Missional What?

Every other Sunday I visit a new church plant and have appointments with
planting pastors most every week. Being "missional" is on every ones mind.
Everyone defines missional differently. Here is my
take:

The typical church seeks to
develop its ministries to reach and disciple people. Sounds good. And often
has impact. However this model is very centralized in its focus. Questions are
asked like: "What can the church do to reach people?" "How can we get our people
to use this event or ministry to reach people?"


The pastor sees his role is to get the people
involved in the latest programs. The people see their role is to help the pastor
fulfill his ministry.

But the missional church
seeks to equip the people to develop their own ministries. This model is
decentralized in its focus. Questions are asked like: "Who has God placed on
your heart to reach out to with a caring relationship and share your God story?"
"What people, need or cause has God put on your heart with a passion that you
can develop into a ministry?" "What spiritual gifts, talents and experience has
God given you that he can use to reach and impact
lives?"

The pastor sees his role is to envision
for the people how God wants them to be salt and light and have an impact for
Christ in others lives. His role is to equip the people to have a ministry.


Centralized: The people help the pastor have a
ministry.
Decentralized: The pastor helps the people have a
ministry.

An efficient centralized church says
"alignment" is getting everyone involved in a few things we do that fit our
mission. This can work and bring addition growth especially if the leader is a
great communicator.

A missional decentralized
church says "alignment" is to be passionate about our mission, then go do
whatever God puts on your heart. We will coach you. We will celebrate you. We
will help you build a team. We will help you apprentice leaders.  Have
at it! 

This is how we have
multiplication growth.

Go multiply!

Mentoring a few for greater impact

Yesterday I met with a pastor of a new church that is reaching a particular language group. The church was started by a group who came from a mother church 30 miles away. Pastor (we will call him Joe) was asked to lead the group. He has had no training or experience in church planting.

Joe is now coming to one of our Accelerate Coaching Networks for pastors of new churches led by an experienced church planting pastor. We are also trying to hook him up with a national network for their local intensive training.

Joe is frustrated because most of the people are not "catching the vision or involved". I encouraged him to view the people as Jesus modeled. He spoke to the masses. He trained the twelve. And he spent focused time with Peter, James and John. In effect Jesus had three strategies. He gave each group what they needed to help move them to the next level. The majority of his time was not spent with the masses, but with the twelve and specifically with the three.

Who are the three in your church that you are spending time with? How can these people be mentored in their spiritual life and leadership? Did Jesus recruit them into a classroom to lecture them? No he took them with him and modeled life and ministry.

Try this: Line up times when you are meeting with people to: share your faith, follow-up a new believer, encourage a believer in his walk, disciple someone. Then call one of your three and ask them to go with you. They can come along to pray and "catch" ministry concepts and skills. Then you debrief and talk about it - what they saw, what they learned, what we could have done differently, etc. Gradually you have them take the lead in situations while you watch.

What you are doing is mentoring people in the Christian life and ministry and leadership. Instead of "recruiting" people into ministry you are "mentoring" people into ministry.

3 Steps
1. Pray for the right three
2. Pray for and take opportunities to minister to people
3. Invite one of your three to go with you