While we wait for our entry about women in full-time youth ministry, I thought it would be a good idea to at least nail down a working definition of missional. That way, we can then try and apply its meaning to youth ministry.
This definition is compiled from a number of different authors. I will always try to reference each author because it’s important for any further reading you would like to do, and so you don’t think that I came up with this stuff on my own. I’m not that smart.
Alan Hirsch is one of the Missional church gurus. He and Michael Frost are putting out the best stuff right now in my opinion. So here is his definition of Missional Church:
“So a working definition of missional church is that it’s a community of God’s people that defines itself, and organizes its life around, its real purpose of being an agent of God’s mission to the world. In other words, the Church’s true and authentic organizing principle is mission. When the church is in mission, it is the true Church. The Church itself is not only a product of that mission, but is obligated and destined to extend it by whatever means possible. The mission of God flows directly through every believer and every community of faith that adheres to Jesus. To obstruct this is to block God’s purposes in and through his people.” Alan Hirsch
One more and then we will try and connect the dots to youth ministry. Rick Meigs has a website called “Friend of Missional”. Here’s his definition:
“Missional is a helpful term used to describe what happens when you and I replace the “come to us” invitations with a “go to them” life. A life where “the way of Jesus” informs and radically transforms our existence to one wholly focused on sacrificially living for him and others and where we adopt a missionary stance in relation to our culture. It speaks of the very nature of the Jesus follower.” Rick Meigs
By now maybe you’re able to see how this is going to translate into youth ministry. The problem is that this is a direct contradiction of modern youth ministry practices. “Go to them” instead of “come to us”. Living life in front of and together is the primary form of teaching instead of the boring lecture based model of today. And, mission or service become priority over the rah rah pep rally worship service. Say goodbye to your sacred numbers that make you look good. You’ll be able to go deeper than you ever thought possible though. But, you got to be able to keep your job through the transition.
So, what do you think? My goal is to get a few folks that are actually doing this, all at different stages, to share what’s happening. For now we’ll let all this just sink in. Until next time… Abandon the Show!
Brian
