Almost A Christian

“…if you lack a missional imagination, [mission calls the church into being] then you’re not really a church…it’s very common for people to sit around saying, ‘We’re a church, now what’s our mission?’ It should be the other way around…If you don’t have a mission, you’re probably not a church, you’re…a club!” With all the talk recently about reclaiming things, this is refreshing. There is no questions that as believers we need to reclaim the mission/purpose of the Church for the sake of our kids and grand kids.  But what is it really?  I love what Joel Hunter says, “God has place us here for the sake of those not yet included in the Kingdom.”  This interview with Kenda Creasy Dean makes a lot of sense.  While it’s focused on reclaiming historical Christianity for the sake of future generations, it’s really about reclaiming the missional nature of the Church.  She makes a good case for refocusing the Church on its early distinctive and what set is apart from the culture around it.  It was very much focused on the needs of others locally as well as around the known world.