Last
week’s missive in this Eastertide series on inviting evangelism introduced the
work of Bishop Leslie Newbigin, who argued the need to reclaim our missionary
zeal for the West and suggested creating a missionary encounter between a
congregation and community. While retaining one’s theological tradition – (no
watered-down Gospel!) – Newbigin counseled congregations to learn the language
of the culture in which they live and move and have their being, learning the
inner working and outer expressions of that culture, and able to understand at
a depth level the yearnings of their neighbors.
Newbigin’s
challenge to our congregations is to live deeper into our missional calling to
reclaim a Gospel zeal for the West be moving away from consumeristic models of
church and moving toward holistic, service-oriented models of being the Christ
community. Adding to last week’s list of symptoms of congregations that invite
evangelism, Newbigin suggests:
1) Grace
Centered:
invitational and relational churches lead from the place of grace. In a culture
of polarization, it is easy to sound judgmental without intending to do so. How
does your church convey the unboundaried love of God in Christ both in word and
deed, through actions and attitudes?
2) Transformation
(not just information):
in a culture that has moved beyond strict rationalism, in a world in which
people sip knowledge from an information fire hose, in a world ever-growing in
high-tech, low-touch, our ministries must invite growth in the direction of
transformation. How does your church help its people live the Gospel day-to-day
in ways that lead not just to doing different things but becoming different
people?
3) Worship
Centrality (Head, Heart, Will):
connected to the above symptom’s focus on transformation, vital missional
ministry connects worship to the head, heart and will. Our Reformed style of
worship has rightly been accused of being overly “wordy.” How does your church
make available, invite into, and provide instruction on how soul-feasting, justice-hungering,
love-embodying life with God is encountered?
4) Empowered
and Equipped Laity:
vital missional ministry focuses on leadership training. Teach an adult on what
the Bible says, and she or he will know the Word; teach one how to read and
interpret the Word, and she or he will know the Living Word. Is the balance
between equipping ministry and providing ministry in your church weighted
steeply toward equipping? If not, what are you waiting for?
5) Value
Intergenerational/Inter-racial:
Finally, vital missional ministry leans in the direction of Pentecost. Becoming
intergenerational or inter-racial requires of us to have the humility that
fosters self-awareness: where do our implicit, assumed, hidden-from-our-consciousness
practices block those who are different from us from experiencing hospitality?
What intentional steps can we take in our churches to create an environment
that others experience as invitational, welcoming, and as connecting with their soul?
Opening the Way to
others,
Brad Munroe
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