Alan Hirsch has a mission himself: to inspire Christians and churches around the globe to become missional. His book, The Forgotten Ways<\/em>, traces the DNA of missional churches (mDNA). We\u2019ve looked at two of the six ingredients \u2014 the centrality of Jesus and a focus on disciple-making \u2014 and today we look at #3. Alan Hirsch has a mission himself: to inspire Christians and churches around the globe to become missional. His book, The Forgotten Ways, traces the DNA of missional churches (mDNA). We\u2019ve looked at two of the six ingredients \u2014 the centrality of Jesus and a focus on disciple-making \u2014 and today we look at #3.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":197,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[476,1736],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2301","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-books","category-emerging-movement"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nMissional-incarnational impulse. The word \u201cmissional\u201d has become the darling for many, and I want to go on record here that I think this term is worth sticking on your desk to remind of what is important.
\nWhat is it? Essentially \u201can outwardly bound movement from one community or individual to another\u2026 a genuine missional impulse is a sending<\/em> rather than attractional<\/em> one\u201d (129).
\nIs your church missional? Why or why not? What can we do to create more missional churches? I might ask it this way: How local is your church? Or is it just like the other churches of your denomination that happens to meet in your community? How many ministries do you have at your church that are specific to your community? Have you tried to \u201capply\u201d things that work elsewhere to your community \u2014 work or not?
\nThe attractional model is what he says characterizes Christendom. Success is measured by numerical growth, better programs, and increase in resources \u2014 this requires an attractional model. Outreach services and evangelism programs are measured by how many new folks attend church.
\nA missional model is incarnational. The defining moment of God\u2019s coming to the world is the incarnation \u2014 that is how God is missional. That is, missional participates in the missio Dei<\/em>, the mission of God. It was an act of identification with others, taking up residence among others, and revelation for us. Four elements of Incarnation:
\n1. Presence
\n2. Proximity
\n3. Powerlessness
\n4. Proclamation
\nHirsch contends simply this: God\u2019s missional move is to find its counterpart in our similar incarnational missional move. And he sees a good theme in 1 Cor 9:22-23: \u201cTo the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.\u201d
\nIncarnational ministry means (1) embedding the gospel and (2) deepening the gospel in people groups so they might become God\u2019s people.
\nAnother theme: Christology determines missiology; missiology determines ecclesiology. The Church is an element of missiology.
\nAn example of an incarnational missional model is Third Place Communities. First place: home; second place: work; third place: where we spend time off. So, places like pubs, cafes, sports centers \u2026 forming communities in such places is the goal of Third Place Communities.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"