[a post from November 2015]
Every church wants to be faithfully fulfill its mission. They want to succeed. Most would say they want to see disciples made and the Kingdom of God here on earth.
But we go about it in a variety of ways. There are different emphases, different programs, philosophies, and organizations to follow. And we need a variety of approaches to ministry to reach a variety of people with the gospel. There is no “one size fits all” church model.
For Diaspora, we are taking a missional approach with a multiplying movement of small easily reproducible Disciplemaking Communities. These DCs are the extended family where we can live out our faith and reach people around us.
Many factors can be a part of whether churches succeed/fulfill their mission. But one that is utmost is sticking to it. You can’t just take a shot and if it doesn’t work out in a year or two give up.
Missional Catalyst and author Hugh Halter wrote in his blog,
“One primary issue on whether or not ‘missional’ will take, expand, multiply, renovate, and reveal the kingdom to the world. And that is THAT YOU HAVE TO STICK WITH IT! It really doesn’t matter which group you chose to train you, who you read, what organization or resources you take your cues from. What really matters is that you don’t just ‘try it’ for a year and move on. What matters is that you commit to it, live it, do it, and keep doing it!”
Check out the rest of the post at http://www.hughhalter.com/blog/2015/03/15/one-reason-missional-will-or-wont-work-for-you
In the church, business, education, government and our personal lives we too often want quick fixes. We look for a sort of magic formula or trick that will fix the problem. Need to lose weight, get a better job, fix your teenager, rejuvenate a congregation or boost an economy? Let’s try the formula someone else used in different circumstances and let’s expect it to work as faster or even faster for us!
Years ago I heard Bill Wilson of Metro Ministries talk of its success in Brooklyn, New York with their outreach Sunday school program. What did he say was the key?
“We stayed.”
Other ministries tried it for a year or two and left. People came to serve for a short term, gave up and went off to other opportunities. But through years of hard work, trials, pain and victory Metro Ministries stayed.
I spoke to a friend who consults with churches and denominations all across this country. He talked about how churches try a missional approach for a few months or a year and then give up. They go back to their old ways and say, “missional just doesn’t work”. Without really committing to it we will not see success.
It has been less than a year since Diaspora landed as a church. And so maybe it’s naïve to say, but we’re here and unless God directs us otherwise we’re staying. We’ve had this conversation with our people. We’re a family on mission together. We’ve left behind the traditional approach and are committed to a missional one. And we all agree,
“We’re not going back.”
