thinkyouthministry.ca

Missional Youth Ministry: Ecclesiology

March 3, 2009 at 6:00 am 2 comments

by Jeff Smyth

Missional has become the buzz word for the evangelical church for past 3-5 years. It can become a banner that many leaders march under by saying, “we are becoming missional” or “that was one of the best missional Christmas productions I’ve seen, you really get it.” For some people who have bought into the whole missional mentality for the directions of their church they will say that it comes down to two things: 1) you get it, or 2) or you don’t.

What is Missional – A Short Answer“Jesus told us to go into all the world and be his ambassadors, but many churches today have inadvertently changed the “go and be” command to a “come and see” appeal. We have grown attached to buildings, programs, staff and a wide variety of goods and services designed to attract and entertain people.

“Missional is a helpful term used to describe what happens when you and I replace the “come to us” invitations with a “go to them” life. A life where “the way of Jesus” informs and radically transforms our existence to one wholly focused on sacrificially living for him and others and where we adopt a missionary stance in relation to our culture. It speaks of the very nature of the Jesus follower.”—Rick Meigs

Now if churches are making the shift towards becoming “missional”, I believe that we need to start with these questions first because it will impact the youth ministry and it’s leadership within that church.

1) What is a missional church within our context and community?

2) What is a description of a missional church within our context and community?

3) What does NOT describe a missional church within our context and community?

4) What does a missional church look like? (If we became missional, how would people describe us?)

5) Does it come down to the difference between attractional and incarnational living?

Thoughts?!? Let’s dialogue about this. leave your comment(s) and let’s see where this goes.

Entry filed under: Blogroll, Church. Tags: missional, missional youth ministry, Youth Ministry.