Fad or Foundation? - Vision, Part 2

I can't remember when I first heard the word. I know it has been within the last 3-4 years. I also don't know for sure who said it first. What I do know is that I am hearing it a lot now, with both positive and negative reactions. The word? Missional. I know it probably has an "official" meaning. I also know that people respond to it based on their understanding of that "official" definition. I also know that it has become a label for a certain kind of congregation and I REALLY DON'T LIKE LABELS (missional, attractional, contemporary, traditional, blended, ...). However, I REALLY DO LIKE the word missional. Or I should say I like it the way I define it. My definition is expressed in the second congregational vision statement on the Mission Wall at the HBA Mission Center.

Missional congregations that are on mission to make Christ known in their communities and beyond.

I have been a part of congregations that described themselves as mission-minded (and that is a good thing, by the way). What that means sometimes is that they are committed to giving great prayer and financial support to our "missionaries". One of the hallmarks of Southern Baptist history and practice is our cooperative mission work. We have been the greatest missionary sending entity in the history of Christianity. However, Jesus didn't simply call us to pray and write checks. He called us to pray, to give, and to go. Sometimes that means to go to the other side of the world. Sometimes it means to go to the other side of town. Sometimes it means to go to the other side of the room. Always it means to move from being mission-minded to being on-mission. That is why the role of the association is not to "promote missions" among our congregations, but to assist churches in fulfilling the mission to which they have been called. That means that any congregation--regardless of their worship style ... or organizational structure ... or history ... or ministry plan--can be a missional congregation. If the "official" definition drives you, it might be fad. If you are mission-driven, it is foundation.