You are an important piece in the mission.
By Brad Brisco
In regards to the cultural challenges that the church in America faces today, I am often asked, “What does the church need to do differently? What is the appropriate response to the rapidly changing culture? What is the first step the church should take towards having a real influence in the community?
I believe part of the solution is to recognize the church’s relationship to the culture in terms of a missionary encounter. In other words, to see that in a post-Christendom context the church once again exists within an alien world. The mission field is no longer located somewhere else; instead it surrounds us on every side. And the greatest problem with making superficial changes is that we falsely assume those changes will somehow help the church grow. We therefore put our time and energy into those practices instead of equipping and releasing people into this new, rapidly growing mission field. There is no final answer or perfect solution to transitioning the existing church in a missional direction. But if there was one—a silver bullet—it would be the formation of every church member into a missionary.
God’s people need to be empowered as agents of the king. We need to learn how to think as missionaries. Furthermore, we need to develop skills that will help us meaningfully engage people and places. These skills involve learning how to better identify and participate in God’s activity wherever we live, work and play.
However, beyond equipping people with specific missional practices, the church must be prepared to freely release people into their missional calling. The church needs to give permission. In other words, it needs to say to its members that it is good to start new initiatives. It is right to take risks for the kingdom. It is okay to miss a church meeting when you are engaged in activities with those uninterested in the church. Kim Hammond, national director of the missional training organization Forge America, says missionary formation involves the giving of “language and license.” We must give people new missionary language, but we must also then give them the license to go and do what God has called them to. Which in most cases will not be located in the church but instead will be positioned in the world where God has already placed them in their everyday lives.
Missionary formation means everyone gets to participate. Everyone must participate! The doctrine of the priesthood of the believer is not merely about God’s accessibility to all, it is also about advocating for God’s calling on the lives of everyone. There are no professional missionaries. If the church were a sports team, we would say that no one is relegated to the bench. Everyone gets to play.
Adapted from The Missional Quest by Brad Brisco & Lance Ford, to be released next month from InterVarsity Press.
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Great article!! You nailed so many key points in a short space, thanks for sharing!
Thanks Kurt!
I like your thoughts; however, I keep hearing the phrase, “we need to think like missionaries,” and I can’t help but wonder if we really know what that means? I’m afraid we either do not know what it means or we do not know how to apply the meaning to our ministries. I think we sometimes try to “think like missionaries” without first understanding the culture of those to whom we go as missionaries. To think like a missionary, one must:observe and study not only the language but the culture, too. If we don’t do that, then we end up making each ministry opportunity into the same old cookie cutter ministry that we have always known. Successfully adapting one’s own culture to the culture of those to whom one ministers does not happen over night. It is a learned process.
And, we must also understand that there is no such thing as a multicultural ministry.m but that’s a whole other story!
And, yes, everyone DOES need to play!