What does it mean to be Missional ?

The term missional is an adjective that describes the fact that a church totally aligns itself with the missio Dei ( the mission of God). Christ Jesus prayed to the Father, “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world,” (John 17.18). This truth reveals that the church is to be missional, on mission, acting as “sent ones” in this world. The church is formed to continue the mission that began in the heart of the Father, was seen in the life of the Son, and is to continue in the Spirit empowered endeavors of the church. The basic premise of the missional church is that “missions” is not an organization or program of a church. Missions constitute the very essence or nature of the church.

This blog will be dedicated to leading all of us who engage in this conversation to find ways to be missional in New Orleans or where God has placed us. I will publish suggestions for missional activites on a regular basis as well as food for thought that is designed to make us become missional. It is my hope that my thoughts and suggestions will serve as a motivation for all of us to be about missio Dei .

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Missional Suggestion #14


Forgiveness: The Church's Business


The church is not in the morals business. The world is in the morals business, quite rightfully; and it has done a fine job of it, all things considered. The history of the world's moral codes is a monument to the labors of many philosophers, and it is a monument of striking unity and beauty. As C. S. Lewis said, anyone who thinks the moral codes of mankind are all different should be locked up in a library and be made to read three days' worth of them. He would be bored silly by the sheer sameness.

Is the word forgiveness the priority word in you Christian life or perhaps its another word. A young lady told me not long ago--"I come to church to get guidance and answers and the church gives me questions." Today I have n answer.The most important business of the church is forgiveness. It is what the church exists to do and out of forgiveness the wok o the church will flow. Your Missional task this week is to forgive.

  • Forgive without getting it straight.
  • Forgive before you know the whole story.
  • Forgive before the other says I'm sorry(I was wrong)
  • Forgive because it defines you.
  • Forgive because its what Christians do !
Then Peter came and said to him, ‘Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.

Matthew 18:21-22 (NRSV)


Practice Forgiveness
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