Missional. It’s the new buzzword for many of today’s church leaders. Over the last two years, the term has grown in popularity and has been used in various contexts. Even though missional is the buzzword of the day, the concept has been around much longer. Actually, it has been around for centuries.
Missionaries learned long ago that to reach a people group for Christ, they would need to understand their culture. By understanding the natives' beliefs, traditions, and values, they could eat, drink and talk like them. Then they could share the love of Christ within the context of the natives’ culture. Missional leaders and churches are ones that are viewing the world through missional lenses; they are missionaries—understanding the culture, leading biblically faithful and culturally relevant churches, and thinking in missionary ways about their contexts.
So, what does a missional church look like? Here’s a definition that we’ve adopted that helps us get our arms around the term. A missional church is a biblically faithful and culturally appropriate reproducing community of disciples sent on mission by God to advance His kingdom among all peoples. Nothing in the definition has to do with age, dress code or worship style. They may not all look the same but they do have the same mission. The missional church simply adopts biblical guidelines as they discover new ways to reach people in the context of their community’s culture. They understand their communities and are intentionally creating environments that break down barriers and connect people with a loving God.
At NAMB I serve as the Missional Network Director helping foster this new network of leaders. I've also done marketing, small groups, and led worship at several different churches. I'd rather spend time with my wife and four kids than just about anything else.