[featured_image]A few months ago, I grabbed lunch at BJ’s with my friends Alan and Deb Hirsch and Steve Ogne. We had a great time sharing what God’s been doing in our lives and through ministry opportunities that He provides. I wish you could have joined us…
We also talked about the church in America and how to adopt missional behaviors to start new churches. Here are a few of the thoughts we discussed:
Experiencing Community
Alan observed that “America’s sense of connectedness is fragmented.” It’s difficult to really get to know people. The way that most churches meet on Sundays (and even during the week in small groups) does not build community. American Christians are so busy and often centered on family and children’s activities that they neglect relationships with others, especially non-Christians. Steve recognizes that “many Christians don’t have any time for third spaces.” Deb agreed and also noted that the third places in America are so big. As we sat in BJ’s, w realized that it would be difficult to try to build relationships there through frequent/regular/intentional presence.
Church Buildings
As I work with church planters, finding facilities for worship services is one of the greatest challenges. Renting a weekly space can create hindrances to a community’s perception of the church’s permanence and viability. However, owning property and buildings can become a distraction to missional-incarnational activity. As Alan observed, “church buildings are problematic.” They consume mass quantities of resources to sustain. I shared how before our church purchased a building, our ministry happened all over town: in homes, schools, parks, restaurants, etc. When we purchased our own property, immediately everything happened on our church campus. We actually removed ourselves and our presence from the community to be “good stewards” of this property we had purchased. Instead of being the church in the neighborhoods–we tried to get people in the neighborhoods to come to our church campus.
I was so grateful to have a church building–but our focus over the last ten years became directed toward using, maintaining, improving, and funding our property and buildings. We got so tired of setting up each week to worship in a school–but I think we sacrificed a lot to get a building. I’m not against buildings, however, I think Alan is right–they are problematic. Your church could be better off without them.
Starting Missional Churches
As Steve works with church planters who are attempting to embrace a missionary (missional) approach, the two biggest issues they face are:
- Creating a sustainable model
- How to be a missional church in suburbia
The economics of supporting a full-time pastor are very challenging when the focus is not trying to gather Christians who are disconnected from a local church. Many church plants intentionally seek to reach Christians who are moving into town or are dissatisfied with the available churches in the area. If a church planters is actually starting a church by making disciples of non-disciples and training them to make disciples who make disciples–the process can be much slower. This either requires the church planter to work to sustain himself or to secure outside funding sources to pay his salary.
Alan stated that those who do ministry as paid professionals are encouraged in the Bible to be supported by those whom they serve. However, if ministry is being done by all the people in the church, there is not as great a need for a paid professional. This issue of sustainability needs to be addressed before we will see rapidly multiplying movements in America.
In regard to adopting a missional approach in suburbia, we agreed that this remains a significant challenge–especially when, as Deb noted, so many Christians don’t even know their next door neighbors. Alan recommended reading: Justice in the Burbs and The Jesus of Surburbia.
Certainly it is easier to feed the hungry and serve the needs of the homeless when you live in an urban environment. In the suburbs, these needs are less exposed. This requires new approaches and methods to “be Jesus” in a non-urban setting.
Is Your Church “Missional”?
I observed that many churches in America have become conditioned to simply add programs that are successful at other churches. Many churches are looking for the next great thing to help their church grow. It seems that many churches are trying to add “being missional” to thier already full docket of church programs.
To be a missional church requires a radical transformation for most Christians and most churches. It requires a shift from functioning as an institution to a living, organic community. It requires that Christians seize the mission of Jesus as their own. This can’t just be added to your church activities–making disciples must become the core activity.
Feel free to share your thoughts – it will “almost” be like being there…
