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The ‘Revolution’ and ‘Planting Missional Churches’
It’s clear that the church is in a time of transition. Some argue that things are getting worse while others suggest it’s a progression of the church. I agree with the latter- I have to. There is a window of opportunity for churches to connect with believers and unbelievers alike and take the lead in advancing the greatest cause ever- Jesus! And there is strength in numbers. The body of Christ (the Church) needs to get out of our La-Z-Boy’s and take action…as one body. This mission begins with Jesus. This mission extends to you and me. This mission progresses with our local churches and reaches the ends of the earth. This mission ends when Jesus returns. I believe in the church. No, it’s not perfect, no organization is- no person is- but it’s imperative that we team up and man up for the cause of Jesus. All of us.
In the book Revolution, well-respected Christian researcher and pollster, George Barna discusses the state of the Church (Big C) and the church (small c) and claims that good people are leaving the organized church. He would know- he has studied the church in America for some time. According to Barna, that trend will continue to grow and he suggests that’s not a bad thing because the local church isn’t as effective as it should be. It’s discouraging in one sense but after reading the book, I really think that’s a great challenge to the local church and the Church as a whole. To engage and equip people to be who they were meant to be and do what they were meant to do. That’s where Planting Missional Churches by Ed Stetzer comes in
In Planting Missional Churches, Ed Stetzer describes a church planted by a missionary (or missionaries) right here in the U.S. The church they plant is approached the same way any church on the mission field is- relate to the culture their in while remaining true to Scripture. The missional approach is vital to becoming the church we need to be to connect with the unchurched and those fed up with church as described in Barna’s book. On a side note, I’m looking forward to hearing Ed Stetzer speak at this conference next month.
Yes, it’s a crazy time for the church…but it’s also an exciting time. For over two thousand years, the church has been the most influential force on the planet. And as long as Jesus is the leader of the Church, there’s no reason to believe that will change. But the challenge lies with us to connect with the disconnected; to change our methods to share an unchanging message; to be on mission to our mission field- right where we are. The revolution isn’t miles away- it’s on our doorstep- our mission field. How will we respond?
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One Response to “The ‘Revolution’ and ‘Planting Missional Churches’”
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Great post