What do you hear God saying to you, through the Missional Community way of life? I've seen many become born again through the gospel and now they need to grow with Christ. Growing in our trust of Christ we call "discipleship." I have about 7 adults and 7 children who primarily look to me since they received Christ through my testimony. Frankly it's too much for one person to provide, but I can't just ignore them either. I feel like the disciples who threw their nets onto the other side of the boat. The catch was so heavy they had to call other fishermen to help drag it out of the sea. We really don't need a church program to reach God-seekers, they're quite plentiful to find while just living our life! I do know I wasn't meant to do this in isolation, and neither are you dear Christian.
My Story
About ten years ago my husband and I got married, bought a house and started going to church in Salem. I reached out to my neighbors with the testimony and love of Jesus Christ doing the sorts of ideas being suggested in the free book you can read right now called "Simple Ways to Be Missional." I offered to help them out with things I could see they were in need of, and had neighbors (now dear family!) regularly in my home. I did not see much fruit for several years. Then in about 2007 my husband and I started a season of marital discord which isolated us out of patience for one another. It was during these 3-4 years of separation that I saw over 30 people trust Christ through my life and testimony. Wow... something remarkable was happening! I didn't think consciously at the time, but one day toward the end I looked back and started counting.
God drew others not because I was awesome, but because I was broken. I testify that it was ALWAYS when I was a wreck and crying, seeking to obey God's voice toward me, when someone would knock on the door and be searching for hope themselves.
In December of 2010 my Sunday school class prayed as a community for marriages and I believe it was at that time that it was the miraculous power of God that restored us. In mid-January 2011 we reconciled. The very week following this reconciliation I sat down and began to write a document. I later titled it, "The Disciple Making Workhorse." It was a summation of the lessons I had learned about ministry during these years.
For all of 2011 I continually worked on the document. I was conflicted about sharing it. Why? Well first of all it's a piece of paper, and as a human being I think I make a much better substitute for intimacy. What's more the whole point of what I wanted to say was meant to avoid the familiar route of self-determination and program and organization. It's too easy to falsely emulate a movement of God in the power of the flesh. I want show up where the Spirit is already moving. (See Nobody Told Me About Good Flesh.)
However I wrote the paper because I didn't know how to find people who could join me or who I could join. In October last year I began looking for a community of people who were more or less like me. I prayed and prayed for God to help me find likeminded people, to open that door for this reality of my experience of God to spread.
It was last December 25th when God answered that prayer. I was celebrating Christmas with Ben (my husband) Painter's family. This is the day we celebrate the incarnation of God, and He gave me the best gift of all! We sat around with the whole family after a wonderful time of eating dinner and opening presents. Ben Joyce (my husband's sister married a man with the same name as her brother, different Ben; he is the narrator in the video of yesterday's post) began to share his story of what God had been leading him to. I asked him to explain what it was all about. Out poured the very concepts I had been writing about in my document, right down the list! Now, I had a name for the thing I was seeing: "Missional Community." What an unexpected way to answer prayer!
Within a two week period I had found a local variety of Missional Community called PAX, here in Salem. The PAX community is gracious and I am deeply blessed learning with them what it's like to be on mission. PAX has brought Ben and I together as a couple in ways I never dreamed could happen. We are truly a team, serving others. I'm so thankful for my husband and his heart for people. He supported me all these years, even the difficult ones, to pursue God's work and I'm grateful!
What's Next?
What I have seen is an answer to prayer; amazing! But what do I do now? I can't really tell you more of my story without you the reader. If you know me -- you're part of my story. I need help to live the life God imparts. I wasn't meant to make decisions regarding God's plans for me, privately by myself. You are endowed with the same Holy Spirit I am and I rely on brothers and sisters to testify what God is saying to them. Yes - I really care what you believe and the last thing I'm interested in is putting down someone or something. What is the LORD showing you about the Missional Community way of life?
These posts are meant to create conversation. I hope you will approach me, if you're reading along here, and tell me how the LORD is speaking to you so that I can obey the voice of God - we all can, as one, be caught up in God's story.
My Story
About ten years ago my husband and I got married, bought a house and started going to church in Salem. I reached out to my neighbors with the testimony and love of Jesus Christ doing the sorts of ideas being suggested in the free book you can read right now called "Simple Ways to Be Missional." I offered to help them out with things I could see they were in need of, and had neighbors (now dear family!) regularly in my home. I did not see much fruit for several years. Then in about 2007 my husband and I started a season of marital discord which isolated us out of patience for one another. It was during these 3-4 years of separation that I saw over 30 people trust Christ through my life and testimony. Wow... something remarkable was happening! I didn't think consciously at the time, but one day toward the end I looked back and started counting. God drew others not because I was awesome, but because I was broken. I testify that it was ALWAYS when I was a wreck and crying, seeking to obey God's voice toward me, when someone would knock on the door and be searching for hope themselves.
In December of 2010 my Sunday school class prayed as a community for marriages and I believe it was at that time that it was the miraculous power of God that restored us. In mid-January 2011 we reconciled. The very week following this reconciliation I sat down and began to write a document. I later titled it, "The Disciple Making Workhorse." It was a summation of the lessons I had learned about ministry during these years.
For all of 2011 I continually worked on the document. I was conflicted about sharing it. Why? Well first of all it's a piece of paper, and as a human being I think I make a much better substitute for intimacy. What's more the whole point of what I wanted to say was meant to avoid the familiar route of self-determination and program and organization. It's too easy to falsely emulate a movement of God in the power of the flesh. I want show up where the Spirit is already moving. (See Nobody Told Me About Good Flesh.)
However I wrote the paper because I didn't know how to find people who could join me or who I could join. In October last year I began looking for a community of people who were more or less like me. I prayed and prayed for God to help me find likeminded people, to open that door for this reality of my experience of God to spread.
It was last December 25th when God answered that prayer. I was celebrating Christmas with Ben (my husband) Painter's family. This is the day we celebrate the incarnation of God, and He gave me the best gift of all! We sat around with the whole family after a wonderful time of eating dinner and opening presents. Ben Joyce (my husband's sister married a man with the same name as her brother, different Ben; he is the narrator in the video of yesterday's post) began to share his story of what God had been leading him to. I asked him to explain what it was all about. Out poured the very concepts I had been writing about in my document, right down the list! Now, I had a name for the thing I was seeing: "Missional Community." What an unexpected way to answer prayer!
Within a two week period I had found a local variety of Missional Community called PAX, here in Salem. The PAX community is gracious and I am deeply blessed learning with them what it's like to be on mission. PAX has brought Ben and I together as a couple in ways I never dreamed could happen. We are truly a team, serving others. I'm so thankful for my husband and his heart for people. He supported me all these years, even the difficult ones, to pursue God's work and I'm grateful!
What's Next?
What I have seen is an answer to prayer; amazing! But what do I do now? I can't really tell you more of my story without you the reader. If you know me -- you're part of my story. I need help to live the life God imparts. I wasn't meant to make decisions regarding God's plans for me, privately by myself. You are endowed with the same Holy Spirit I am and I rely on brothers and sisters to testify what God is saying to them. Yes - I really care what you believe and the last thing I'm interested in is putting down someone or something. What is the LORD showing you about the Missional Community way of life?
These posts are meant to create conversation. I hope you will approach me, if you're reading along here, and tell me how the LORD is speaking to you so that I can obey the voice of God - we all can, as one, be caught up in God's story.
3 comments:
Is missional community in addition to church, or seperate? As belivers we are all called to make diciples. In Acts we are told to live life together. We should be living that way of life. So why give it a new name? When really it is just living out what the bible calls us to do, what the Spirit with in us urges us to do. Isn't it just called being a Christian?
Anon,
Yes! Amen to that way of thinking. He has not designed us to separate from one another to do His will - doing a wrong doesn't make a right!
You are right. We have all the facets of "missional community" smattered here and there throughout the traditional church way of life. But MCs challenge some important and fundamental ways that we do what we do because making disciples is ultimately what is on the line.
It can be a church plant (in that sense it's not a separation of "us" vs. "them" rather a commissioning). It can also be simply a vehicle for discipleship that blesses a traditional church. It is a way of life and a mindset. I have refused to compartmentalize which Christians are doing which kind of church so, wherever I go, I want to stir passion for making disciples who make disciples because as you say, that's Biblical.
Hold on for a bit, each day I plan to share a little more on how this movement inspires us to love people into the Kingdom of God.
Bless you!
BTW Anon, thank you for replying with your thoughts. I really do want to hear what people believe. Hope you will continue to share your responses.
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