Lead into the Community

Charles Van Engen has been quoted in the Swedish Missiological Themes talking about this. Evangelism invites into a community sui generis with no other limits than the whole human race – a community based on a human belonging more encompassing than any existing form of political or biological connectedness. The missionary movement of the Churches claims to be relevant to women and men of all stripes and walks of life.

"By witnessing to the possibility of a common life sustained by God’s creative breaking of existing frontiers and showing that creative authority in the pattern of relation... (it fosters), the building up of
Christ-like persons... The Church’s good news is that human community is possible; the Church’s challenge is in its insistence...that the relations constituting Christ’s Body neither compete with nor vindicate others, but simply stand in their own right as the context which relativises all others... The Church's primitive and angular separateness... is meant to be a protest on behalf of a unified world, the world that holds together in and because of Jesus Christ."

Seeing our leaders willing and able to thrive in the world and in the Church is empowering and offers the opportunity for others to do the same.

 "Alan Roxburgh, (2006, 12-13) proposes a paradigm of leadership that contrasts the operating models of a typical pastor with that of a missional pastor who functions in an apostolic way. He also asserts (Roxburgh 1997, 62) that “discipling and equipping require a leadership that demonstrates encounter with the culture in action. This is the role of the apostle.” “Pastor, as apostle, is foundational to all other functions.”

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Community

Here are some comments on the role in the community for the Church....

Darrell Guder - "Seen through the lenses of the gospel, the world is desperately in need of reconciliation. Certainly
we would confirm that diagnosis—the news reported in any daily paper would document humanity’s need to be reconciled. But the human diagnosis will not identify the problem as our need to be reconciled with God. We focus upon the brutal divisions that make nations, tribes, religions, and cultures into each other’s deadly enemies. We struggle to find human resources to bring about the reconciliation for which we all long. The gospel defines creation’s distress as the result of our separation from God. It is not merely a matter of human resources but of divine intervention. So, the gospel announces that God has intervened. Our separation from God and each other has been overcome, the chasm bridged, the opposing factions brought together. Our message starts with the assurance that in Christ there already is a new creation. The work of reconciliation was accomplished at Calvary, Easter, and Ascension Day. Thus, our calling to the role of ambassadors is a consequence of what God has already done." 

Robert Webber -  "The calling of the church in every culture is to be mission. That is, the work of the church is not to be an agent or servant of the culture. The churches’ business is not to maintain freedom or to promote wealth or to help a political party or to serve as the moral guide to culture. The church’s mission is to be the presence of the kingdom. . . . The church’s mission is to show the world what it looks like when a community of people live under the reign of God.”

Kirsteen Kim - "Mission in the sense of missio Dei, that is commitment to God’s loving concern for the world is an antidote to relativism in theology."

Lesslie Newbigin - "the missionary task of the church to make known the gospel where it is not known must remain an indispensable aspect of the church’s mission. In a time when missionary resources are being scandalously allocated, and when the task of taking the gospel to areas where it is not known remains a vital part of the church's calling, this distinction continues to hold before us that the missionary task of the church is to the ends of the earth."

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A sense of urgency

When facing our realities, we found ourselves describing it with words and images, but rarely do we look at them through the eyes of truth.  We do not because we do not feel the urgency to do so, and those around us do not feel any urgency at all.

Then there are those who change for the sake of changes sake.  Never, ever helpful tack to take.

Staying the course is no better.

Skillful leaders nurture a sense of urgency in their congregations.  They foster a passionate desire to see the church live out its intended purpose.

In our smaller churches and our smaller ministries, there are more people interested in making sure the pastor/leader do not get away with anything than in giving them the opportunity to lead.  As a side note - the downfall of our pastor/leader is the lack of understanding that the only person that you have direct and immediate control over is yourself - so don't worry about what you want from others, instead, think about what you can give to others.

We have a new world around us - they need us to show the love of Jesus, to make it visible.  It isn't about us attracting crowds, its about seeing lives transformed, its about constructing personal relationships, it's about providing encouragement, spiritual growth, accountability and avenues for Christian ministry - arresting the temptation that people have of shopping around, looking for diversion while avoiding commitment. (Eddie Gibbs)

If most conflicts in the church were shaped around seeking what is best for God's purpose for the church, it would be amazing how the conversations would differ.  We are part of a large purpose. God's desire is to announce Himself through a people so passionately involved in this mission that they can do nothing less than become the people of God. (Gary Nelson)

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