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Missional or Wrong Headed?
I like this article (the article is after my rant), but I don’t like the “non-christian” language or label. I prefer to think of it as “the people God puts in my life/path” rather than whether they are Christian or not. It’s not up to me whether people are Christian or not. I an not the judge. I am not supposed to obsess over whether they are tare or wheat.
So I don’t.
I like to think of this as a nudge to think outside the comfortable boundaries of our close circle of friends. Our cliques. But, there is nothing, absolutely nothing, wrong with enjoying and nurturing the close close friendships that are also in our lives. I have known people who are so obsessed with being missional and meeting new people that they actually have no close friendships of their own. And they mostly look at relationships as a way to do something, they use people. That certainly doesn’t seem right.
Here’s the article, let me know what you think:
8 Ways to Easily Be Missional
Article by: Jonathan Dodson
Missional is not an event we tack onto our already busy lives. It is our life. Mission should be the way we live, not something we add onto life: “As you go, make disciples….”; “Walk wisely towards outsiders”; “Let your speech always be seasoned with salt”; “be prepared to give a defense for your hope”. We can be missional in everyday ways without overloading our schedules. Here are a few suggestions:
1. Eat with Non-Christians. We all eat three meals a day. Why not make a habit of sharing one of those meals with a non-Christian or with a family of non-Christians? Go to lunch with a co-worker, not by yourself.
Toys, Cars and Ultimate Meaning
In the Pixar movie “Cars” the cars are alive. They talk, they have personalities, they exist for their own purposes. But, the problem is that there are clues everywhere that they were created for another purpose. They have seats, rear-view mirrors, there are RVs with luggage racks, handles on the doors, and other signs that they were made by humans – For humans. But, there are no humans in the story.
It’s like how people walk around with clues of God everywhere, but we ignore that we were created in His image – For His purpose.
Compare that to another Pixar universe. The world of ”Toy Story.” The whole point of those stories is that the toys will never be complete until they give up the delusion that they were created for themselves and, instead, they actually have a higher purpose. They are toys, and they were created by humans to be played with – to be owned by a child.
So, here’s my big idea for the day: We are created in the image of God, and unless we embrace that, we are as self-deceived as Buzz Lightyear in “Toy Story 1.” We are as clueless to our actual purpose in life as Mater the tow-truck.
We must have Jesus written on our foot.
Hart XPmas Letter 2010
Frank: Alright, so this is the Hart family talking about the last year. This is Angel, Von, Frank and Kim. AngelVonFranKim. So, what happened last year?
Von: We went to our Grandma and Grandpa’s house — so we could open presents, and I got a whole bunch of presents.
Frank: So, you’re talking about last Christmas when we went to Illinois? What’s the one gift you remember?
Von: I — um — some heart bracelets.
Angel: … and, also, in Kansas, we went to Worlds of Fun and I busted my lip because I did a front flip and I hit my lip on my knee …
Frank: That doesn’t sound like worlds of fun …
Angel: … I was in the bouncy house, and it was swollen and it had a cut in it …
Frank: You looked like you were really sad for like three days with your lip sticking out.
Kim: And Von also at the same time had a black-eye, she hit it on the shelf by her bed, so we had two children with messed up faces at the same time, it looked like we were beating our children in the face …
Frank: Von has a bruise now, too.
Kim: Have we been beating our children?
Broken Cliche’s
One day I had an idea, and I posted this on FaceBook:
Let’s mix up cliches:
A bird in the hand is worth two peas in a pod.
The result was amazing:
Frank Hart
Cleanliness is next to the last place you look.
Frank Hart
Spare the rod, spoil the milk.
Matt Popovits
A stitch in time saves the whales.
Frank Hart
Absence makes the heart greener on the other side of the hill.
Frank Hart
The early bird is twice killed with one stone.
Half of one to know one
Johnny Simmons
Six of one is worth two in the bush.
Lisa Jones
It’s not over ’til the fat lady breaks the camel’s back. Read the rest of this entry »
WORSHIP LEADER?
Who needs a “worship leader?”
Three Streams of the Church I have been part of:
Charismatic
- I was Assembly of God for eight years.
- Typically, charismatics show up to church with a readiness and desire to pour themselves into worship with their whole heart.
- The role of the worship leader is really a “lead worshiper” because the people are ready to join in – just show them which direction, what song, and how long.
Liturgical
- I spent thirteen years as an Episcopalian/Anglican.
- Typically, people who go to liturgical churches show up to do the “work of the people.” They want to say the “call and responses,” they want to chant, they want to say the creeds and prayers, and they want to sing with the choir and the organ, filling the beautiful cathedrals with their voices.
- A worship leader is usually not needed at all. A priest, an organ and maybe a choir, plus brass on Easter and they are good to go.
Missional
- For the past six years I have been the music director at CrossPoint Community Church.
- If a “missional” church is truly reaching the “unchurched,” then the people who show up don’t really want to do anything (at least at first)
- The congregation sees itself more as an audience, and must be guided to participate at every turn.
- The role of the worship leader is vital and has many layers
- The worship leader must:
o Be a great singer/musician (this is part of the attractional and missional model)
o Teach the people about worship and praise (because they don’t know)
o Encourage the people to join in (Because they are not comfortable with the idea)
Keep in mind that any great singer/musician could stand up on stage and perform great music. Even worship songs. It takes a person who is called and led by the Holy Spirit to truly lead worship.