[featured_image]I got a new book in the mail yesterday and I haven’t read it yet. When I open up a new book I like to thumb through the table of contents and flip through the chapters to get more familiar with how it’s structured before I jump in and start reading. So that’s what I did tonight and I was challenged by this statement:

What would the church look if everyone in the church used their God-given gifts and talents to equip the rest of the church in such a way that the entire church became more like Jesus? And if the whole church looked more like Jesus, how much more would our neighborhoods and cities look more like heaven? (JR Woodward, Creating a Missional Culture, p 197)

I look forward to reading more of Creating a Missional Culture. I’ve spent some time hanging out with JR and I resonate with his desire to see the church be a “faithful sign, foretaste and instrument of God’s kingdom, that is here and coming.”

I am eager to explore his understanding of the mega-shifts in our culture, as well as the need for a polycentric leadership that is not dependent on a single pastor or lead pastor. Imagine if the church truly was led by a gifted team of leaders who shared the responsibility for equipping Christ’s church!

Here’s a helpful chart:

Today’s Missional Challenge

Explore the roles of apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers in creating a missional culture.

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