Yes, I know. This reminds many of you of a Pink Floyd album, but that’s not what I’m going for here. Look at this and now come up with an analogy of the church. For those of us who have wrestled with the Christian buzz word “missional”, could this serve as a pictorial definition of the missional church?
This diagram draws my eye to the dispersion on the right side. Dispersion is a great word that we need to use with students more often and it’s fun to say. When we meet on Sunday mornings we are the “gathered church” and the benediction is like the “breaking” of a huddle in football where we become the “dispersed church”. I love the idea of gathering with a bunch of sinful saints as we focus on the power of Christ and then the worship service continues as we go out the doors of the church to work, school, the bar, Target and even the Department of Motor Vehicles.
The Rub: “Neither the structures nor the theology of our established Western churches is missional. They are shaped by the legacy of Christendom.” (Guder)So if the rub is the challenge, then the goal is this definition: ” A missional church is a reproducing community of authentic disciples being equipped as missionaries sent by God, to live and proclaim His Kingdom in their world.”
What are the systemic and theological barriers that tend to shut down the dispersion?
Furthermore, we have story after story in the scriptures of teenagers leading the dispersion, what would it take for this to happen in your youth ministry and mine?
How have you rethought youth ministry in these ways?
March 6, 2011 at 1:42 pm
I believe one barrier to dispersion is the false belief that my God is all about me. My prayers reflect this, “Lord, please bless MY life. I am hurting in these areas… Help ME to feel better.” I use too many personal pronouns in my conversation with God. I forget that He is not just rooting for me but that his vision is bigger and more inclusive than helping me be comfortable. I have thoughts of reaching out to others but then talk myself out of it so I can focus on myself more. Therefore, I leave church and forget to disperse. I guess this comment is a personal confession of the sin in my life…
March 7, 2011 at 9:39 pm
Ellen….I love your transparency! This can be true of me as well. We FAIL TO LAUNCH!!!
Dispersion also seems counter cultural, yet it is life giving on many levels.
hmmmmm
March 6, 2011 at 3:23 pm
this is such an interesting and vital issue. trying to get students to be missional is so challenging because missional can only happen after we have our identify formed. identity formation is the task of student ministry more than getting them “out there”.
i have some of my more complete thoughts on this topic here :
http://www.averageyouthministry.com/2011/01/31/your-students-are-not-ready-to-live-missionaly/
thanks for getting this topic rolling!
March 7, 2011 at 9:41 pm
great post.
like your thoughts about identity
nate