Comments on: Defining Missional http://hereiblog.com/defining-missional/ Christian, southern baptist, theology, reformed, thinking, culture, religion, apologetics, defense of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:28:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Bobby Cappshttp://hereiblog.com/defining-missional/comment-page-1/#comment-24337 Bobby Capps Sat, 06 Mar 2010 19:55:27 +0000 http://hereiblog.com/?p=2989#comment-24337 Mark,<br><br>To me if you make up a new word, it can't describe a common thing in a new way, it must be new. I think the new thing that the church is moving in that the word missional is trying to describe is a move toward a missionary lifestyle in the lives of believers. What is old is outreach projects. Block parties and back yard Bible clubs and evangelistic blitzes are not new. What is new is learning the names of people in the neighborhood who live in the fringes and may never come to your church. What is new is having a block party for the purpose of establishing a kingdom presence in a community for the sake of Christ not for the sake of additional membership in our local fellowship, etc., etc.<br><br>I think if you focus on what is happening that is not 'business as usual' renamed, you'll figure out how to define it. Mark,

To me if you make up a new word, it can't describe a common thing in a new way, it must be new. I think the new thing that the church is moving in that the word missional is trying to describe is a move toward a missionary lifestyle in the lives of believers. What is old is outreach projects. Block parties and back yard Bible clubs and evangelistic blitzes are not new. What is new is learning the names of people in the neighborhood who live in the fringes and may never come to your church. What is new is having a block party for the purpose of establishing a kingdom presence in a community for the sake of Christ not for the sake of additional membership in our local fellowship, etc., etc.

I think if you focus on what is happening that is not 'business as usual' renamed, you'll figure out how to define it.

]]> By: Steve Pattonhttp://hereiblog.com/defining-missional/comment-page-1/#comment-24204 Steve Patton Sat, 06 Feb 2010 02:59:09 +0000 http://hereiblog.com/?p=2989#comment-24204 No doubt, I was being a bit facetious. I do think we just call it that for that reason. Making up new words to say the same stuff. But I was being a good satirist - i was jokingly serious. :)<br><br>I have never had a REAL conversation about being missional with non-bible geeks like me because (ahem...) NO ONE OUTSIDE OF THESE CIRCLES CARES! Let's just be the church and "occupy until (He) comes" No doubt, I was being a bit facetious. I do think we just call it that for that reason. Making up new words to say the same stuff. But I was being a good satirist – i was jokingly serious. :)

I have never had a REAL conversation about being missional with non-bible geeks like me because (ahem…) NO ONE OUTSIDE OF THESE CIRCLES CARES! Let's just be the church and “occupy until (He) comes”

]]> By: brianvoiceofthesheephttp://hereiblog.com/defining-missional/comment-page-1/#comment-24202 brianvoiceofthesheep Sat, 06 Feb 2010 01:55:14 +0000 http://hereiblog.com/?p=2989#comment-24202 Good point, Mark. When Paul wrote a letter, he just used "To the church at...", not, "To the missional church at...". Something to think about. It appears I also may have misunderstood Steve. I thought he was being facetious when he said it was easier to make up a new word. I didn't realize he was being serious. Personally, I don't care what you call it as long as it's biblical. Good point, Mark. When Paul wrote a letter, he just used “To the church at…”, not, “To the missional church at…”. Something to think about. It appears I also may have misunderstood Steve. I thought he was being facetious when he said it was easier to make up a new word. I didn't realize he was being serious. Personally, I don't care what you call it as long as it's biblical.

]]> By: Markhttp://hereiblog.com/defining-missional/comment-page-1/#comment-24201 Mark Sat, 06 Feb 2010 00:44:49 +0000 http://hereiblog.com/?p=2989#comment-24201 Brian & Steve, thanks for the exchange on missional. Steve's approach on making new words is good! I saw a post somewhere that said "a missional church is...." so I asked "what is just a plain church?" <br><br>That's what I'd like see more talk about. If a missional church is a biblical church then why must it be defined as "missional" at all? Brian & Steve, thanks for the exchange on missional. Steve's approach on making new words is good! I saw a post somewhere that said “a missional church is….” so I asked “what is just a plain church?”

That's what I'd like see more talk about. If a missional church is a biblical church then why must it be defined as “missional” at all?

]]> By: brianvoiceofthesheephttp://hereiblog.com/defining-missional/comment-page-1/#comment-24174 brianvoiceofthesheep Fri, 05 Feb 2010 08:00:01 +0000 http://hereiblog.com/?p=2989#comment-24174 Steve,<br><br>I agree. We should not abandon biblical terms for ones that sound hip and cool and relevant just because the biblical words have lost their meaning. We should take back ownership of words like "gospel" and "evangelism" and, with our actions, demonstrate what they really mean in light of biblical truth and example. Steve,

I agree. We should not abandon biblical terms for ones that sound hip and cool and relevant just because the biblical words have lost their meaning. We should take back ownership of words like “gospel” and “evangelism” and, with our actions, demonstrate what they really mean in light of biblical truth and example.

]]> By: Steve Pattonhttp://hereiblog.com/defining-missional/comment-page-1/#comment-24124 Steve Patton Thu, 04 Feb 2010 01:34:05 +0000 http://hereiblog.com/?p=2989#comment-24124 Brian, isn't that encompassed in the truest definition of evangelism? Evangelism at its core and earliest definition is the same as the word we use today as "gospel." Isn't the gospel at the core of discipleship? The "good word" about Jesus Christ is what drives lives to be changed. All of the messages of spiritual growth are centered around the "gospel" of Jesus, or as it was said originally "euangelion" (or evangelism). Even the writers of the 4 Gospels were originally called "the four evangelists."<br><br>At the core of its definition missional = evangelism. But its easier to make new words than to recapture the power and beauty of old ones tarnished by man's careless mishandling of them. Brian, isn't that encompassed in the truest definition of evangelism? Evangelism at its core and earliest definition is the same as the word we use today as “gospel.” Isn't the gospel at the core of discipleship? The “good word” about Jesus Christ is what drives lives to be changed. All of the messages of spiritual growth are centered around the “gospel” of Jesus, or as it was said originally “euangelion” (or evangelism). Even the writers of the 4 Gospels were originally called “the four evangelists.”

At the core of its definition missional = evangelism. But its easier to make new words than to recapture the power and beauty of old ones tarnished by man's careless mishandling of them.

]]> By: brianvoiceofthesheephttp://hereiblog.com/defining-missional/comment-page-1/#comment-24114 brianvoiceofthesheep Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:39:06 +0000 http://hereiblog.com/?p=2989#comment-24114 The Great Commission is the ultimate "missional" command. The problem is that people think it's primarily about evangelism, when that is just the beginning. It certainly starts with that, but the overwhelming majority of the Great Commission is discipleship. To be missionally minded is to be discipleship minded, which is teaching disciples ALL that Jesus commanded. Lack of discipleship is, in my opinion, the biggest problem facing the church today. IT is the true mission of the church. The Great Commission is the ultimate “missional” command. The problem is that people think it's primarily about evangelism, when that is just the beginning. It certainly starts with that, but the overwhelming majority of the Great Commission is discipleship. To be missionally minded is to be discipleship minded, which is teaching disciples ALL that Jesus commanded. Lack of discipleship is, in my opinion, the biggest problem facing the church today. IT is the true mission of the church.

]]> By: brianvoiceofthesheephttp://hereiblog.com/defining-missional/comment-page-1/#comment-24113 brianvoiceofthesheep Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:39:06 +0000 http://hereiblog.com/?p=2989#comment-24113 The Great Commission is the ultimate "missional" command. The problem is that people think it's primarily about evangelism, when that is just the beginning. It certainly starts with that, but the overwhelming majority of the Great Commission is discipleship. To be missionally minded is to be discipleship minded, which is teaching disciples ALL that Jesus commanded. Lack of discipleship is, in my opinion, the biggest problem facing the church today. IT is the true mission of the church. The Great Commission is the ultimate “missional” command. The problem is that people think it's primarily about evangelism, when that is just the beginning. It certainly starts with that, but the overwhelming majority of the Great Commission is discipleship. To be missionally minded is to be discipleship minded, which is teaching disciples ALL that Jesus commanded. Lack of discipleship is, in my opinion, the biggest problem facing the church today. IT is the true mission of the church.

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