AL spoke last night at IGM and admitted that after 50 years in ministry and 45 years leading the same church (!) he’s questioning more and learning more about NT Church than at any point in his life! Yikes!

I’m excited by what I see and feel is happening in the marriage of “church” and “mission.”

And basically that’s what “missional church” is all about: the reclaiming of “mission” above “church” — or at least church as we know it (CAWKI)…

I like it when ”mission(s)” is no longer delegated to a small, under-funded, neglected part of “church.”  Mostly “church” is the “real thing” and “missions” is a once-a-year conference with fireworks and hoopla.  And the other 51 sundays are “real church.” 

(“Missions” is kinda like your Aunt Betty Jean’s 75th birthday party that you have to attend.  Have to.  And you have to eat the bad cake with too sweet frosting with gaudy yellow roses.  Have to.  And you have to drink that red punch that reminds you of antifreeze.  And you have to shake hands with Uncle Elmer and talk to cousin Frank with the bad breath.  You have to go and you have to be nice.  But basically - thank God! - when you leave, when you walk out the front door, you can get back to normal.  And you won’t have to see those people or think about them until Aunt BJ’s 76th birthday party.  Back to business as usual!) 

Reclaiming the missio dei - the mission of God - as the primary motivation and reason for church changes everything.  And making every person a part of that “mission” makes it real!

I’m excited when I see pastors and church leaders who begin to see beyond their dream, their vision, their world, their “in-flow” to see a bigger world where CAWKI no longer works.  Where CAWKI fails to impact and we look in The Book and see that CAGWI (Church as God wants it) functions and serves the People of God igniting their dreams and fueling their passions so that they can change their world!

When christology drives our missiology, then our missiology will shape our ecclesiology. 

OK, there I said it!  And I’m not taking it back!

I’ve been reading Ed Stetzer’s blog regarding the meanings of “missional.”  You can read them here.   And I never though there was so much baggage attached to “missional” and “missio dei!” 

Where have I been?  What have I been doing?  Oh yeah, I’ve been out there  trying to join God in His mission to redeem the whole wide world and establish His Kingdom rule in the hearts an minds of everybody!  And thinking that missio dei was a cool way of saying it!  Missed  the fireworks - some happened before I was born! - but happy to use the words!  I think they’re appropriate and carry the right meaning in the way most folks I know are using them today!  (Although there are some serious co-opters out there who have shanghied the word “missional” to serve as a cool new word for attractional church stuff.  It ain’t!  It’s more tha that!)

Also, my new friend Rick Meigs (we met at Seabeck) over at Friends of Missional does a tremendous post (I know this is old stuff, but I’m just catching up, right?) about what it means to be missional.

And BTW, Len over at Next Reformation is no longer looking for community!  A pretty powerful post.  But then Len is a deep, deep guy with great heart.