Opus 2011-127, New Terms: Missional

I am getting older.  Some might say I am getting old.  It happens to everyone.  The days of world changing dreams are behind me, but I still believe that God can use each of us for His glory.  I was wondering about what my mission was at this time of life and my mind took off on the word “mission.”

It used to be when we talked about mission is was plural and referred to sending people to other countries to spread the Gospel.  Or it might have been used in the sense of “Mission Impossible.”  From there my mind went to the way the church is thinking up new words.  “Missional” is one of those words.  If you have spell check, you will see that it is not recognized as a word. 

“Missional” is a response to adopting the management styles of the world.  How many of you have spent time developing a “mission statement” or “vision statement” for your church when Matthew 28:19-20 was all you really needed?  It comes from losing the meaning of being the church and trying to define it a new way, one that is acceptable to the world.  Our leaders seem to believe that if you add enough adjectives, adverbs and synonyms, you can get away from requiring people to repent and be saved.  It is like a bag of candy labeled “a fat free food.”

One pastor extended this trend and said he wanted a church service that was “invitational.”  He got so excited about making up new words that he failed to notice that this one has already been claimed.  “Invitational” means not open to everyone.  You must have an invitation to come and participate.  I don’t think that was what he wanted to say.

We do all kinds of administrative gimmicks instead of doing our job.  Mission statements instead of dealing with discipline.  Seminary gives all kinds of weird degrees instead of teaching to study the Bible and preach.  To paraphrase, “Beware of Greeks bearing new words.”

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