how to NOT be missional

Individuals are consistently converted to communities before they are converted to doctrines. — Jonathan Dodson, How to NOT be Missional Series at Resurgence

This is a small slice of Dodson's insights on missional living. Here's his premise:

The missional church movement has been good and bad. On a positive note, let’s focus on the bad. Over the next few posts, I want to suggest three ways to not be a missional church. We’ll organize these reflections under three headings:

1. Event-Driven Mission
2. Evangelism-Driven Mission
3. Social Action-Driven Mission

little deaths, little resurrections

Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. — 2 Corinthians 1:9 (ESV)

I went to bed Sunday night feeling like the last few months had a been a string of "little deaths." Grief was thick. Emotions are near the surface. Then I woke up Monday morning to this verse. There is great comfort in knowing that my little deaths do not go unnoticed by my Heavenly Father. In fact, he is the one who is able to resurrect these little deaths... in his time... in his way.

cartoons are funny

I'm sorry. I couldn't resist.

SOAP: children of promise

S - Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe... So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman. — Galatians 3:21-22; 4:31 (ESV)

O - The OT is about grace and faith. How did I miss this before? It was always about God's promise to offer a gracious sacrifice for the penalty of sin that we could never pay. It was about graciously giving life to those who believed God. God never wanted people enslaved to performance and ritual. He wanted to help people be humble, contrite, and faithful.

A - There is a lot of thinking that needs to be changed. I realize, though saying the "right" words (perhaps) about the OT, that I have totally missed it. This is such good news. We are not children of the law, but children of the promise. This motivates me in new ways... I'm not totally sure how, but the day is brighter because of God and his Word.

P - God, I'm sorry for how I missed it. You've been about the same stuff. The gospel has been the same all along. Your grace has been the same all along. I'm just trusting you to be you. Thank you for your promises. Thank you that I can be a child of those promises. I want to help others see you for who you actually are.

SOAP: grace & truth

S - To them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you... for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles. — Galatians 2:5, 8 (ESV)

O - Preserve the gospel from those who would add to it. God works through different people in different ways to accomplish his gospel purposes. Paul confronted Peter for his "floppy" living of the gospel, but then also affirms Peter's call to advance the gospel.

A - There is a careful balance here... if balance is the right word. Preserve the gospel, but don't wreck other people's calling from God. This is a pretty cool reminder. It fits right in with the grace that Galatians is all about.

P - Lord, thanks for teaching me in such a timely way. I need to hear about your grace. I need it. I need to offer it to others. I also need to hear about how important your gospel is. It's good news. It's something in particular and we can't make it whatever we want it to be. I need you grace and truth. Help me live it solidly.

SOAP: get out!

S - And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs. — Mark 16:20 (ESV)

O - This is the natural response to the gospel: To go out and share. Jesus works with his disciples even after he has gone in confirming the message of the good news of God's goodness.

A - Dang. Jesus is so good. I want people to know. I'm excited about a renewed passion for my neighbors... maybe a first passion. They are cool people. God loves them and wants no one to perish. I am excited about falling more in love with God and seeing the natural response being an increased sharing of his goodness with whoever I come across.

P - Lord, this is what I want and fear. Help me gain a right perspective and not be responding out of a religious or guilty spirit. I want to grow in love, in the Spirit, and in boldness with the Gospel. May those who you have placed in my path not be able to say I shrank back from sharing the love and hope you have freely given me. I can't do this on my own. I'm gonna need you to work alongside me and confirm it. Help me to trust you to be faithful in this just as you have been faithful in so many of your other promises.

SOAP: word & power

S - Jesus said to them, "Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God?" — Mark 12:24 (ESV)

O - The Sadducees were trying to trick and catch Jesus. They ask a tricky question about marriage and the resurrection. It sounds like they are saying, "Jesus, I would believe you, IF you can explain..." Jesus points out the real problem they face is not their question, but that they don't know God. They don't know him through his revelation or his power, so any question will only be handled from their limited perspective and not really reach them where they need it.

A - Isn't this how I, and so many others, keep God at a distance. "Okay God, I will believe in/trust you, IF you can explain or show me..." We need our questions about life, justice, goodness, etc. answered. We want it to fit in our view. However, the answer is knowing God, the Creator of it all. God doesn't fit in any of our nice little views. The reality of God means I'm going to have to change. So we ignore what God offers us, Himself, through his word and his power.

P - Lord, help me know you more. Your word. Your power. I am so use to viewing the world through my "little view." That view has been blown up. I don't want to look to anything, or anyone else, but you for purpose, order, and value. I don't want to put you in a box and miss out on any of you. Thank you for your church and the way they invite me to know more of you.

SOAP: salt & peace

S - Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another. — Mark 9:50 (ESV)

O - The disciples were taken aback by someone else using Jesus' name. He wasn't 'in' with the group. Jesus takes this opportunity to teach the disciples that those who use his name are not 'out' like they think. He then compares them to little children and warns that the disciples should not hinder them from growing in faith. Instead he exhorts them to be salt towards them... Preserving what is good, flavoring with true life, & remembering God's faithfulness. He exhorts them to be at peace towards them.

A - As I think about my struggles with 'church' and 'Christians' this is a good reminder. Those who profess Christ in word and deed are 'with me.' We are to work for peace, a deep sense of well being, between one another. And we are to preserve each others' holiness, remind one another of God's faithfulness, and spice up each others' life with the gospel.

P - Lord, help me not to slip into an 'us and them' mentality. Give me a generous spirit towards those who profess your name. Allowing them to be salt in my life and seeking peace together under your gracious reign.

S2 - Jesus said to him,“If you can! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” — Mark 9:23-24 (ESV)

P2 - All things are possible. I don't live this way. May the cry of my heart be, "I believe Lord! Help my unbelief!"

francis is funny

The disciples obey because that's what people do when someone rises from the dead and gives instructions. — Francis Chan, Forgotten God

SOAP: leaving behind the things of men

S - And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said,“Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” — Mark 8:32-33 (ESV)

O - Jesus spoke plainly to those who recognized him as God's promised rescuer and ruler. Even then, they did not see clearly what God was up to. They still thought in human terms about 'the good life' and 'how to get it.' The sacrifice and loss of life was unthinkable, ungodly, in their perspective. But completely necessary for their salvation. If they clung to the 'things of man' they would end up REALLY dead. But, if they willfully and deliberately died to the things of man they would REALLY live.

A - What would I have sought to rebuke Jesus about? "Surely not this my Lord!" "You've got it all wrong Jesus!" "This isn't how its suppossed to be!" How am I saying that to him now?

P - Lord you have bigger purposes than I have in mind. You are, and know, the way to life. You help us with each step of our healing and growth. You guard us from totally derailing your purposes. Help me submit to you and your way. I want to learn from you how to steward my life and leave behind the thinking and things of men.

SOAP: deliberate belief

S - While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler’s house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue,“Do not fear, only believe." — Mark 5:35-36 (ESV)

O - In the eyes of the people Jairus' situation was 'over.' There wasn't anything Jesus/God could do. Best to not bother him with something so final. Yet, Jesus is bigger than death. From the perspective of God the finality of death is just sleep. Jesus invites Jairus and his disciples to have this heavenly perspective, believing God is not finished when things are way beyond us and our finite expectations.

I also notice how everything in Mark happens 'immediately.' I notice that this happens 'with haste' with Herod's daughter (Mark 6:25). There is something deliberate about Jesus and the Spirit. Including 'leisure,' 'solitude,' eating and 'prayer' (Mark 6:31, 46) There is something rushed, hurried, and foolish about earthly 'kings.' Rushing leads you to decisions and actions you never wanted or believed you would choose. Deliberately living leads to health, compassion, action, concern for others, and a single-mindedness about God's purposes.

A - Perhaps this is a season of "sleep." A time to learn this kind of deliberate living. Deliberate belief that it is God's good pleasure to give us the kingdom (a heavenly reality) in the midst of our circumstances (an earthly perspective). When Jesus leads the disciples into rest (6:31) the word "leisure" can also mean "convenient time." It seems this is a "convenient time" to learn about deliberate belief.

P - Lord, its impossible to ignore how this speaks to my desperation this morning. Bills. Work. Purpose. Health. Life. These things seem to be in a... 'dead' kind of place (not actually dead, but not moving from an earthly perspective). Yet, the sense that I get is that this is a season of "sleep." What would you like to say to about this:

Do not be afraid. Just believe. Believe the promises of your Heavenly Father. He knows what you need and it is his pleasure to give you the kingdom.

SOAP: loving obedience

S - "but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful"... And he said to them,“Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you"... And he said,“The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how." — Mark 4:19, 24, 26-27 (ESV)

O - Jesus is framing the Kingdom of God for his new apostles. He speaks to how hearts respond to the good news. He speaks to being attentive to the word. He speaks to the work of spreading the word. There will be a number of obstacles to the fruit of the gospel, your heart is central to them. You cares and affections matter. Pay attention to your receptivity to the word. For this will help you notice whether your cares & affections are for God and his Kingdom. Spread the word faithfully, harvest when its time, and do not get caught up in the rest of the process, this is the Lord's work.

A - I'm nervous about things... Mostly money I guess. Maybe also how others perceive my life. My response to money is to ignore it. My response to others' opinions is to fret about it. I hear a call back to being anxious about God's will. Yet, also a reminder about the grace of God's work in my life. He freely has given, and I can freely obey. This frees me from anxiously obeying God in order to get something I am desiring (or anxious about). Obedience was not why God loved me or freely gave me grace. He loves me as a Beloved Son. I respond with loving obedience to a gracious and good Dad who cares for me well.

P - Lord, thank you for changing my cares and affections so I can lovingly respond in obedience. Keep up the good work. Help me not get caught up in the deceit that money will make my life okay and its all I am missing. I know I have plenty with you as my Father. So thanks for loving me Dad and taking care of me along the way.