Shifting mindset

I think Erwin McManus' word for what we have been talking about within our commnuity is missional. From our discussions, we are not talking about a model change but much more than that a, mindset change. I believe that there is a group of us who are already there. Unfortunately, though I think there is a large part of our community who has grown comfortable in doing church, in the best case or in the worst case, consuming church rather than being church. I like this phrase a lot. It is straight to the point and doesn’t let anybody off the hook. A state of being implies a sense of permanence not simply a Sunday morning thing or Wednesday night thing. And applied in the sense of church that Christ meant it, gives each of us the responsibility of “making disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything Christ commanded.”

I believe we are talking about calling people back to Christ’s original mission for each of our lives, Love God and Love other people. A whole community dedicated to those two things would definitely be a force in the world. Wrapped up in those two things are some seriously counter-cultural ideas like sacrifice and other-mindedness. God’s economy is diametrically opposed to the world we live in. “Lose your life to find it,” “ Give your life away, live generously and you will be full.” These are concepts that don’t make any sense until you experience them in the context of relationship with Christ.

So I guess the big question is how do we facilitate a mindset shift in our community? How do we become a community whose mindset is always shifting to how to we Love God and Love others better? I think Love God and love other people happen sequentially. I do not think it is possible to sacrificially love those around us unless we are in Love with God. So we extend an invitation to people to fall in love with the God of the universe, we continue to create opportunities for people to experience God. All the while verbally reinforcing this idea of falling in love with Him.

Loving other people, I think is much more difficult. I know nothing inspires me more than hearing how others have experienced God’s love through those around them; hearing how others have taken seriously the challenge to be God’s hands and feet.
For what it is worth those are my current thoughts on being church or being a force in the world or living missionally.