One of the four core values of the Pittsburgh District Church of the Nazarene is to "Be Missional". Often that phrase is confusing and though there have been many attempts to make it understood, sometimes we still fall short. I would like to try to help the phrase make a little more sense by looking at it in a different light.
We are in the season of Advent. A joyous, celebratory time signifying the hope that came so many years ago. God's plan was to create those who would be willing to worship Him and have a relationship with Him; so he created Adam and Eve. Before long Adam and Eve allowed sin to take their eyes off of their Creator and look at themselves. That began the period of trying to reconnect humans with their original intent; serving and worshipping the Lord.
The Lord, in His infinite wisdom, brought many objects that would help humanity worship Him; the tabernacle, sacrifices, and holy days just to name a few. While those worked for a while, humans once again tried to find pleasure in themselves. The Lord, knowing our tendencies (after all He created us), decided to do something out of the box to try to reach us. The Lord stepped it up and sent His one and only Son to earth. This was done to give humans an example of someone who had "been there, done that" and had the scars to prove it.
The Lord was missional in His activity. He did not work inside the confines of the established church. The Messiah did not fit the mindset and mold the religious leaders thought He should be. The Messiah fit the mold that His Father wanted. He was sent not to keep doing the same old things, He was sent to show us a new way of living. You can know this because one of Jesus' phrases is, "you have heard it said, but I tell you." That speaks of a missional mindset.
Yes, Jesus went to the "synagogues as was his custom", but He did not stay there. He lived the message of hope, joy, salvation and obedience in His daily life. He lived His message in the everyday mundane world. Therefore, because of His willingness to "live" outside of the church, He was able to reach many people with His message. Because He was willing to develop relationships with common everyday people doing common everyday tasks, He was able to reach the lost with His message. He was being missional before the word became the new buzz word.
Because of sin, our world is still looking to itself for answers, but until they look to Jesus, the Messiah, they will never find what they are looking for. It was no mistake that the Lord created us to worship Him. He did that so that when Jesus came, we could understand our reason for being. Jesus is our hope and as you go through this Advent season, go outside the box and help someone come to know Christ so that they may share in the hope that He brings. Are you willing to help the world see Christ in you? That is being missional.
May you have a joyous Advent season and a blessed New Year,
J Bret Metcalfe, District Shepherd
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