The Spirit of the Missional Movement Pt 1

[AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is part 1 of a 2-part series] Click here for part 2

In light of how movements come and go, I'd like to address the spirit of the missional movement and displace any misconceptions people may have about it.

If you are new to the missional conversation and not sure what it means, missional is simply a new way of reminding us that we are "missionaries."  We who subscribe to the missional movement adopt the thinking, practices, and behaviors of a missionary beginning with our own zip code all the way globally.  It is a call back to the spirit and purpose of the church.  We believe everyone has been called to missions and not just some.  Our inspiration comes from the Sacred Scriptures that depict a missionary/sending God who in turn sends us to bring healing, hope and restoration to everyone and every place.  Among the many missional scripture passages, the three classic ones include:

1. John 1:14 (MSG)

"The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.  We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, generous inside and out, true from start to finish”

2.    John 20:21 (MSG)

“Jesus repeated his greeting: "Peace to you. Just as the Father sent me, I send you."

3.    Matthew 28:18-20 (MSG)

“Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: "God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age"

If you are wondering why we’ve come up with the new term “missional” instead of sticking with the familiar "missions" and "missionary" words, it is because renaming words can help to restore its meaning especially when the original worth of the word is lost.  For example the value of the word "awesome" is misplaced in our society since we call many things “awesome,” including food, animals, hairstyles, electronics, furniture, sticks, rocks, etc, so calling God awesome in the same way we do everything else just doesn't quite do it ya know?  So we rename to recapture significance.

The act of assigning new names or renaming is depicted throughout the Sacred Texts as Jacob was renamed Israel, Abram to Abraham, Saul to Paul, and the land of Israel called Desolate renamed to Beulah (married).  The reception of a new name, in Jewish tradition denotes the conferring of a special divine mission.'"  God gave Abram and Sarai a new name for their "special divine mission” to bless the earth while Jesus gave Simon a new name “Peter” (rock) for his “special divine mission” to help build His church.  And in the spirit of this biblical tradition, the missional movement has a new name for its special divine mission to recapture the true nature, spirit, and purpose of the Church.