Why Is the Body of Christ on a Story?
Missional church is definitely a popular saying that is everywhere these days. the concept that we are required to categorize churches, missional, has forever been somewhat strange to me. come on, shouldnt all churches be missional in their very core? it should be expected from a church, at its very core, shoot to meet their culture and city with the story of Christ as a missionary would in a foreign country? Isnt it what the places of worship is encouraged to do in the great commission in Matthew 28:19? Our own local area begs for this style of church. Central Austin churches is slowly transitioning to what Jesus instructed in Scripture.
Jesus gives the charge in Acts 1:8 saying, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8 explains this idea as, right before Jesus Christ rises to Heaven, He commissions the disciples on a exploration that would launch right in their personal community. He begins with their hometown of Jerusalem, and then expands the call to the many parts of the earth.
As disciples of Jesus, we are not moved to social clubs, but to be missional followers of Jesus who are passionately going out and finding communities right where they are with the message of Jesus. We have seen this throughout history: God motivated Abraham on a mission to move from his country and his people and go to the place that God would show him (Gen. 12:1), God motivated Moses on a story to renew an enslaved people and lead them to independence (Exodus 3:8-10), God sends Jesus on a exploration to world to reconcile all things to Himself through the cross (Colossians 1:20). And now God is sending the church on a journey to engage communities, cities, peoples, and even nations with the good news (Matt. 28:19 Mark 6:7 Luke 10:1 John 20:21 Acts 1:8). If we reject this urge and continue to perceive the bodies of Christ like a closed off country club ” urging that people fix their act, pay their dues, and walk to our sanctuary God will continue His journey without us.
