12 Witnesses

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Short post today, but more tomorrow on using the structure of society to make our connections to those apart from God.

If the Institutional Christian is able to begin a conversation about Christ with someone living apart from God, it is typically a programmed sales pitch.  The mindset is that of drawing (attractional) the person into a system of beliefs and behaviors.  Tragically, this is not often well received and is increasingly rejected by those who are “targets” of such conversations.

The Missional Christian is one who will seek to start the conversation in a non-verbal way as an act of service.  By living a servant natured lifestyle, the Missional Christian invites those around him/her to appreciate something about them and accept them on a basic level, before a word is ever spoken about Christ.  Later, as the conversation becomes an exchange of ideas, the other person learns that the source of this behavior is that the Christian is modeling the behavior of Jesus Christ, who came to serve.

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I need to add that I don’t think that this necessarily takes that long.  In fact, a Missional Christian could be into the discussion of the Gospel in a substantive way in minutes, depending on the situation.  It could happen much faster than the programmed approach.  On the other hand it could not.  The difference here is “control.”  In the Institutional model, the “control” of the conversation is intended to be almost absolute.  There is no variance in tracts, EE or CWT outlines.  In the Missional model, the Christian is still seeking to move the conversation toward God, but in a more organic way.  A conversation that relates to the other person in it rather than demanding they follow a logical progression ending in their surrender to an outside belief system.  I want to note here that I believe the Holy spirit uses this method, just not very often.  I think He wants us to do it better.  More like He did it when He came to us in the first place.

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The Missional Church is one that facilitates the individual members living incarnational service outside its walls.

Posts with related content

• June 29, 2009 -- Missional and Relational via Paul in Athens (0)
• June 25, 2009 -- A word to the wise concerning the SBC (7)
• June 8, 2009 -- Redemptive Mission (1)
• June 3, 2009 -- Must Read – redefining success in evangelism (0)
• June 2, 2009 -- God will send you the people (3)

Church, General Christian, Missional

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