Missional Misgivings

I mentioned this article earlier. It's now online and it's worth reading. (via)

A sample:

Given their unproven track records, these missional churches should be slow to criticize the attractional churches that are making a measurable impact. No, I am not a numbers person. I am not enamored by how many come forward at an altar call. In fact, I am a bit skeptical. But I am passionate about Jesus-centered disciples being made. And surprisingly, I find in many large, attractional churches, they are.

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Comments

[Bill Kinnon]

Although Dan is seen as an "emerging leader" Dan does swim in the megachurch world - as do his friends Erwin McManus and Scott McKnight. (Dan speaks at Willow's Shift Conferences as an example, Scott attends Willow when he's in Chicago and Erwin pastor's a megachurch.) This is what I said in an email to some Missional Tribe friends, Had Dan asked me, I would have pointed him at Life on the Vine in Chicago - a slowly growing and "successful" missional church where David Fitch is one of the co-leaders. I would also have pointed him at what's happening in Lincolnshire in the UK and any number of other Fresh Expressions of church there. It is completely disengenuous of Dan to "wonder about missional" when the reality is that for most of us the conversation and its implications are less than five years old. Further, and something that Ed Stetzer responded to when I said it to him in Chi-town two weeks ago - missional suggests a long view. It's not the North American McChurch approach - but rather a belief that through both proclamation and witness to our neighbours, we will permeate our neighbourhoods with the sweet aroma of Christ. (Unfortunately, scripture says to some it will be the fragrance of life, to others, death). My friends in Lincolnshire, Pete and Kath Atkins believe that they will not see the fruit of their efforts in their lifetime - but that that fruit will be abundantly in evidence in the future. (Livingstone saw virtually no fruit in Africa - yet his missions work was key in the rapid expansion of the Gospel in this century.) Are there a host of missional experiment failures - no doubt. But I'd use Ed Young Jr and Joel Osteen to trump those comments any day of the week.

[Darryl]

Bill: I agree with everything you say. And you know I'm not a fan of most of the megachurches out there. I just think we have a tendency to swing the pendulum too far the other way. I love what Fitch and others are doing, but I'm sure there are some attractional churches as well that are doing missional work. We need all kinds of churches, and if they're true to the gospel and on mission, more power to them.