Churches as Missionaries

Some significant discussion about the state of the church today in today's Baptist Press.

‘Breaking the Missional Code’
sees churches as ‘missionaries’
By Mark Kelly

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)--Many Southern Baptist churches once were remarkably effective in their outreach but now are struggling because their evangelism techniques no longer connect with communities whose culture has fragmented and radically changed.

“Too many churches are boldly pressing forward in the third millennium with the methods and ministries that worked in 1954,” Ed Stetzer and David Putman write in “Breaking the Missional Code,” a 2006 release from the B&H Publishing Group of LifeWay Christian Resources.

Referencing the Southern Baptist Convention’s highly successful “Million More in ’54” Sunday School campaign, Stetzer and Putnam note: “The problem is that we aren’t sent to the culture of 1954.”

Stetzer is a missiologist who directs the North American Mission Board’s Center for Missional Research; Putman is executive pastor of the Atlanta-area Mountain Lake Church in Cumming.

Southern Baptists need to adopt the process used by their missionaries in seeking to be an incarnational, loving presence of Christ on their mission fields, Stetzer and Putnam write.

“The missionary studies the culture, looking for the ways God is already revealing Himself to the people,” the authors recount. “When that ‘bridge’ is found, the missionary can express the eternal truth of the Gospel in a way that is indigenous to the culture. People respond with joy and the Gospel spreads like wildfire through the network of their relationships.”

A “missional” church, then, is one that acts like a missionary in its community, Stetzer and Putnam write.

Many church leaders, however, see evangelism as “something that takes place near us, while missions takes place overseas,” Stetzer and Putman write. “Our paganized, secularized, spiritualized North American culture,” they point out, “should be seen as a mission field.

“Evangelism is telling people about Jesus; missions involves understanding them before we tell them,” the authors note. “Large segments of people in our society and many aspects of our culture have yet to be influenced with the Gospel. Applying missionary principles in the North American context means we seek to understand the cultural situation and its people as we seek to reach them with the Gospel.”

Failure to understand a community explains why strategies that work for some pastors don’t work for others, Stetzer and Putman write. “Too many pastors lead churches in their heads and not their communities. They pastor some idealized version of someone else’s community rather than understanding and reaching their own.”

Stetzer and Putman compare two pastors, one who chooses to understand the culture and one who thinks culture does not matter. “Both pastors faithfully preach, teach and reach out,” the authors note in the introduction to Breaking the Missional Code. Yet the results are different. “We are convinced you can be equally called, gifted and passionate and yet experience different levels of success” depending on the leader’s cultural awareness, they write.

The reason a ministry approach brings great success in one community yet fails in another is that the second community differs culturally from the first, Stetzer says. “It’s funny,” he observes, “we require international missionaries to do the very thing we often forbid North American churches -- to contextualize their approach to their culture.”

Stetzer, who has started churches in three states, learned the hard way that culture matters. “Years ago, my church growth world began to come apart,” he recounts. “Many of the surefire, guaranteed, great, new, whiz-bang programs weren’t working in my church or the churches we were starting. They were supposed to work. They worked in other places, but they did not work for us.

“It took a while for us to figure it out, but the reality was that what worked in one place did not work with effectiveness everywhere else,” Stetzer says. “The cultural code in my community was different from the cultural code where the experts lived. We were living on different mission fields.”

Breaking the missional code, Stetzer and Putnam write, requires church leaders to think through their context, apply biblical principles that work in every context and apply the tools most relevant for the particular context. Grasping a community’s culture and finding a strategy that will overcome barriers amounts to “finding a redemptive window through which the Gospel can shine.”

“Missions history is filled with stories of great revivals because missionaries were able to ‘break the code’ and the church exploded in their community,” the authors write.

Being a “missional” church, however, should not be confused with being contemporary, seeker-sensitive, postmodern, emerging or any of the various forms of church being tried across America, Stetzer and Putnam note. Those can all be missional, they write, but a traditional church can be just as much a missionary in its community as any other.

“A church is missional when it remains faithful to the Gospel message while contextualizing its ministry to the degree it can so the Gospel can engage the worldview of the hearers,” Stetzer says. “Traditional churches that are engaging communities that are receptive to traditional methods are just as missional as are contemporary, blended, ethnic or emerging congregations. The key is biblical fidelity and missional engagement in the culture where we are.”

In a country where so many have no understanding of the basic Christian message and do not identify with the traditional Christian subculture, churches must step out of their buildings and take the Gospel into their communities, Stetzer says.

“It’s time for us to stop thinking attractionally –- ‘Come see our show’ --– and start to think incarnationally -– ‘Let’s go among them and tell them of this Savior who transformed our lives.’”

Joe Thorn, pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Elburn, Ill., notes that the missionary thrust of Stetzer and Putnam’ Breaking the Missional Code is not “a one-size-fits-all approach to church, nor does it value innovation for its own sake. It does, however, challenge the church to love God and neighbor by making the former known to the latter in the most effective ways for its community.”

The book encourages churches “to look beyond prepackaged programs that promise immediate results to universal principles and a process of implementing those principles in ways most appropriate to a church’s unique context,” Thorn wrote in a review circulated by LifeWay Christian Resources. “It pushes churches to know their communities’ needs, values and language in order to more effectively demonstrate that the Kingdom of God has come and redemption is real.”

One of the most valuable components of Breaking the Missional Code, Thorn wrote, “is how Stetzer and Putman lead readers through open-ended, diagnostic questions that give them a clearer picture of where their church is, and where it needs to go.”

The “biblical rooting” of Breaking the Missional Code “allows for cultural diversity,” Thorn wrote. “[It] can bring greater health, cooperation and success to the Southern Baptist Convention by encouraging agreement on the essentials, diversity where necessary and an emphasis on what local churches must do as God’s missionary people to their community.
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Making the Missional Church Move

Mark Love, assistant professor of ministry and the Director of Ministry Events at Abilene Christian University, discusses the missional church movement:

We’ve heard of “purpose driven” and “seeker sensitive” churches. These descriptions have found their way into our church-speak glossaries and are now thrown around casually in conversations about congregational life. Well, it’s time to add another term to your glossary: missional church. Read on.

Church: It's All About 'Mission'

Ed Stetzer's new book, The Missional Church, is a profound call to the New Testament 21st Century church to "get back to the main thing," that is, to become missional.

“Christian leaders are beginning to understand that the church must not rework its programs; it must rediscover its mission. In short, it must become missional," says Stetzer.

That's the message I share when I speak to pastors and missions leaders when presenting the Acts 1:8 Challenge. That is, it's on longer about "missions," rather the "mission" of the church.

Our churches must be about transformational change that ultimately creates disciples. A church that's not actively doing that isn't fulfilling Christ's call for the church to take the gospel to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the uttermost parts of the earth (Acts 1:8).

As Stetzer states, “As the church rediscovers its missional nature, it will acquire a renewed passion to be a people on mission.”

Missional Church: Model, Movement or Mute Point?

By John M. Bailey
North American Mission Board, SBC

Have you heard the phrase “missional church”? Do you use it? Do you know the kind of church it describes? Some say the point is mute… that it is like saying “canine dog” or “feline cat.” Some say it is a movement of God. Some say it is a church planting model.

Although it is still a work in progress, The Enlistment and Missional Networks Team has compiled a definition for your review:

A missional church is a reproducing community of authentic disciples who abandon themselves to passionately seek the heart of God and to live out His mission in their community and around the world.

First, a missional church is a reproducing community of disciples. Missional churches are aware of the human need for community, as well as the transforming power of Christian community. Therefore, the practice of community is highly valued. It is in community that doubt disappears. It is where loneliness fades away. It is where faith, hope and love abound.

Gathering a large crowd in a single location does not appear to be a priority. Missional churches seem to know that community, connectivity, occurs best in smaller gatherings. Thus, an emphasis is placed upon creating multiple reproducing communities with some sort of connectivity to the host church. Success, therefore, is measured not by the crowd gathered on Sunday, but by the number of faith communities who exist in the context of culture.

Second, missional churches are a community of authentic disciples. Authentic Christianity occurs in community where people are held accountable -- where individuals are expected to glorify God in what they do and say. As they grow, as they reflect the transforming power of Christ in their lives, others are attracted to their community and therefore, to Christ. They learn how to be like Jesus from Jesus. Deeds of compassion are expressions of His life and teachings. The focus switches from gathering knowledge and facts to obedience.

Third, missional churches abandon themselves, their wants or desires, for the good of others. Many of those writing about missional churches point out that some of our established churches have become places where consumers come for religious goods and services, placing an emphasis upon meeting the needs of the present congregation; upon attracting a crowd. They are calling for a new paradigm where individuals see the church as an equipping and sending center, one that places the emphasis upon the needs of those far from God, and not upon those within the family of God.

Fourth, missional churches passionately seek the heart of God. As I look at my former ministries in the local church, I believe I can safely say that we sought the heart of God -- and at times did so passionately. But this appears to be different in the missional church. I sense that there is less emphasis placed upon having a church-wide vision and strategy. Less emphasis upon the pastor declaring, “Thus says the Lord…” There seems to be rather an emphasis upon assisting individuals with discovering God’s vision for their lives as it relates to ministering in the culture in which they live.

It appears that the vision of the missional church is to empower and release authentic disciples into the harvest. Therefore, the emphasis is placed upon assisting individuals to passionately seek, clarify and live out the will of God for their lives. It’s about living a life totally led by the Spirit. Personal disciplines like prayer, worship and the study of God’s Word, are emphasized. This brings us to a small paradox. There is this sense of individualism expressed in the context of life (mission), but there is also this overwhelming dependence upon biblical community for growth and development. It’s not one over the other -- it’s both. One (community) enables individuals or small teams to live out their calling (mission) in the context of life.

Finally, missional churches live out His mission in their community and around the world. Most of my experiences have been with churches who have supported missions. We prayed for missionaries. We studied their work around the world. We sent money and teams. We celebrated those who responded to God’s call to go. Were we living out the mission of God? Were we developing missionaries to serve in our context? There is to be more than just an understanding of God’s mission in the world. There is to be active participation in the mission of God -- it is the heartbeat of the missional church.

Missional churches begin with their community, understanding that one size or type of church will not reach everyone with the gospel, and extend their efforts to the uttermost parts of the earth. They know their community and the cultures in which they serve. They seek to reach their community in a variety of ways representative of the sub-cultures that make up their community. Therefore, they have the ability to identify people groups, affinity groups, and under-reached places, and to equip disciples to journey into the harvest to live out the mission of God. They are contextual without compromising the Word of God.

Which brings us to our question, “Is the missional church a model, a movement or a mute point?” As our team continues our research, we believe we will discover transferable principles that will lead to the planting of a different kind of church in North America -- a missional church. It is more than a model. It is a movement of God. God wishes that none should perish. He equips every disciple for work in the harvest. He sends us into the world to live as salt and light. Could it be that an emphasis upon missional living will usher in a new movement of God in North America? A simple movement focused on the development of disciples who serve as missionaries in the world in which they live?

Our research, however, is a work in progress. We are still seeking to identify the characteristics of a missional church. We believe that we would benefit greatly from your input. What are you reading about the missional church? Where are the missional churches in your area? Do you consider your church to be a missional church? We would welcome an opportunity to learn from you. Please e-mail your comments regarding this article, or about the whole concept of missional church, to John M. Bailey, director of The Enlistment and Missional Networks Team, at JMBailey@namb.net. We look forward to hearing from you as our journey of discovery continues.

Mission Church Bibliography

Allen, Roland. (1963) Missionary Methods, St. Paul’s or Our’s. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans.

Brock, Charles. (1980) The Principles and Practices of Indigenous Church Planting. Manila: Baptist Center.

Engle, Paul E. & Gary L. McIntosh (Eds.). (2004) Evaluating The Church Growth Movement. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Frost, Michael & Alan Hirsch. (2003) The Shaping of Things To Come. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.

Geiger, Eric & Thom S. Rainer. (2006) Simple Church. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

Guder, Darrell L. General Editor. (1998) Missional Church. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmens Publishing.

Hunter III, George G. (2000) The Celtic Way of Evangelism. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press.

Minetra, Milfred. (2004) Shaped By God’s Heart. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass A Wiley Imprint.

Roxburgh, Alan J. & Fred Romanuk. (2006) The Missional Leader. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Stetzer, Ed & David Putman. (2006) Breaking the Missional Code. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

Stetzer, Ed. (2006) Planting Missional Churches. Nashville, TN: Broadman and Holman Publishers.

Tillapaugh, Frank R. (1982) Unleashing The Church. Ventura, CA: Regal Books.

Tag! You're It!

Many Christians have little or no idea what they're getting themselves into when they surrender their lives to Christ and commit to follow him. Once an individual says he is no longer going to his life under his own strength, but by Christ's strength alone, things change...or they should.

The same is many times true of the local church. After all, it IS a big mission, isn't it? That is, to fulfill Acts 1:8 by literally reaching the world for Jesus Christ. Before we become too overwhelmed, we must remember that we're told we don't have to go it alone. We have the power and the might of the Holy Spirit as promised in Acts to guide us in all of our ways as new Christians. What's more, Southern Baptists have the support of their denominational partners to help the church reach Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth. Support comes in the form of the local association, state convention, North American Mission Board and International Mission Board.

The thing is, many Christians never do truly surrender their lives to the lordship of Jesus Christ, so they just end up going about their business as wimpy, weak vessels that don't make any kind of difference in the world. The same can be said of many churches.

That's just what the evil one would have us do. That way he can go about his business with the least amount of bother. Commit yourself and your church today to go forward today boldly in Jesus' name and to become the "missional" force Christ outlined so beautifully in Acts 1:8!

Tim Yarbrough is a mission strategist and leader of the Church Relations Team at the North American Mission Board. He serves as the national coordinator of the Acts 1:8 Challenge initaitive.