What's Missional Church?

The term ''missional church' began to be more widely among post-liberals and post-evangelicals, following the publication of a collection of essays by "The Gospel and Our Culture Network". The book Missional Church addressed a number of key concerns regarding an increasingly consumeristic-individualistic approach to Christian life and faith. While the book did not provide a definition of missional church, it did give voice to growing concerns within liberal, mainline and evangelical Christianity, regarding the nature and purpose of protestant churches. The concerns over the limits (or perhaps excesses) within these churches have given rise to the terms "post-liberal" and "post-evangelical". This said, within a missional church perspective one can find a variety of theological approaches, yet surprising unity regarding what the Holy Spirit is saying to the Churches in our age.

Let's look at some of the definitions of "Missional Church"!

Simplest Definition:

Churches moving from mission as just a component of their life, to the whole of a church's life becoming mission led by Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Missional Church Frequently Asked Questions

Other Definitions:

A church that recognizes that it is sent by a “Missionary God” into the world to be a sign, foretaste, and instrument of the Kingdom of God. Missionary God: A sending God; God the Father sent the Son into the world. God the Father and God the Son sent the Holy Spirit into the church. God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit now send the church into the world to continue the mission of Jesus. The church’s mission flows from the mission of God.
- Makiki Christian Church (United Church of Christ), USA

A missional community is a group of Jesus’ apprentices who so trust his brilliance and mastery of life, that they learn from him how to be like him for the sake of the world. Through this apprentice/master relationship, the community journeys together to become the fullness of God and thereby become a finite earthly expression of the infinite Tri-Community just as Jesus was in his earthly life. A missional community is about becoming by grace what Christ is by nature. As the community experiences this, wherever the community members live their daily lives, they are learning how to easily, naturally, and routinely embody, demonstrate and announce God’s life and reign for the sake of the world around them. - Jason Zahariades

For those seeking an expanded exploration of the term "Missional Church, consider the following:

• Seven Working Assumptions for Preaching in a Missional Church. by Ed Searcy
• What is Missional Community? by Jason Zahariades
• Empirical Indicators of a 'Missional Church. by Gospel and Our Culture Network
• Eight patterns of missional faithfulness. by Gospel and Our Culture Network