All Christians Missionary
"You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."~ The Words of Jesus Christ as recorded in Matthew 5:13-17 ~
What does a Missional Church look like?
The mission of the church comes directly from the command of Jesus Christ whose last words before ascending into heaven following his resurrection were, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:19-20; see also Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:46-49; John 20:20-31; Acts 1:5-8). Jesus speaks of going, evangelizing, making disciples, and planting churches that plant churches to continue the process. Therefore, the mission of the church is nothing less than bringing the entire world to Christian faith and maturity.
A Missional Church is:
- Biblically Saturated - All we are and do comes under the authority of the Bible.
- One that practices and preaches repentance - Until sin is bitter, Christ will never be sweet.
- Culturally Engaging - Culture is not the enemy; sin, death, and Satan are.
- Gospel-Centered - Jesus Christ is the only answer for sin, death, and the enemy.
- Relational - People are not projects; they're sinners in need of Jesus.
- Trains Christians as Soldiers - Some Christians are vocational; all are missionaries.
- Spirit Led - The Spirit gives life; the flesh prospers nothing.
- Counter-cultural - The church is the city of God in the city of Baton Rouge.
- Church Multiplying - Stop dating the church; fall in love with her.
- Messy - We are sinners saved by Christ's grace.
