(e)mergent Voyageurs

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In an attempt to further develop the ideas I articulated in my article, "The Community Coming To Be Known As Missional", I have been exploring it in more detail what I did and did not mean. I am examining each section, trying to share the heart of what I hoped to communicate, where I think it should go or how it should look and why it is important to me.

"For us, generosity trumps obligation, for all that we have is Gods. We give what we have, both financial and otherwise, because we cannot help but want to see His purposes come to fruition. We offer hospitality, opening our homes and our lives to welcome the other. 10% is more likely the amount that remains than what is demanded, and in our mutual generosity, none of us goes without."

In a culture that teaches consumption and greed, we cannot be too careful on how this impacts our faith journey. In case some think it arrogant, this paragraph represents more of an ideal I hope to see emerge than a common reality I see practiced. While there are those who do, it is fairly rare. I am not opposed to tithing- when people are hesitant to give, it is a good rule of thumb to teach. However, it can become a cop out (even sin) when we end up thinking, even unconsciously, that the 10% is God's and the rest is ours. Further, as church leaders, we need to be using those previous resources with a brutally demanding integrity.

Hospitality is, perhaps, one of the most significant and powerful aspects of being missional that has been lost to most of the Western church. While I am not arguing that "house churches" are the only or best way of doing community, I will say that in order to have true loving relationships and community, we must live our lives together, demanding that our homes be open to each other more than brief events or meetings. So much of the New Testament cannot be understood fully until we recognize the degree to which the early church embraced this communal hospitality, not only to each other, but also to the outsider.

"We are the Community Coming To Be Known As Missional. Our success is measured by our obedience to Gods calling on us, most evident in our love for Him, for others, for ourselves and for Creation. While we passionately work to build a Kingdom that will change the very course of history, we celebrate the transformation of even one life as though it were the greatest triumph of all, because it is."

Too often we fall into the trap of defining our success by the worlds standards, as though numbers, exposure, bottom-line, etc. were what reflected it. While these things are important, they are secondary to our commitment to serve God regardless of the "pay offs". I articulate the ideas of this paragraph in more detail in my series "What Is The Gospel?" (Parts 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5). As the final sentence explains, we believe and work towards the transformational impact of God's love on the whole world, but believe it is also demonstrated in the "smallest" victories.

"We are ruthlessly committed to people over programs, demanding that the latter always serve the former or it will be abandoned. We cooperate, not compete, not seeking to win the praise or demand the submission of others. Neither do we serve buildings and budgets, but they must serve us as we serve others. We seek our greatness in our pursuit to becoming servants."

Few can argue with the value of the opening sentence, but in practice it can be difficult to achieve. Programs represent investment in time, energy and passion. More often than not we expect people to adapt to the programs rather than considering their continued merit (see my post on systematic planned abandonment). This trend also reflects at times how much we have been shaped by our consumeristic culture, endeavouring to produce the best product for our customers.

Following this trend, we can easily become driven to be the biggest and the best, not primarily out of a sense of excellence or obedience, but in a competitive drive to be on top. While rarely expressed this blatantly, it is too common a pattern is rapidly growing communities, as numbers, programs and buildings become a status symbol of our "success". In when driven by the right intention to see others drawn to the message of hope in Christ, the medium itself is a message that often contradicts the Gospel we are called to live and proclaim.

I have seen a pattern, both in churches and "parachurch" missions/ministries, where a newer and/or bigger building is looked to as the solution to growth. And yet, far too often, the realities and expenses of such facilities require an approach to ministry, fundraising, etc. that is more directed by sustaining the monster than following the mission. Growth itself is not enough, as we need to be guided by the "DNA" of Christ's Body. Again, this is not saying mega-churches are wrong (in fact, I have seen quite small ministries fall into this trap while huge churches avoid it), but rather common enough of a problem to merit examination.

What say you?

Emerging Church, Missional