Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Video: Missional Church... simple

Here is a video that gives a pretty basic description of the missional church. Admittedly, it doesn't cover all the nuts and bolts of missional ministry, but, as the title suggests, that is not its purpose. When people talk about the "missional church," it can sometimes come across as being overly critical of "other" churches. I could see how people who are invested in attractional ministries might take offense to that video even though I don't think it was attempting to be critical.




Does it have to be an either-or thing?

Maybe attractional ministries can still bring people in to hear the message of Jesus Christ while people are going outside of the church walls to share the gospel.

3 comments:

W. C. Zimmerman said...

One of the pastors from my church back in Waco, University Baptist Church, resigned to move to Portland to start a missional church / community with about 5 other couples. I think it'll be much more effective than the 'greatest event ever' get togethers that happen once every 6 months at churches.

-William

Gabe Smith said...

That's cool to hear about, William. I'm sure the Lord will bless his work. Is there a reason he chose Portland over Waco? (I don't mean to sound like one of those people who says, "Why do you have to go to Africa to be a missionary? Don't people need help here?")

W. C. Zimmerman said...

The idea behind the missional church is still a developing idea. About 5 years ago, he talks about how he was convicted that the church, UBC, is located in a very poor area of Waco with government projects about a half mile away. So he started a number of ministries that worked directly with the neighborhood where students that attend minister to those in the neighborhood, Katie Ross (http://www.wacopha.org/operations.htm). The apartment complex in the past year gave the church a unit to operate out of so that they weren't always using the community center and having to move things back and forth. In the apartment unit, UBC members teach art classes, music and have a number of after school programs. He's also developed a partnership with a middle school by that is 90% minority, Cesar Chavez. He has really cultivated a number of programs there. He has also lead and organized an annual trip to Kenya to work with a pastor who works with slums.

He has really studied the missional church. I think he's doing an MDiv online (it seems you can get any degree online now). Anyways... he feels that he has been instrumental at UBC to a certain point and feels called to apply this missional church concept in an area that is not in the bible belt, so he's going to the Northwest. It'll be interesting to see how it all works out.

-WCZ

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