Monday, July 17, 2006
The Story Board
We are redefining missional--like churches did being "contemporary"--just throw in a chorus and you’re there! Everybody wants the title--few get what it’s really about. The most missional models we have of churches today in the West runs something like this:
Cletus started a church and communicated in understandable ways.
The church grew and was built around his preachin’ and Earl’s singin’.
Now the church does some community projects.
The church started a church with plans of starting more--one day.
They now take an annual mission trip to a different nation each year.
The best stories we have of missional churches still come back to the preacher and the Sunday event.
What would it be like if the stories were beyond that Sunday event? What if our stories were how we had transformed society and communities that extended beyond our pulpits? What if the church was not a holding tank with scheduled release valves, but what if it was a traffic light only managing the flow of traffic that passed through it for people to go and get things done for the kingdom of God.
We know who we are by the stories we tell. What churches and pastors are telling stories of radical transformation?
Missional stories run something like this:
Joe Bob worked at Tyler Pipe and found Jesus after a divorce.
It changed him so much others saw it and wanted what he had.
They started a Bible study and accountability group.
It grew so much they started several of them.
They decided to gather on Sundays and rent a hall--which they did.
They served in the community where they worked and suffered.
Ed had been in Iraq and knew the water needs, so they met with people who knew how to get in and began to dig water wells.
This led to many other projects.
Their church grew so much that they had to start another for all
the people driving in from 30 miles away.
Joe Bob had just moved to the new area, so he began a Bible study that grew so fast that they started several studies . . . .
Cletus started a church and communicated in understandable ways.
The church grew and was built around his preachin’ and Earl’s singin’.
Now the church does some community projects.
The church started a church with plans of starting more--one day.
They now take an annual mission trip to a different nation each year.
The best stories we have of missional churches still come back to the preacher and the Sunday event.
What would it be like if the stories were beyond that Sunday event? What if our stories were how we had transformed society and communities that extended beyond our pulpits? What if the church was not a holding tank with scheduled release valves, but what if it was a traffic light only managing the flow of traffic that passed through it for people to go and get things done for the kingdom of God.
We know who we are by the stories we tell. What churches and pastors are telling stories of radical transformation?
Missional stories run something like this:
Joe Bob worked at Tyler Pipe and found Jesus after a divorce.
It changed him so much others saw it and wanted what he had.
They started a Bible study and accountability group.
It grew so much they started several of them.
They decided to gather on Sundays and rent a hall--which they did.
They served in the community where they worked and suffered.
Ed had been in Iraq and knew the water needs, so they met with people who knew how to get in and began to dig water wells.
This led to many other projects.
Their church grew so much that they had to start another for all
the people driving in from 30 miles away.
Joe Bob had just moved to the new area, so he began a Bible study that grew so fast that they started several studies . . . .
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