Missional as Function, Not Form
The Body of Christ is made up of many different parts. Two of those parts are its form and its function. Its shape, its size and its location are also parts of the puzzle. But I want to focus on just the form and function for a moment.
Form is defined here as: in general, refers to the external shape, appearance, configuration of an object. There are many, many forms of church. Mega-church, home church, organic church, seeker-sensitive, multi-campus, country church, emerging, user-friendly church, intentional, Gen X, Gen Y, boomer church and so on and so on. I’m often asked what the church is going to look like in the years to come. I’ve come to this conclusion the church is going to look much like it looks today, with many, many forms. Its shape, appearance and configuration will be different from place to place. What is being used for Kingdom building in one place may not be used in another. Will that be bad? Nope!
We’ve come to expect the McDonaldization of the church. That each will look like the other and that we will know what to expect when we enter into one that is outside our own. This has spurred the idea that one form is better than another. I do not believe this, I believe success (and I use that term with much fear) will be dependant not upon form, which will vary widely, but on function. The church will be know for how it functions. What it does will become vastly more important than the form by which they use to get it done.
Function is defined here as: the actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of a person or group. The function of the successful (again more fear) church is not found in its form. It’s found in its actions and activities. Those actions and activities must be missional! The living out of Christ and the kingdom in our communities will be the determining factor in the success of our churches.
I think I’ve added to the form debate by framing missional as different from “traditional.” I wish to change that positioning. Missional is a shift not from “traditional” but from “missions minded.” All churches need to go from the idea that missions is something someone else does, to something that everyone does 24/7.
In the end I do not believe missional has any connection to form but has everything to do with the true function of the church.
What are your thoughts?
missional, missional church, Missional Living, emerging, Leadership, Change, McDonaldization
Form is defined here as: in general, refers to the external shape, appearance, configuration of an object. There are many, many forms of church. Mega-church, home church, organic church, seeker-sensitive, multi-campus, country church, emerging, user-friendly church, intentional, Gen X, Gen Y, boomer church and so on and so on. I’m often asked what the church is going to look like in the years to come. I’ve come to this conclusion the church is going to look much like it looks today, with many, many forms. Its shape, appearance and configuration will be different from place to place. What is being used for Kingdom building in one place may not be used in another. Will that be bad? Nope!
We’ve come to expect the McDonaldization of the church. That each will look like the other and that we will know what to expect when we enter into one that is outside our own. This has spurred the idea that one form is better than another. I do not believe this, I believe success (and I use that term with much fear) will be dependant not upon form, which will vary widely, but on function. The church will be know for how it functions. What it does will become vastly more important than the form by which they use to get it done.
Function is defined here as: the actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of a person or group. The function of the successful (again more fear) church is not found in its form. It’s found in its actions and activities. Those actions and activities must be missional! The living out of Christ and the kingdom in our communities will be the determining factor in the success of our churches.
I think I’ve added to the form debate by framing missional as different from “traditional.” I wish to change that positioning. Missional is a shift not from “traditional” but from “missions minded.” All churches need to go from the idea that missions is something someone else does, to something that everyone does 24/7.
In the end I do not believe missional has any connection to form but has everything to do with the true function of the church.
What are your thoughts?
missional, missional church, Missional Living, emerging, Leadership, Change, McDonaldization
posted by Missional Jerry at 2:25 PM
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