"THE MODERN MISSIONARY MOVEMENT"="MISSIONS"

"MISSIONAL THINKING/LIVING"

Static: This Model has generally remained unchanged for over 300 years despite the fact that our understanding of the world and its thousands of cultures has changed dramatically in the past 50 years alone.

Dynamic: This model is still being "unwrapped" as we learn to live more fully and more faithfully in our present context re: the world in general or specific cultures in particular

Reductionist: Compartmentalizes missions into a small subcategory of one’s total life.

Holistic:  Permeates every aspect of one’s life every day!

For those truly serious, missions is reserved for those who are in the ministry "full time" as "professional missionaries"

For those truly serious, missional living is open for anyone who seeks to live/work/engage others with an open heart and mind in every category of life

Often leads to ethnocentric and paternalistic attitudes towards other cultures you are entering

Attempts to live authentically, uniquely, and contextually within each cultural system.

Requires at least part of the community to "passively support" (as spectators) the few who are actually doing the "missionary" work.

Empowers and actively releases the entire community for missional thinking and living daily.

Almost always associated with Western culture and Western people and often in the context of the 19^th and 20^th Century Colonialist Enterprise

Repudiates the Colonialist mindset by seeking both forgiveness and an authentically contextual approach to faith in a Post-Colonial environment.

Almost always associated with the expansion of democracy and capitalism therefore confusing the embracing of Christ with embracing Western culture.

Attempts to recognize how Gospel and culture interact, allowing other cultures to uniquely embrace Christ in the context of their own culture without having to leave or reject their culture or people.

Almost always associated with 19^th and 20^th Century Evangelicals

Perceived to be more broadly ecumenical including Catholic and Orthodox Traditions

Attempts to evangelize through process and conversation including dialogue with other faith groups.

Tends to operate in a Western (and therefore rational) "convincing" or "conquering" mindset

Attempts to operate in a context that demonstrates love, respect, cooperation, and common ground.

Often approaches "alien" cultures with a mindset and posture of defensive "spiritual warfare", (i.e. Prayer Walks) assuming the worst about a people and a culture before ever actually making any genuine/authentic contact  with them.

Tries to approaches "alien" cultures with an open mind and heart, alert to the reality of spiritual warfare in all cultures but not automatically expecting it simply because the people/culture/religion are "different".

Assumes a Christendom context, where Christians and/or churches are operating from a point of privilege within the informal alliance of Church and State.  The State extends "certain privileges and opportunities" to the Church in exchange for the Churches cooperation and blessing of  the State’s interests and agendas (which may or may not coincide with anything having to do with Christ).  At what point does this put "mission" organizations in a position of compromise?  In our case as followers of Jesus, the U.S. is our "host country", no more, no less.  We cannot continue to allow nationalisms (whatever the country) to be equated with our basic identity as the people of God.

Assumes an increasingly Post-Christendom context, where Christians and/or churches have lost their former place of status and privilege and have been marginalized to the outer edges of society.  The State may still grant "certain freedoms" to churches and Christians but Christians are increasingly seen as either hopelessly out of touch with the world as it is (anachronisms from a disappearing past) or dangerous denizens of power who are seeking to coerce the rest of the population.  The church buildings themselves (where the Church used to gather) are now valued more as architectural wonders and historical museums rather than having any contemporary function (let alone a spiritual presence).

In the traditional missions model, it is very tempting to coerce "decisions for Christ", persuading converts to "say the right words" so they can be "born again".  Words and belief statements often become the measure of faith.  Belief precedes behavior and belonging.

Embodied actions are far more important and persuasive than words or belief statements.  In the words of Stuart Murray, "belonging and/or behavior may precede belief"

The Kingdom of God is primarily a future reality.  We endure the present for the hope of an eternal future.

The Kingdom of God as "not yet" will not be fully realized until Christ returns but we are to live the Kingdom "now" as a foretaste of what is to come.

Too often deals with individuals from a position of "power-over" especially as "Missions, Inc.", a top-down, big-business, market-driven approach to Christendom where missionaries are managed as "human resources" and evangelism, discipleship, and church planting are treated as  "commodities" or "just another good deal" for non-believing customers.

Seeks to deal with individuals from a position of "power-under" where the Gospel is not a "deal" but a wonderful gift given by a loving, merciful God who has taken great pains to build bridges and establish relationships of intimacy and trust.  It is a gift which will paradoxically cost us everything but "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose".

Sees churches and para-church organizations as valuable/important only in so far as they are playing an active role in God’s missional purposes.

As an older model, the modern missionary movement is easy to critique sometimes unfairly in light of how God has often used it in spite of itself.

Though there are older pioneers who lived "missionally"without ever using the words, there is no question that missional thinking/living is definitely the "new kid on the block" with a smaller track record and reams of issues yet to explore.

The danger of "missions" in a foreign  context ("go there") is that we may miss the missional opportunity/obligations in our midst.

The dangers of "missional thinking/living" in a local context ("see what I am doing here") is that

1. thinking will never lead to living and/or
2. we will never be open to "going there."

Has contributed to false dichotomies of evangelism vs. social action; missionary vs. lay person;  justice for humankind vs. justice for the environment

Eliminates dichotomies as God purpose is redemption, reconciliation, and relationship for the entire Created Order.

Has contributed to stigmatizing conservatives (with an emphasis on personal evangelism) and liberals (with an emphasis on social action and justice) yet  both ironically are operating in a thoroughly modernist mindset.

Provides a possible third way to navigate the conservative-liberal divide into missional thinking/living that is post-conservative and post-liberal and hopefully post-Christendom.

*Focus is on fulfilling the Great Commission

*Focus is on participating in the Missio Dei

*Scripture is a training manual for right living, correct doctrine and propositional truths (including those in non-Western countries)

"Old words, like missions and missionary, are laden with historical baggage and strong cultural images that prevent us from seeing a broader picture."