When considering what it will take for an existing congregation to move in a missional direction, I believe one of the key starting points is to begin with discipleship, or spiritual formation. Now having said that, I also believe we have to be careful not to think it is a purely linear process.
In other words we need to realize that we can’t, or shouldn’t, see discipleship as something that has to be “complete” before we engage in God’s mission. I would much rather view the process as a cycle of discipleship and mission, where intentional apprenticeship to Jesus (discipleship) leads to mission and mission compels us to intentional apprenticeship (discipleship).
The main point that I want to make here, however, is that we cannot neglect the formation to Christlikeness if we are to be a sent, missionary people.
I was humbled to discover recently that Len Hjalmarson quoted from one of my blog posts on this topic in his and Roger Holland’s excellent new book titled Missional Spirituality:
God calls the church to be a sent community of people who no longer live for themselves but instead live to participate with Him in His redemptive purposes. However, people will have neither the passion nor the strength to live as a counter cultural society for the sake of others if they are not transformed by the way of Jesus. If the church is to “go and be” then we must make certain that we are a Spirit formed community that has the spiritual capacity to impact the lives of others.
How do you understand the interplay between discipleship and missional living? What do you do to ensure that you have the passion and the strength to live for the sake of others?
Photo: coldwhisper
I appreciate your point that it’s not a completely linear process. Wesley’s means of grace come to mind. Whether it’s “spiritual” practices of prayer, reading scripture, fasting, baptism, Eucharist, etc, or it’s doing good, visiting the sick, feeding the hungry, caring for the poor, opposing injustice, etc… it’s all part of being formed into the body of Christ, sent into the world to participate in God’s mission.
I have learned discipleship is a key to missional engagement. I first read about missional in college and I was automatically ready to bring all my fine learning to my first job. I tried to start by setting up engagement in the communtiy around our building, but I recieved push back. For me, the missional conversation and way is a no brained, but it was not the case for others. I learned slowly spiritual formation was the only way to develop an imagination of mission. Mission and discipleship are partners in God’s transforming work, but the individual faith, that is rampit in our society, demands new eyes to see the world before we can engage it.
Thanks for commenting. I agree we certainly need to cultivate new eyes/vision to see what God is doing and discern how He wants use to join Him.
“The main point that I want to make here, however, is that we cannot neglect the formation to Christlikeness if we are to be a sent, missionary people.”
I am in total agreement here… we can bring couches and candles, community development, practice hospitality, serving others etc. etc. but if we are NOT intimately linked with Jesus in all of this we will find our best efforts/work are really like a “hollow chocolate bunny”.
In fact, IMHO, I believe that this is THE starting point for a “missional life/community”! Ironically, It is something that very few of us talk about (and as leaders, do very little in helping individuals/communities to cultivate).
At the same time and for clarity, “formation into Christlikeness”, I have found, for many gets translated into simply becoming more perfect “morally”. But being formed in Christ is much deeper and substantial than simply doing the right thing.
Jesus says in John 17 that he did only what the Father told him to say or do. Each moment of his life, Jesus was in tune with the Father through the Spirit! Jesus was directed by the Father every moment. Jesus did not come with a full head of knowledge or a road map as to how each day or moment was going to go… he was in a constant listening and awareness connection with the Father mediated by the Spirit. This is the core of the life that he modeled to his followers… To be formed into Christlikeness starts with cultivating a deep and abiding listening/awareness relationship with the Trinity mediated by the Spirit.
As I gain momentum in this abding relationship, my life actually starts to be an “intuitive and interactive” life with God. This goes way beyond a “quiet time” (though it can start here). It happens and exists while I move and live throughout my day. One lives and carries on through the day, doing and interacting with others and the life around him, while simultaneously attending to the voice/life of God that is continually prompting, guiding, speaking, correcting, leading etc…
Yes, part of the outcome of this life in God is that I see an improvment in my moral character… but it is so much more!
Be aware… this process to cultivate this intuitive life with God is an ebb and flow process that takes much time! However, where ever and whenever we start to lean into this alternate reality of life with God we will almost immediately start to experience the interactive life that Jesus himself apprenticed the apostles into…
BTW… Thomas R. Kelly’s, “A Testament of Devotion”, does a wondeful job of unpacking this dynamic life in God.
John, thanks for taking the time to comment, really good thoughts.