Missional What?
You wouldn’t be alone if you found yourself wondering ‘What is a missional community?’ after reading the phrase above. While this phrase might not be immediately recognizable, as a Christian, the principles that ground the practices of missional momentum should be.
It’s been said, “God’s Church doesn’t have a mission, God’s Mission has a Church.” In short, the LORD had a mission to rescue and redeem all Creation, beginning with humanity, before the Church (Christ’s Body) was established. The Church was birthed as a result of Jesus’ inauguration of the renewal of all things, and then He handed that mission to His Body to carry it on (Rev. 21:5, John 14:12).
The way the Body of Christ has carried out the Missio Dei (God’s mission) has varied in many ways, in innumerable contexts, over two millennia - with the Gospel always remaining at its core. Over time, the Church has often developed specific systems and structures, policies and procedures to serve that original mandate and mission, which themselves are always in need of renewal to serve God’s Mission.
God’s people, carrying out God’s mission embody a renewed vigor for the Missio Dei as they create Missional Communities. However, these missional ventures often don’t look like inherited or traditional forms of the way we ‘do’ Church. They are comprised of believers being the Church (the people of God) in creative and courageous ways as they follow the Spirit’s lead within society, and are often extensions of local gathered Christian communities.
These missional initiatives may consist of developing a team that gathers people who have yet to know Christ around a particular passion, hobby, or practice in order to build authentic friendships as they do life together. When Christians who are sincerely following Jesus aren’t trying to hide that fact, they will likely earn opportunities to share their faith in Christ, having already invested relationally in others. These types of missional communities can take varied forms for countless contexts.
In 2023, For Columbus helped launch a Missional Communities Network for believers around Greater Columbus, to explore diverse expressions of God’s mission to reach and rescue people with the Gospel, in deed and word. Not long afterward a missional practitioner’s working group was established by, and for, those leaning into developing these missional initiatives. Members in both groups are from various denominations and church networks from across our city.
Sound intriguing? Want to join in? We’d love to have you add your voice. Contact Rev. Shane Tucker, Director of Networks [shane@forcolumbus.org] for more information, or to join in the adventure!