Friday, June 02, 2006

What is missional?

I realised a few days ago in conversation I use a few terms that mean nothing to many church people, or see yesterdays post have a different meaning...
So What is Missional?
It is a belief that all of Christ's followers are called to be 'missionaries' - sharing their faith in and across cultures(see great commission - Matthew 28). Based on an assumption and belief that God is at work in the church and it's people (Acts)and the world by his spirit (see Creation story -Genesis 1). It is also a belief that the Christian faith is therefore active and nor a passive faith, where we should be seeking the finger prints of God on this world and proclaming God's story, in action, in word, in politics, in how we understand family. And finaly i understand it as a description of the relationships that exist across cultures where we seek to understand and inspire other through the offering of our insights.
Across the stream of those who would see themseleves as missional are a wide variety of people denominationaly and theologicaly.
For me i view my self as relatively conservative in my theology, though liberal culturaly. Strangely enough What that means is that I don't agree with people who insist the wearing garments, and swinging incense is the only way to do church. But I do believe Jesus is the only way to God, the ressurection and with a risk of offending some involved in the emerging missional movement - Judgement as a neccesary aspect of Grace.
in my email today came through a link from an international emerging church group that I am quite excited about Amahoro .
From their site
Amahoro means peace. It is a word of Bantu origin used widely across Africa. It has special meaning in places like Rwanda, Burundi, and Congo, where violence and genocide have inflicted such pain and suffering. When people from various tribes embrace, shake hands or kiss, and say "amahoro," they are expressing a deep hope for a better future.
Amahoro is a precious word in places where Christianity in the modern colonial era spread a message of grace and forgiveness for life after death, but did not integrate that proclamation with the profound Biblical message of justice, peace, and reconciliation in this life on earth.
By choosing an African word to name this emerging global network, we are expressing our shared commitment to seek to understand, live, and communicate the good news of Jesus Christ in an integrated, holistic way. We are affirming our belief that people who follow Jesus have a special bond with the poor, and with those who suffer from injustice and poverty and disease. We are communicating our commitment to a global conversation, friendship, and partnership among Christian leaders and emerging churches in Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and North America.

1 comment:

Stephen G said...

Thanks for the thoughts.

Helpful in thinking about this.

http://www.presbyterian.org.nz/4060.0.html